It may seem hard to determine which are the safest countries in the world, but for many travelers, the question is top of mind. A sense of security in a destination can be vital when selecting a place to visit—whether that's because you're a solo traveler, moving around with small children, or worried about discrimination. To help quantify the topic of safety, the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) has released its annual Global Peace Index (GPI), a data-driven measurement of global peacefulness.
The 2023 results are broadly similar to the 2022 rankings (more details on that below) but there have been some movements in the list—with a couple of new additions, too. The most peaceful country in the world, however, remains the same for the 16th year running.
The report notes that while some factors (such as the death toll from terrorism) have improved over time, the amount of COVID-19-related violent incidents—riots in response to lockdown, targeted physical assaults, etc.—from 2020 to 2021 were off the charts. In fact, there were at least 158 countries that recorded one or more violent incidents directly related to the pandemic during this time.
To assemble the list, the IEP ranks 163 nations using three domains of peacefulness: the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization. Within those domains, the organization looks at 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, including incarceration rates, homicide rates, deaths from internal conflict, perceptions of criminality, and more. The scores are then averaged for an overall composite—the lower the score, the safer the space.
Below, you’ll find the 10 safest countries in the world, along with each country’s score (one being the most peaceful, five being the least).
10. Switzerland
Score: 1.339
Switzerland rounds out the list of the top 10 peaceful countries in the world—despite the fact that it ranks among the highest weapons exporters per capita. It's clearly safe enough in other areas to land in such a high ranking, though.
9. Japan
Score: 1.336
Japan is the ninth most peaceful country. It comes second (after Finland) in safety and security rankings, which positions it strongly to rank on this list. Japan reopened its borders fully after the pandemic just this year—plan a trip with our article on the all the best new things to do in the country.
8. Slovenia
Score: 1.334
Slovenia broke into the top 10 for the first time in 2020 and managed to stay there since, thanks to extremely low crime rates and terrorism risk. The country dropped from its 2022 ranking of five to spot eight, but whether you’re just generally into beautiful places or want to explore some of Europe’s best castles and lakes, Slovenia has plenty to offer—including the guarantee that you'll sleep well at night.
7. Portugal
Score: 1.333
Portugal has made significant strides in peacefulness in recent years. In 2014, the country was transitioning out of financial crisis and was ranked 18th on the GPI. Today, it is a beacon of economic resurgence and low crime rates. Add to that a Mediterranean climate and affordable healthcare, and it’s little wonder so many people decide to retire in Portugal in their golden years. It has dropped three places since last year's rankings, but still makes the top 10.
6. Singapore
Score: 1.332
Singapore is a new entry on the list, ranking in the top five in categories such as safety and security (number four) and ongoing conflict (number three). It's the second-placing country in the Asia Pacific region.
5. Austria
Score: 1.316
Another stalwart in this list, Austria ranks at number five this year—dropping one place since 2022. For inspiration for your next (or first) trip, see our guides to the Austrian capital—including a local's take on the country.
4. New Zealand
Score: 1.313
New Zealand is down two places from the 2022 listing—it's now number 4 on the list, but was number 2 in the 2022 ranking. It's the safest country in the Asia-Pacific region, though, and there were improvements in this year's data—especially in terms of violent demonstrations, the incarceration rate. and terrorism impact indicators. But there were big drops in militarization, especially the importing and exporting of weapons.
3. Ireland
Score: 1.312
Ireland has jumped five places since last year, leaping from number eight to round out the top three. In 2022, the country was a new addition to the top 10. This means that all of the top three safest countries of the world this year are in Europe.
2. Denmark
Score: 1.31
Up one spot since 2022 when it ranked third, Denmark is in second place in the 2023 Global Peace Index. The nation stands out for its well-functioning government, low levels of corruption, and equitable distribution of resources. Interestingly, Denmark also ranks second in the list of the happiest countries in the world.
1. Iceland
Score: 1.124
Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world for the 16th year in a row—it's held the position since the inception of the index in 2008. The Nordic nation has some of the lowest military spending and international conflict rates in the world (not having any shared borders helps). There has been a four percent deterioration in the country's score since 2008 though, which the report attributes to increased homicide and terrorism risks.