(By Daisy Luther) Did you ever wonder which countries are the safest (and the most dangerous) in the world? The Global Peace Index ranks the safety of every nation. Here’s how they calculate the rankings:
In assessing peacefulness, the GPI investigates the extent to which countries are involved in ongoing domestic and international conflicts. It also seeks to evaluate the level of harmony or discord within a nation; ten indicators broadly assess what might be described as a safety and security in society. The assertion is that low crime rates, minimal incidences of terrorist acts and violent demonstrations, harmonious relations with neighboring countries, a stable political scene and a small proportion of the population being internally displaced or refugees can be suggestive of peacefulness.
In 2017, 23 indicators were used to establish each country’s peacefulness score. The indicators were originally selected with the assistance of an expert panel in 2007 and are reviewed by the expert panel on an annual basis. The scores for each indicator are normalized on a scale of 1–5, whereby qualitative indicators are banded into five groupings and quantitative ones are scored from 1–5, to the third decimal point. (source)
You can find the 23 indicators on this chart.
Here are the rankings of all the countries.
Iceland is the safest country in the world.
The safest and most peaceful country in the world is Iceland.
Iceland has ranked number one for more than a decade, mainly because it shares no borders with another country. And for those of us who love guns will be pleased to know that a third of the Icelandic population owns firearms.
The 25 safest countries in the world
Where are the safest countries in the world? According to the Global Peace Index, these are the top 25.
- Iceland
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Austria
- Denmark
- Canada
- Singapore
- Slovenia
- Japan
- Czech Republic
- Switzerland
- Ireland
- Australia
- Finland
- Bhutan
- Malaysia
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Sweden
- Norway
- Hungary
- Germany
- Slovakia
- Mauritius
- Romania
The United States ranks a staggering 128th out of 163 countries, down four places from last year’s still terrible ranking of 124. Considering we have five of the world’s most violent cities, this may not surprise everyone.
The most dangerous countries in the world
There are also places you should not go if you are looking for safety. According to the Global Peace Index, these are the most dangerous countries in the world.
- Cameroon
- Iran
- Mexico
- India
- Palestine
- Columbia
- Venezuela
- Mali
- Israel
- Lebanon
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Ukraine
- Sudan
- Turkey
- Pakistan
- Russia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Libya
- Central African Republic
- Somalia
- Iraq
- Yemen
- South Sudan
- Syria
And the most dangerous country in the world is Afghanistan.
These countries would be the safest in the event of WWIII
What if you were traveling when World War III broke out? If you needed to flee with your family in the event of war, where you should go would depend on where you were when the fighting broke out.
- If you are in the United States, Canada is the most peaceful neighboring country, ranking number 6 on the index.
- If you are in the UK, Ireland is the safest place to be, ranking number 12.
- People in France and Italy should head to Austria, the fourth safest nation.
- Those in Spain should head to Portugal, which ranks number 3.
- People in Australia should go to New Zealand, the world’s second-safest country.
- If you happen to be in Russia (not an easy feat for Americans due to visa requirements), Japan is the safest place nearby, ranking number 9.
- Folks in Eastern Europe will find the Czech Republic the safest place nearby, landing at number 10 on the safety index.
- If you are in Germany, you should head to Denmark, which is the 5th safest country.
- Those in India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia will find the best haven in nearby Singapore, which ranks number 7.
- If you’re in Southern Europe, Slovenia is number 8 in regard to safety.
Of course, being admitted to those countries in the midst of war could prove difficult. It might be a good time to have something to trade with the folks at the border.
Were you surprised by the rankings?
Were you surprised by the rankings in any way? Did you expect the United States to be more peaceful? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, gun-toting blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. She lives in the mountains of Virginia with her family. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.