The 25 Safest Countries in the World

The state of the world is in constant flux, and so is the Global Peace Index. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, the organization that publishes the report each year, the average level of global peacefulness dropped by 0.07 percent between 2020 and 2021. Whether you're planning to live abroad or travel internationally, these are the countries where you're most likely to find safety and stability, as Condé Nast Traveler reports.

To rank nations by peacefulness, the Institute for Economics and Peace analyzes factors like militarization, domestic and international conflicts, and the crime levels reported for each country. Based on their data, Iceland was the safest place on Earth last year. The Nordic country has held the top spot on the list since 2008, thanks to its low incarceration rate, lack of international conflicts, and low military spending,

Second on the list is New Zealand. Like Iceland, New Zealand doesn't share a border with other countries, which helps it maintain its peaceful standing on the global stage. Multiple European nations appear in the ranking, including Denmark in the third slot, Portugal in the fourth, and Slovenia in the fifth.

If you're looking for where the United States ranks in the Global Peace Index, you won't find it on the list below. It came in 122nd place out of the 163 countries analyzed in the study. Even America's individual cities can't compete with those of other nations when it comes to security. After checking out the safest countries in 2021, read the list of the safest international cities here.

Iceland
New Zealand
Denmark
Portugal
Slovenia
Austria
Switzerland
Ireland
Czech Republic
Canada
Singapore
Japan
Finland
Norway
Sweden
Australia
Croatia
Germany
Hungary
Belgium
Netherlands
Bhutan
Malaysia
Poland
Romania