Top 10 Safest Countries in the World
For those traveling or relocating internationally, the safety levels of your different global choices are likely to be a major consideration. Knowing a country’s safety ranking can help you to travel with confidence and to take precautions when necessary.
At IAS, we can help you to navigate travel safety considerations and to plan accordingly. Contact us online today or on +353 (0)61 518 025 to learn more about our full range of services and to ensure your travels run as smoothly and safely as possible.
Introduction to the Safest Countries in the World
Safety levels vary significantly from country to country and knowing a country’s safety ranking can help you to take the right precautions before travel.
While safety levels can vary even within the same country, there are a number of countries around the world which consistently rank highly for safety overall. These include Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, Austria, and Singapore, though this list is far from exhaustive.
Numerous factors contribute to a country’s safety ranking, including crime rate, presence of violent demonstrations, political instability, and violent crime.
Countries which perform well according to one indicator may perform poorly according to others, meaning that it is important to identify which factors are most important to your own sense of safety before making your final travel decisions and when deciding which safety rankings to use for research.
Overall, those looking to travel or relocate to a safe global location have a number of countries from which to choose, and the right choice will depend on a variety of your other preferences, including global region, climate, and budget.
Page Contents
- Introduction to the Safest Countries in the World
- Factors Influencing the Safety Rankings
- Comparing the Top 10 Safest Countries in the World
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Austria
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Portugal
- Denmark
- Norway
- Canada
- Conclusion: Navigating Safety Concerns in International Travel
- How Can IAS Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Factors Influencing the Safety Rankings
There are numerous factors which contribute to a country’s societal safety levels and different safety rankings use different measurement criteria.
The Global Peace Index, which will be referred to throughout this article, uses the following 23 factors when measuring the safety levels of different countries:
- Perceptions of Criminality
- Violent Demonstrations
- Political Terror Scale
- Armed Services Personnel Rate
- Homicide Rate
- Police Rate
- Nuclear and Heavy Weapons
- Political Instability
- Access to Small Arms
- Intensity of Internal Conflict
- Incarceration Rate
- Terrorism Impact
- Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
- UN Peacekeeping Funding
- Neighbouring Countries Relations
- Violent Crime
- Internal Conflicts Fought
- Weapons Exports
- Deaths From External Conflict
- Weapons Imports
- Military Expenditure
- Deaths From Internal Conflict
- External Conflicts Fought
However, it is important to note that different safety factors are important to different people, and your own sense of safety may be based on certain factors more than others. Some of the factors listed above may not contribute directly to how safe a country feels as a short-term travel destination, for example, even if they contribute to a country’s safety levels overall.
As such, it is important to decide which factors are important to you before making your final travel decisions. Safety levels can also vary significantly between regions of the same country, meaning you should make sure to research your particular region of choice when seeking to gain a more accurate sense of safety levels in that specific area.
Comparing the Top 10 Safest Countries in the World
Across the world, there are many countries which consistently rank highly for safety. For travellers for whom safety is a top priority, then, there are numerous countries from which to choose.
The Global Peace Index is a particularly respected index which takes into account a wide range of factors when calculating international safety levels. The specific measurement criteria which is uses are listed in the previous section.
Using these criteria, it ranks the following 10 countries as safest in the world:
- Iceland
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Portugal
- Denmark
- Slovenia
- Finland
In contrast, the following 10 countries are ranked as the least safe:
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Sudan
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Syria
- South Sudan
- Israel
- Mali
However, it is worth noting that numerous factors contribute to safety, and perceptions of safety may differ from more objective measurement criteria.
For example, the US News Safety Ranking, which is based on the safety perceptions of approximately 17000 global respondents, gave the top 10 spots for safety to the following 10 countries:
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Sweden
- Austria
- Denmark
- Canada
- Finland
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Belgium
While there is some overlap, with countries like Switzerland and Austria making it into the top 10 spaces of both rankings, there are also some notable differences. For example, the Scandinavian countries score generally higher in the US News Ranking than in the Global Peace Index: Norway, Sweden, and Denmark all make it into the US News top 10 ranking, whereas only Denmark scores in the top 10 places of the Global Peace Index.
This suggests that perceptions of Scandinavian safety levels are higher than Scandinavian safety levels as measured by more objective metrics.
In the following sections, 10 of the world’s safest countries will be discussed in more detail, specifically Iceland, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Canada.
Iceland
Iceland is a particularly peaceful country which is world-renowned for its beauty. Popular spots include the Golden Circle, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.
Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, is a popular residential area, offering strong international travel connections, a rich insight into Icelandic culture, and easy access to Iceland’s countryside. Höfn is another popular spot, a harbour town offering both easy access to the nearby Vatnajökull glacier and world-famous seafood restaurants.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Iceland ranks as the safest country in the world. It takes 13th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Iceland is a good choice for travellers looking for a very safe environment, stunning natural beauty, and a change of pace.
