When making vacation plans or relocating to a new country, safety is a top priority for many people. Whether traveling across the world or visiting nearby countries, a stress-free trip requires thorough research and awareness of security. If you are planning to visit a new country this year or relocate to a new destination, here is a list of the 15 safest countries in the world that you can consider.
Top 15 safest countries in the world 2024
The top 15 safest countries in the world according to the Global Peace Index 2024 from the Institute for Economics and Peace are:
1. Iceland
Iceland remains the most peaceful and safest country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. However, its score has deteriorated slightly in the last year due to a small increase in the number of violent demonstrations. Despite this increase, Iceland has the lowest ongoing conflict and militarization score globally. In addition, it ranks first on the societal safety and security domain sub-index, making it one of the safest countries to live and work in.
2. Ireland
Ireland, a popular tourist destination, has emerged this year as the second most peaceful country in the world. The country ranks 7th on the ongoing domestic and international conflict sub-index and 13th on the societal safety and security domain sub-index. Internal conflicts are very rare in Ireland. Moreover, it has very high political stability, peaceful relations with neighboring countries, and low crime rates.
3. Austria
Austria is another European country that has emerged among the safest countries in the world with extremely low rates of domestic and international conflict in addition to very stable societal safety and security, making it one of the best places to live and work in.
4. New Zealand
New Zealand is the most peaceful country in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks 4th globally. Notably, the region remains the second most peaceful region in the world, a position it has held since 2017. Despite ranking 4th, New Zealand’s score has declined slightly in the last year due to a rise in both weapon import and export indicators as well as a rise in military expenditure. However, the country still ranks on the upper end when it comes to societal safety and security.
5. Singapore
Despite ranking 5th on the global peace index, Singapore ranks first globally in the safety and security domain, right above Iceland. In addition, it ranks as the second safest country in the Asia-Pacific region following New Zealand. The country’s strict regulations and effective law enforcement contribute to its reputation for safety and security.
6. Switzerland
In Europe, Switzerland ranks as the 4th safest country and the 6th safest country in the world. Like many other countries on this list, Switzerland has very low crime rates. However, the reason why it stands out is it focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment for offenders in its judicial system.
7. Portugal
In 2024, Portugal ranked as the 7th safest and most peaceful country in the world and the 5th safest in Europe. Portugal has a low crime rate, a reasonably stable political system, and a high level of social cohesion. The country ranks as one of the least military-heavy states in the world right below Iceland.
8. Denmark
In 8th place globally comes Denmark, a country famous for its high level of living, well-functioning institutions, and stable political system. The country’s reputation for safety and security is due to its well-run institutions, low crime rate, and effective law enforcement. Notably, it is also among the top three happiest countries in the world. Denmark also ranks as the 6th most peaceful country in Europe with one of the highest levels of societal safety and security globally.
9. Slovenia
Right after Denmark comes Slovenia, another European nation with very low crime rates and high political stability, making it a popular tourist destination for nature and medieval architecture lovers.
10. Malaysia
Malaysia is among the world’s safest countries due to its extremely low levels of conflict. Notably, Malaysia is the 3rd safest country in the Asia-Pacific region following closely behind New Zealand and Singapore.
11. Canada
In addition to ranking among the top 15 safest countries in the world, Canada ranked first in North America. Despite the region recording the largest average deterioration of all the regions, it remains the third most peaceful region globally, behind Europe and Asia-Pacific. Overall peacefulness deteriorated in Canada for the first time since 2020, with deteriorations across all three domains: safety and security, militarization, and ongoing conflict.
12. Czechia
Another European country ranking among the top 15 safest countries in the world is Czechia. The country ranks 12th globally and 8th in Europe on the Global Peace Index, making it one of the safest countries in the world with low crime rates and very low ongoing domestic and international conflict.
13. Finland
Finland is also one of Europe’s safest countries ranking 9th in the region and 13th in the world. The country is famous for its low crime rate and secure environment making it an attractive destination for tourists. Notably, the country ranks 5th in societal safety and security globally.
14. Hungary
Another European country ranking among the top 15 safest countries in the world is Hungary. The Central European country ranks 14th globally and 10th in Europe on the Global Peace Index. Hungary has one of the lowest militarization domain scores and highest societal safety and security scores globally, making it one of the safest countries in the world to live and visit.
