The world grew more volatile over the past year, but a cluster of mostly small, wealthy democracies continues to stand out as islands of relative calm. According to the newly released 2026 Global Peace Index, Iceland is again ranked the safest country on earth, followed by New Zealand, Switzerland, and Slovenia, with Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan rounding out the top 10.
How the Global Peace Index measures “safest”
Produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace, the Global Peace Index (GPI) is one of the most widely cited benchmarks for comparing safety and stability across countries. The 2026 edition evaluates 163 independent states and territories, covering 99.7% of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators drawn from international sources.
Those indicators are grouped into three broad domains:
- Societal Safety and Security – including homicide rates, violent crime, terrorism impact, perceptions of safety and the number of refugees and internally displaced people.
- Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict – looking at the intensity of internal conflicts, deaths from external conflicts and relations with neighboring states.
- Degree of Militarization – capturing military expenditure, weapons imports and exports, and the size of armed forces relative to population.
Countries receive a score on a 1–5 scale, with lower scores indicating higher levels of peace; the GPI then ranks states from most to least peaceful.
The 2026 report warns that 119 countries are less peaceful than they were in 2008, reflecting a long‑term drift toward higher conflict and insecurity. Yet the top tier remains remarkably stable: Iceland has held first place for 19 consecutive years, while most of this year’s top 10 are repeat performers.
The 10 safest countries in 2026
1. Iceland
Iceland once again tops the Global Peace Index, extending a run at number one that now spans nearly two decades. The country benefits from exceptionally low crime, minimal political violence, strong social trust and one of the world’s smallest militaries. Its geographic isolation in the North Atlantic also helps keep it insulated from many regional conflicts.
2. New Zealand
New Zealand climbs to second place, rising from a lower slot in previous years. The GPI cites its low levels of violent crime, stable political institutions, and relatively modest military footprint as key strengths, even as the country continues to grapple with issues like housing costs and climate risks.
3. Switzerland
Switzerland, long associated with neutrality, ranks third. The country combines high internal security, strong rule of law and limited exposure to external conflict, though its sizable financial sector gives it an outsized role in managing sanctions and global economic shocks.
4. Slovenia
Slovenia, a small Central European state of around 2 million people, has quietly become a fixture near the top of the peace rankings and now sits in fourth place. Low crime, relatively consensual politics and good relations with neighbors underpin its score, highlighting how smaller, well‑governed EU members continue to outperform larger powers on safety metrics.
5. Ireland
Ireland rounds out the top five, maintaining a position it has held in recent editions as well. The GPI points to low levels of violent crime, economic stability and carefully managed defense policy as contributors, even as Dublin navigates post‑Brexit tensions and its role in European security debates.
6. Austria
Austria remains one of continental Europe’s safest countries, placed sixth. Strong public services, low homicide rates and a long‑standing stance of military non‑alignment help keep its peace scores high, though the report notes rising polarization and far‑right political currents as potential pressure points.
7. Portugal
Portugal’s presence at seventh underscores how southern European states can combine economic recovery with improved safety. Once hit hard by the eurozone crisis, the country now benefits from lower crime, thriving tourism and relatively modest defense spending, even while acting as an Atlantic gateway for trade and migration.
8. Singapore
Singapore is the highest‑ranking Asian country in the 2026 Global Peace Index top 10, placed eighth. The city‑state is known for extremely low crime, strict law enforcement and high levels of social order, though rights groups have long criticized its limits on political dissent and civil liberties, factors the GPI does not weight as heavily as physical security.
9. Finland
Finland, which joined NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, still secures ninth place among the safest countries. The index credits its strong institutions, low corruption, cohesive society, and low rates of violent crime, even as it retools defense policy and bolsters its military deterrent in the face of a more hostile Russia.
10. Japan
Japan completes the top 10. Despite its dense cities and ageing population, the country maintains very low homicide and crime rates, tight gun control and high levels of social stability, while its post‑war constitution and pacifist norms continue to constrain the use of force abroad even amid regional tensions with China and North Korea.
Why Europe dominates, and why Asia is rising
A glance at the list shows Europe’s continued dominance: seven of the top 10 safest countries are European, many of them small or mid‑sized states with high incomes, robust welfare systems and relatively low militarization. The GPI notes that these nations tend to share common traits: strong rule of law, low corruption, dense social safety nets and active diplomatic engagement, alongside historically low levels of internal and external conflict.
At the same time, the 2026 index highlights Asia’s growing presence near the top, with Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia (ranked 12th) all featuring in the top 20. These countries combine relatively low crime and terrorism impact with economic dynamism, even as they navigate complex security environments and, in some cases, more constrained political rights.
The United States, by contrast, sits far lower in the rankings, pulled down by higher homicide rates, firearm prevalence, incarceration, and overseas conflict involvement, underlining how “safest” in the GPI sense does not necessarily correlate with wealth or global influence.
What “safest” means for travelers and citizens
For travelers, the 10 safest countries on the 2026 list are often already familiar destinations, known for low violent crime, reliable infrastructure, and generally predictable politics. Iceland’s open landscapes, New Zealand’s outdoor culture, Portugal’s cities and coasts, and Japan’s urban safety all underpin both tourism appeal and GPI scores.
For residents, the index serves as a reminder that peace is built on more than just policing or the absence of war. Countries at the top combine everyday safety, being able to walk home at night, low exposure to random violence, with structural stability: trusted institutions, restrained militaries and diplomatic efforts that keep them out of major conflicts.
Yet the 2026 report also stresses that even in the safest states, pressures such as climate change, economic inequality, migration, and geopolitical rivalry are testing social cohesion and security. The fact that more than 100 countries have grown less peaceful since 2008, even as Iceland and its peers hold their ground at the top, underscores the fragility of what the index measures.
For policymakers, the question the Global Peace Index poses each year is less about who sits at number one, and more about whether lessons from these 10 countries, on justice, social investment, and measured militarization, can be adapted in places where peace feels increasingly out of reach.