Ireland
One of the safest countries in the world, Ireland also offers stunning natural beauty, a rich cultural scene, and convenient travel connections to the rest of the EU.
Popular destinations within Ireland include Dublin for its beautiful architecture, Galway for its rich music scene and picturesque streets, and Cork for its cultural richness.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Ireland ranks as the 2nd safest country in the world. It takes 12th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Ireland is a good choice for those looking for high safety levels, a rich traditional culture, easy access to nature, and an EU base.
Austria
Austria is another of the European countries which ranks especially highly for safety. It is a culturally rich destination which boasts beautiful architecture, breathtaking countryside, and strong EU travel connections.
Popular spots include Vienna for its world-famous architecture and numerous cultural opportunities, Salzburg for its views of the Alps and important place in musical history, and Graz for its medieval feel and rich local culture.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Austria ranks as the 4th safest country in the world. It also takes fourth place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Austria is a good choice for those looking for high safety levels, beautiful architecture, and a convenient European Union location.
New Zealand
New Zealand is a beautiful and peaceful country which is known for its stunning nature and strong culture of outdoor activity.
Popular spots within New Zealand include Auckland for its beautiful harbours and islands, Queenstown for its rich assortment of outdoor activities, and Rotorua for its geysers and mud pools.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, New Zealand ranks as the 3rd safest country in the world. It takes 8th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, New Zealand is a good choice for those seeking high safety levels, a strong sense of community, easy access to nature, and a well-established culture of outdoor activity.
Singapore
Singapore is a modern and economically thriving city-state which is known for its numerous professional opportunities and beautiful green spaces.
Popular spots include the Marina Bay Sands, the Night Safari, Sentosa Island, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and Clarke Quay.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Singapore ranks as the 6th safest country in the world. It takes 19th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Singapore is a good choice for those looking for high levels of safety and security, a blend of urban and green spaces, and easy travel access to other Southeast Asian destinations.
Switzerland
Switzerland is another top choice for those seeking a safe travel destination. It offers a rich food scene, stunning mountains, and beautiful architecture, although it can also be very expensive.
Top spots include Zurich for its mix of modern and traditional charm, Geneva for its international significance and lakeside location, and Bern for its traditional architecture and easy access to the Alps.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Switzerland ranks as the 5th safest country in the world. It takes 1st place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Switzerland is a good choice for those with a larger travel budget who are looking for high safety levels, beautiful scenery, traditional European charm, and a rich food scene.
Portugal
Portugal is another popular European travel destination which offers high safety levels. Boasting world-famous architecture, beautiful castles, and a rich food scene, it is a popular travel choice for many.
Popular spots within Portugal include Lisbon for its famous hilly streets and insight into Portuguese culture, the Algarve for its stunning beaches, Porto for its rich wine scene, and Sintra for its beautiful castles.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Portugal ranks as the 7th safest country in the world. It takes 15th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Portugal is a good choice for those seeking European architecture, access to beautiful nature, and easy access to the rest of the EU.
Denmark
Denmark is a popular Scandinavian travel destination, boasting a blend of modern and traditional architecture, beautiful cliffs, and a strong sense of community.
Popular spots within Denmark include Copenhagen for its famous colourful architecture and rich culture, Odense for its traditional charm, and Skagen for its beautiful landscape.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Denmark ranks as the 8th safest country in the world. It takes 5th place in the US News Safety Ranking, making it the only Scandinavian country to appear in the top 10 spaces of both rankings.
Overall, Denmark is a great choice for those looking for high safety levels, Scandinavian charm, beautiful architecture, and easy access to natural beauty.
Norway
Norway is another popular Scandinavian travel destination. It boasts stunning nature, a rich culture and history, and a strong culture of outdoor activity.
Popular spots include Oslo for its rich cultural scene, Tromsø for viewing the Northern Lights, and Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord for an experience of Norway’s fjords.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Norway ranks as the 32nd safest country in the world. It takes 2nd place in the US News Safety Ranking, however, showing a significant gap between perception of safety level and safety levels as measured by more objective criteria. On balance, though, it still ranks highly for safety compared to most other global destinations.
Overall, Norway is a good choice for those seeking high safety levels, stunning natural beauty, and a cooler climate.
Canada
Canada is a popular North American destination for those seeking an especially safe travel destination. Famous for its beautiful nature, cooler climate, and friendly culture, it is a good fit for many travellers.
Popular spots within Canada include Niagara Falls for its stunning natural beauty, Toronto for its modern charm and rich culture, and Ottawa for its excellent museums.
According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Canada ranks as the 14th safest country in the world. It takes 6th place in the US News Safety Ranking.
Overall, Canada is a great choice for those seeking a blend of city and countryside locations, easy access to nature, and high levels of national safety and security.
