Safest Countries to Live in the World

When deciding on which country will be your new home, safety is a major consideration. Countries such as Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, and Austria frequently take the top spots for most peaceful countries, but the country which is right for you will depend on a range of factors.

Numerous variables go into deciding how safe a country is, such as levels of violent crime, whether there are effective criminal justice systems in place, levels of political instability, levels of ongoing international conflict, and incarceration rate. When deciding which country is the best fit for your own move overseas, it is important to identify the factors which are most important to you.

Overall, numerous countries offer safe and stable living environments, and safety levels can vary significantly even within the same country. Before making a final decision on your next relocation destination, make sure to consider a wide range of factors, including lifestyle, cultural fit, safety levels, and climate.

Page Contents

• Overview
• What are the world’s safest countries?
• Qualities of the World’s Safest Countries
• Ireland
• Canada
• Iceland
• Austria
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• Switzerland
• Portugal
• Denmark
• Malaysia
• Factors Considered in Safety Rankings
• Conclusion
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

According to the Global Peace Index, the 15 safest countries in the world are as follows:

1. Iceland
2. Ireland
3. New Zealand
4. Austria
5. Switzerland
6. Singapore
7. Portugal
8. Denmark
9. Slovenia
10. Finland
11. Czechia
12. Japan
13. Malaysia
14. Netherlands and Canada

In contrast, the least safe countries are ranked as follows (from least safe to most safe):

1. Russia
2. Ukraine
3. Sudan
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo
5. Yemen
6. Afghanistan
7. Syria
8. South Sudan
9. Israel
10. Mali
11. Myanmar
12. Burkina Faso
13. Somalia
14. Central African Republic
15. North Korea

The US News Safety Index, which is based on perceptions of safety amongst survey respondents from around the world, has a different ranking:

1. Switzerland
2. Norway
3. Sweden
4. Austria
5. Denmark
6. Canada
7. Finland
8. New Zealand
9. Australia
10. Belgium
11. Netherlands
12. Ireland
13. Iceland
14. Luxembourg
15. Portugal

There are a number of interesting differences between the two indexes. For one, the different lists suggest that, according to global perceptions, the Scandinavian countries are particularly safe, but rank lower according to the objective criteria measured by the Global Peace Index. On the other hand, Iceland ranks highest according to the Global Peace Index but is perceived to be less safe, though still within the top 15 spots.

Overall, the two indexes act as a reminder that numerous factors go into measuring safety and that countries which score well according to one metric may do comparatively poorly according to another. In general, though, countries like Austria, Ireland, Iceland, and New Zealand score consistently well.

There are numerous qualities which contribute to a country’s safety levels. The Global Peace Index, which is used throughout this article, takes into account a number of variables across the following 3 categories: societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization.

The individual variables measured by the Global Peace Index are as follows:

• External conflicts fought
• Internal conflicts fought
• Deaths from internal conflict
• Deaths from external conflict
• Military expenditure
• Weapons imports
• Weapons exports
• Violent crime
• Neighboring country relations
• United Nations peacekeeping funding
• Refugees and internally displaced persons
• Terrorism impact
• Incarceration rate
• Intensity of internal conflict
• Access to small arms
• Political instability
• Nuclear and heavy weapons
• Police rate
• Homicide rate
• Armed services personnel rate
• Political terror scale
• Violent demonstrations
• Perceptions of criminality

The Global Safety Index therefore gives us insight into the world’s safest countries according to the above safety criteria. The countries which receive the highest safety rankings in the Global Peace Index are the safest according to these particular criteria. However, when deciding whether or not to move to a new location, some of these factors will likely be more important than others in making your final decision, such as: homicide rate, violent crime, terrorism impact, political instability, and violent demonstrations. You should make sure to identify the variables which are most important to you.

It is important to note that, as this index takes into account so many safety factors, even countries which score comparatively lowly may still broadly offer a safe living environment. When making your final decision on your relocation destination, make sure to pay attention to the specific factors which are important to your own sense of safety, such as absence of violent demonstrations and violent crime.

Meanwhile, the US News Safety Index is based on survey data collected from respondents from around the world. Perception of safety is another important quality of a safe country, as it suggests that those who have visited or lived in the country in question found it to be safe during their time there.

Overall, it is important to take into account a number of factors when researching the safety of a particular country, as a country which performs well according to one set of measurement criteria may perform poorly according to another.

This article will now explore some of the world’s most peaceful countries in more detail.

Ireland scores 2nd place in the Global Peace Index and 12th place in the US News Safety Index, making it one of the safest countries in this list.

Ireland offers a wide range of benefits to its residents, including high-quality healthcare and education, generous parental leave, and numerous professional opportunities. It is also a European Union country, ensuring strong international connections and ease of movement to other countries within the EU.

Overall, Ireland is a good choice for those looking for a safe and politically stable environment, a blend of rural and city locations, and a strong cultural experience.

Canada scores joint 14th place in the Global Peace Index and 6th place in the US News Safety Index.

Located in North America, Canada boasts numerous appealing features. Offering low crime rates, world-famous universities, a strong economy, and affordable healthcare, it is an excellent location in which to start your new chapter. It also offers easy travel access to the US.

Overall, Canada is a good fit for those looking for a cooler climate, beautiful nature, and a North American location.