15. Croatia
Finally comes Croatia, ranking as the 15th safest country in the world and the 11th safest country in Europe. Croatia is safe due to very rare domestic and international conflict. Moreover, the country ranks very high on the societal safety and security sub-index. The country’s low crime rate and secure environment makes it an attractive destination for tourists from all around the world.
Understanding the Global Peace Index (GPI)
The Global Peace Index (GPI) ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.
It uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from credible sources and measures the state of peace across three domains:
- The level of societal safety and security
- The extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict
- The degree of militarization
This year, the IEP introduced a new measure of global military capability that incorporates military sophistication, technology, and battle readiness into a single measure to further give insight into each country’s peacefulness and safety levels.
Characteristics of safe countries
Among the most notable qualities of a safe country are high levels of wealth, social welfare and education. In addition, effective criminal justice systems and governments that maintain healthy relationships with their citizens is another major factor contributing to safety.
In addition, other factors contributing to a country’s safety are low crime rates, particularly violent crime rates, political stability, with a low risk of violent demonstrations and ongoing international conflict, and effective law enforcement and a strong justice system.
Safety considerations
A country might have most factors that contribute to its safety levels. However, natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, and health concerns, such as disease outbreaks and pandemics, can impact a country’s safety level.
FAQs
1. How is the safety of a country measured?
A country’s safety is measured using multiple factors including the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarization. Several factors impact those measurements, including a country’s level of wealth, social welfare, education, judicial system, and the effectiveness of its law enforcement.
2. Why is Iceland considered the safest country?
Iceland has the lowest ongoing conflict and militarization scores globally, making it the world safest country. In addition, it has the highest level of societal safety and security globally. Iceland has exceptionally low crime rates and it is known for its high social cohesiveness and its stable political climate.
3. Which country has the lowest crime rate?
According to the Global Organized Crime Index (GOCI), Qatar has the lowest crime rate in the world followed by the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.
4. How does political stability affect a country’s safety?
Political stability plays a crucial role in influencing a country’s safety. Stable political environments usually lead to better functioning law enforcement agencies. Moreover, when a country is politically stable, it is more likely to attract investment and sustain economic growth, leading to job creation and poverty reduction.
In stable political environments, there tends to also be greater social cohesion and trust in government institutions. This trust promotes community cooperation with law enforcement and other safety measures, enhancing overall security.
5. What role does healthcare play in determining a country’s safety?
Healthcare plays a critical role in determining a country’s safety by influencing various aspects of public health, economic stability, social cohesion, and national security. Effective healthcare systems are essential for preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. Robust healthcare infrastructure can quickly identify, isolate, and treat outbreaks, minimizing their impact on public safety. A well-functioning healthcare system is also vital for responding to emergencies, including natural disasters and pandemics.
6. Are there any emerging safe countries?
Several countries recorded significant jumps on the Global Peace Index this year. However, the most notable is El Salvador with the largest improvement on the index due to very significant improvements in the homicide rate indicator and citizens’ improved perceptions of safety over the past few years.
Other countries that recorded signficant improvements on the index include the United Arab Emirates, Nicaragua, Greece, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Bahrain.
Read: UAE holidays: Schengen visa fee rises, Europe vacation gets more expensive
Final thoughts
Despite some countries witnessing signficant improvement on the Global Peace Index, the average level of country peacefulness deteriorated by 0.56 per cent in the 2024. This is the fifth consecutive year that global peacefulness has deteriorated. North America recorded the largest regional deterioration in peacefulness, with both Canada and the U.S. recording large falls in peacefulness. This deterioration was driven by increases in violent crime and perceptions of criminality.
Despite some countries recording significant improvement in the Middle East and North Africa region, it still remains the least peaceful region in the world. It is home to four of the 10 least peaceful countries in the world, including the two least peaceful, Sudan and Yemen.
Finally, Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world and is home to seven of the 10 most peaceful countries. However, it deteriorated in peacefulness over the past year, recording its largest year-on-year deterioration on the militarization domain since the beginning of the GPI in 2008.
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