Safety is always an important factor to consider when planning a trip, whether you’re concerned about solo travel, discrimination, or crime. But what are the safest countries in the world? With outdated reputations and misinformation floating around, it can be hard to determine which places really do (and don’t) offer a sense of security to its visitors.
To help quantify the topic of safety, the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) has released its 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI), an annual, data-driven measurement of global peacefulness. To assemble the list, the IEP ranks 163 nations and territories 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 place.
The 2025 report shows that the world’s average level of peace deteriorated by 0.36% since last year. In fact, many factors that precede major conflicts are at their highest levels since the end of World War II. This has led to the breaking of traditional alliances and the rise of military utilization overall.
Despite this, some global indicators have improved over the last year, including terrorism impact and homicide rates. This year’s ranking also looks fairly similar to previous lists, proving that at least some places have things figured out. (Spoiler alert: The country in the first spot has remained the same for the past 18 years.)
Below, you’ll find the 10 safest countries in the world, along with each country’s score (1=most peaceful, 5=least peaceful). And before you ask, the United States wasn’t even close to breaking into the top ten—it sits in position No. 128.
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
10. Finland
Score: 1.42
Famous for being the happiest country in the world, Finland finally broke into the GPI’s top 10 list this year. That’s mostly due to its impressive scores in the societal safety and security domain, which were the third-best on the planet (after Iceland and Norway).
9. Slovenia
Score: 1.409
Slovenia broke into the top ten for the first time in 2020 and has managed to stay there with its extremely low crime rates and terrorism risk. Whether you’re just generally into beautiful places or want to explore some of Europe’s best castles and lakes, Slovenia has something for you—including the guarantee that you’ll sleep peacefully at night.
8. Denmark
Score: 1.393
Denmark dropped six spots in 2025, due to one of the largest year-over-year decreases in the militarization score. But its safety levels are still beyond impressive, and travelers should have very few (if any) worries traveling there. Copenhagen is always a great solo travel destination for folks wanting big city vibes without feeling anxious walking around alone.