Iceland scores 1st place in the Global Peace Index and 13th place in the US News Safety Index, making it amongst the safest countries in this list and the most peaceful country according to the Global Peace Index.

Iceland scores well for safety according to both objective measurement criteria and public perception. It offers extremely low crime rates, a strong sense of community, a high quality of life, and low pollution levels. However, Iceland can also be very expensive, an important factor to keep in mind if you are considering relocating.

Overall, Iceland is a good fit for those looking for high safety levels, a close-knit community feel, and numerous areas of outstanding natural beauty. However, for those looking to relocate to a more budget-friendly destination, it may not be the strongest choice.

Austria scores 4th place in the Global Peace Index and 4th place in the US News Safety Index, suggesting that it is firmly one of the top ten safest countries according to both objective measurement metrics and public perception.

Amongst the European countries included in this list, Austria offers numerous benefits to its residents, including low crime rates, excellent public transport, a good work life balance, and low pollution levels. It is also located within the EU, ensuring strong international ties.

Overall, Austria is a good fit for those seeking a rich cultural experience, natural beauty, and high-quality healthcare and education.

New Zealand scores 3rd place in the Global Peace Index and 8th place in the US News Safety Index, suggesting that it is a firmly safe country across different measurement criteria.

New Zealand is renowned for its stunning natural beauty. It offers low crime rates, comparatively low pollution levels, and a strong culture of outdoor activity. It also offers easy travel access to destinations like Australia and Bali.

Overall, New Zealand is a good choice if you value an outdoor lifestyle, easy access to nature, and high levels of social trust. However, if you wish to maintain close travel connections to your country of origin, moving to New Zealand may be an expensive choice; make sure to research travel costs and duration before making your final decision.

Singapore scores 6th place in the Global Peace Index and does not rank in the first 15 places in the US News Safety Index. This indicates that its safety levels are higher than public perceptions suggest.

Singapore is known for its incredibly low crime rates, high quality of life, advanced technology, and numerous green spaces, making it a strong choice for those looking for a safe and healthy lifestyle. However, it can be very expensive, an important consideration if you are looking to move to a more budget-friendly destination.

Switzerland scores 5th place in the Global Peace Index and 1st place in the US News Safety Index.

Boasting low crime rates, a stable political environment, stunning mountain landscapes, and world-renowned cuisine, Switzerland offers numerous benefits to its residents.

However, Switzerland is amongst the most expensive countries included in this list, meaning it may not be the best choice for those wanting to relocate on a budget.

Portugal ranks in 7th place in the Global Peace Index and 15th place in the US News Safety Index.

Portugal boasts low crime rates, a rich culture, and high levels of affordability compared to many of the other locations in this list. It also offers a warm climate for much of the year.

Overall, Portugal is a good fit for those looking for a more affordable European option which still offers high safety levels and a rich culture.

Denmark ranks in 8th place in the Global Peace Index and 5th place in the US News Safety Index.

The only Scandinavian country to rank in the Global Peace Index’s top 15, Denmark offers low crime rates, strong social security, excellent healthcare, and high levels of architectural and natural beauty.

For those looking for a Scandinavian change of pace, Denmark is likely to be a good fit. If you are looking for a cooler climate, high levels of social trust, beautiful nature, and excellent healthcare, this may be the country for you.

Malaysia ranks in 13th place in the Global Peace Index and doesn’t rank in the top 15 places of the US News Safety Index.

Malaysia boasts numerous benefits, such as low crime rates, political stability, numerous areas of natural beauty, and high-quality healthcare. It is also amongst the more affordable countries in this list.

Overall, Malaysia is likely to be a strong choice if you are planning to relocate to Asia and are looking for high levels of safety and affordability, excellent healthcare options, and a rich and warm cultural experience.

Numerous factors go into measuring a country’s safety levels, such as number of external and internal conflicts fought, level of weapons imports, level of violent crime, number of violent demonstrations, and perceptions of criminality. While these are amongst the factors used in the indexes listed in this article, there are numerous other factors which can contribute, such as levels of petty theft, property theft, and non-violent crime.

In general, when deciding on where to relocate, it is important to identify the factors which are important to you. A country which scores low according to one metric may score highly according to another, so you should make sure to decide which variables are important to your own sense of safety.

It is also worth considering that safety levels may vary significantly between different areas of a country. Even if a country ranks highly for safety overall, it may still have specific neighbourhoods with higher crime rates. So too, a country which scores comparatively lowly for safety may still have neighbourhoods in which it is possible to live a safe and stable life.

Regardless of the safety criteria which you use, however, there are certain countries which are consistently considered to be amongst the safest in the world, such as Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Austria, and Ireland. If you are looking to move to a safe country but are unsure of which safety metrics to prioritize, these countries generally offer comparatively safe living environments and a high quality of life, though it is still important to keep in mind that safety levels vary even within generally safe countries.

Numerous countries around the world offer safe living environments for those looking to move overseas. The country which is right for you will depend on a range of other factors, such as lifestyle, climate, global location, and cost of living.

In general, however, there are a number of countries which score consistently highly for safety and which also offer a high quality of life, such as Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Austria, and Canada. These countries all offer low crime rates, a good work life balance, excellent healthcare and education, strong social welfare protections, and numerous areas of natural beauty.

Even so, making the final choice on your next destination can be difficult. For more guidance on picking the country which is the right fit for you, contact Total Law today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375.