These are officially the safest countries in the world for 2023 – and the UK doesn’t rank very well (2024)

While it’s difficult to quantify how safe a country really is, safety is really important. Whether you’re a visiting tourist or a local, knowing how safe or secure a country is can be an important factor in whether you want to live in or visit it.

One of the best-known measures of security and safety in countries around the world isthe annual Global Peace Index (GPI), which is a data-driven ranking of global peacefulness. The index looks at a plethora of things like crime rates, jailed population, political stability, military spending and international relations to rank 163 countries.

How did the UK fare? Well, tbh, not great– but not too bad, either. Ranking 37th, the UK is in the top 25 percent of the world’s safest countries.

On the plus side, the UK benefited from having a relatively low homicide and crime rate, good foreign relations and overall low internal and external conflict.In general, this country is still very safe.

What tipped the scales the other way for the UK were things like terrorist activity, relatively high military spending, heavy weapon exports and an overall high degree of militarisation.

Curious as to which country topped the list? If you’ve been following the GPI for a while now, you won’t be surprised that Iceland has topped the rankings again. It has topped the polls for six in a row now, thanks to low crime rates, minimal international and domestic conflicts, and good political stability. Second on the list went to Denmark while Ireland came in at third.

To find out what made the top ten safest (and most dangerous) countries in the world, read our article on the global ranking here. You can also have a look at the interactive GPI map on the official website here.

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These are officially the safest countries in the world for 2023 – and the UK doesn’t rank very well (2024)

FAQs

Which country is the safest in the world 2023? ›

Which country has ranked the safest place in the world in the Global Peace Index 2023? According to the GPI, Iceland is the safest place in the world, ranking 1st with a score of 1,107. Many people use the Global Peace Index in defining the best country to live in.

What rank is the UK in safety? ›

Global Peace Index ranking
RankCountryScore
34United Kingdom1.703
35Montenegro1.746
36Romania1.755
37Oman1.761
84 more rows

Which country is safe, the UK or the US? ›

Safety: UK vs USA
UKUSA
Lesser rate of gun crimesGum crimes are increasing rapidly
A few cases of street crimes per yearThe annual cases of street crimes are quite high
Home invasions do not really existHome invasions exist
Very few cases of road accidentsA number of road accident cases are reported every year
1 more row
Sep 9, 2022

Where does the US rank in safest countries? ›

Countries in Europe, Oceania and Scandinavia account for most of the nations on this list. The United States came in at No. 47 out of the 89 countries ranked, down one spot from No. 46 in 2023.

What is the 1 safest country in the world? ›

Iceland is the safest country in the world, according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI) ranking of 2023. The measurements target societal safety and security, domestic and international conflict, and militarization through 23 specific indicators.

What is the most crime free country in the world? ›

1. Iceland. According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland is the safest country in the world for the 15th year in a row. Iceland is a Nordic nation with a relatively small population of 382,000.

Is it safer to live in UK or US? ›

If we look at the 2022 crime rate of both countries, we'll see that the UK and the US are pretty close – the US – 47.81 and the UK – 46.07. Yet, when it comes to school shootings, the UK is much better.

How safe is the UK compared to other countries? ›

Ranking 37th, the UK is in the top 25 percent of the world's safest countries. On the plus side, the UK benefited from having a relatively low homicide and crime rate, good foreign relations and overall low internal and external conflict. In general, this country is still very safe.

What level is America in safety? ›

The United States Homeland Security Advisory System Threat Level is currently at yellow ("elevated"), indicating a "significant risk of terrorist attacks".

Which is safer UK or Canada? ›

According to the U.S. News Best Countries 2021 report, Canada scored 96.7 out of 100 for safety, placing it significantly above the United States (10.8) and the United Kingdom (55.4). In fact, Canada shares the top position in the index along with Switzerland, Denmark and Norway.

Is it better to stay in UK or USA? ›

The UK is often considered a cheaper place to live. The cost of living in both countries is not the same and can vary depending on where people choose to live. It's also important to note that the average salary for someone in the US is significantly higher than what it would be in the UK due to taxes.

Is London safer than the US? ›

Contrary to some claims made by conservative political activists, there are far fewer murders in London compared with US cities. New York recorded more than 46 murders for every 1 million people in 2023, while Chicago had more than 220, and Philadelphia more than 250.

What is safest place in USA? ›

WalletHub released a 2023 report listing the safest cities in the US. Cities were ranked based on 41 indicators of safety, including rates of crime and natural disasters. Nashua, New Hampshire, scored the highest, followed by Columbia, Maryland.

What is the safest place on earth? ›

Iceland tops the Global Peace Index for 2023 (and has since the list's inception in 2009!), followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Singapore, Portugal, Slovenia, Japan and Switzerland.

Is the UK a safe place to live? ›

It can make the country seem like a dangerous place. But is this the truth? The reality may surprise you, because it's actually one of the safest places in the developed world on one major metric. The data we're using is from a report of 41 countries by the OECD as part of its Better Life Index 2023.

Which country is best to live in 2023? ›

This article will explore some of the most popular countries for expats in 2023 to help you make the right decision.
  • Spain. ...
  • Taiwan. ...
  • Sweden. ...
  • Germany. ...
  • Mexico. ...
  • Switzerland. ...
  • Canada. ...
  • Singapore. Singapore packs everything an expat could want into one of the world's smallest territories.

What country is high risk 2023? ›

Negara-negara berikut telah ditinjau kemajuannya oleh FATF sejak Februari 2023: Albania, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Cayman Island, Republik Demokratik Kongo, Gibraltar, Jamaika, Yordania, Mali, Mozambique , Panama, Filipina, Senegal, Afrika Selatan, Sudan Selatan, Turki, Uni Emirat Arab, dan Uganda.

Is America safe in 2023? ›

Most violent offenses remained elevated in 2023 compared to 2019, the year prior to the outbreak of COVID and the widespread social unrest of 2020. There were 18% more homicides in the study cities in 2023 than in 2019, and carjacking has spiked by 93% during that period.

What is the most violent country in the world 2023? ›

Russia and Ukraine saw significant increases in danger from 2021 to 2023, primarily due to their ongoing military conflict initiated by Russia's invasion. Afghanistan remains the most dangerous country in 2023, despite a significant decrease in conflict-related deaths from nearly 43,000 to just over 4,000.

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