Overall, safety levels vary from country to country, and also within regions of the same country. Before commencing with your international travel, it is important to carefully research local laws, safety considerations, and security concerns, in order to maximise your chances of a safe and smooth trip.
Before leaving on your travels, you should check your national government website for any safety recommendations for your chosen location. It may be that particular regions of your destination are less safe than others, for instance, in which case you may choose to avoid those particular regions when visiting the country. Certain towns or cities may have a higher risk of violent demonstrations or terrorist activity, for example, and tourists may be advised to avoid these areas.
There are many global destinations which offer a generally safe environment for international travellers, a number of which have been explored in this article.
Countries such as Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Singapore, and Switzerland are common choices amongst travellers who are especially concerned with safety.
Even in these cases, however, it is still important to understand local customs and laws in order to help achieve a more seamless travel experience.
Contact IAS today on +353 (0)61 518 025 for more information on any specific safety or security risks in your destination of choice.
How Can IAS Help?
For those looking to travel or move overseas, global safety levels are likely to be a top priority. Safety levels vary significantly from country to country and knowing what to expect can help you to make better-informed travel plans.
There are a number of countries which consistently take the top places for global safety levels, such as Ireland, Iceland, and New Zealand. These countries generally offer a safe travel and residential environment, and so are popular choices with travellers and expats alike.
However, researching safety levels between different countries can often be overwhelming.
At IAS, we can help you to navigate the entire process and to make maximally-informed travel decisions. Contact us online today or on +353 (0)61 518 025 to learn more about our full range of services and to receive bespoke travel advice, helping to ensure that your journey runs as smoothly as possible.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on January 29th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
For many travellers, choosing a location with high safety levels is a top priority. This means picking travel destinations which score highly in different safety rankings, such as Ireland, New Zealand, and Portugal. These countries consistently score highly across both different rankings and different years.
For those travelling with family, safety considerations are likely to be especially important, in which case consulting safety rankings before travel is a particularly sensible idea.
While safety often factors into travel plans, some travellers may choose to prioritise certain safety variables over others. For instance, crime rate and presence of violent protests are both likely to factor more highly than military expenditure and weapons exports; they are likely to contribute more to how safe a country feels on a day to day basis.
There are a number of common cultural factors which make countries like Iceland and New Zealand especially safe travel destinations. For instance, both countries share a high level of social trust, helping ensure a stronger community feel and contributing to a lower crime rate.
The two countries also share a strong cultural commitment to well-being, helping contribute to a higher quality of life and a reduction in certain social pressures which might contribute to criminal activity.
Overall, Iceland and New Zealand both value high levels of social equality, well-being, and community, factors which are likely to contribute to their higher safety scores.
Whether or not political stability and governance contribute to a country’s safety ranking depends on the particular measurement criteria which a ranking uses.
In the case of the Global Peace Index, which is used throughout this article, the following related factors are taken into account:
- Internal conflicts fought
- Neighbouring countries relations
- UN peacekeeping funding
- Intensity of internal conflict
- Political instability
- Armed service personnel rate
- Political terror scale
- Violent demonstrations
All of these factors relate to political stability and governance, either directly or indirectly, meaning that, in the case of the Global Peace Index, political stability and governance do indeed influence the final safety ranking. They may be less relevant to other rankings, however.
Overall, it is important to pay attention to the particular measurement criteria of any ranking which you are using for research purposes to ensure that those criteria are a good match for your own safety priorities.
Economic factors can indeed influence a country’s ability to invest in safety. For instance, countries with higher expenditure on external conflicts or weapons imports, for example, may have less resources to put towards internal safety infrastructure and programs.
Higher military spending may also indicate a different national approach to safety, in which case internal safety spending may be less of a budget priority. Countries like Iceland and Ireland, which rank in the top 2 spots of the Global Peace Index 2025, for example, both spend significantly less on external conflicts than the US, which ranks 128th for safety.
Overall, there are numerous factors which contribute to a country’s safety and security levels, and different countries will take different approaches to ensuring national security.
Indicators vary significantly between safety indexes. In the case of the US News Safety Ranking, for instance, the index is based on the safety perceptions of survey respondents. Whilst perceptions of safety offer an important insight into how safe countries feel, they can also be subjective, meaning that they should also be considered alongside more objective criteria.
The Global Peace Index, on the other hand, measures more objective criteria, such as political instability, violence crime, and incarceration rate. While more objective factors can provide a more robust insight into safety levels, they may not always be especially relevant to the average traveller.
For instance, the Global Peace Index also takes into account factors like military expenditure and weapons exports. While these factors may still influence an individual’s travel decisions, they do not always have an immediate effect on day-to-day safety levels within the country itself.
In general, it is important to take into account a wide range of indicators when making your final travel decisions, as numerous variables contribute to a country’s overall safety levels.
