Ranked: safest countries in the world 2023

The safest countries in the world have been updated for 2023. Read our insights from the study and browse the rankings below

Iceland is once again the safest country in the world followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria.

However, the world is not as safe as a year ago as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the ninth year in a row. Eighty-four countries recorded an improvement while 79 registered a decline according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI).

Despite showing improvements, Afghanistan remains the most unsafe country in the world for the fifth year in a row, severely affected by the 2021 Taliban takeover. It is also ranked the most dangerous country in the world. Afghanistan is followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and DR Congo.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a significant impact on global peacefulness, with Ukraine and Russia recording the largest and fifth-largest deteriorations in peacefulness respectively.

The GPI report is the only statistical measure of its kind and makes it possible to rank 163 independent states based on how peaceful they are. The 163 states cover over 99% of the world’s population and are assessed using 23 indicators, each banded or normalised on a scale of 1-5.

The index, produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), measures global peace using three broad themes: the level of safety and security in society, the extent of domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarization.

Peace is notoriously difficult to define. The IEP approaches it by attempting to assess the “harmony achieved by the absence of violence or the fear of violence” in a society. More information on the methodology, including details of the 23 indicators used, can be found here.

10 LEAST and most peaceful countries

Key Findings

• Iceland has maintained its position as the safest country in the world. It has been ranked first every year since 2008.
• Afghanistan is the world’s least peaceful country for the sixth consecutive year.
• The average level of global peacefulness declined by 0.42% in 2023.
• 84 countries improved and 79 recorded a deterioration over the past year.
• This is the 12th time in the last 15 years that global peacefulness has declined.
• Since 2008, the average level of global peacefulness declined by 5%
• Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world and is home to seven of the 10 safest countries in the world.
• Despite recording an improvement in peacefulness, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remains the least peaceful, containing four of the 10 least peaceful countries.
• Libya, Burundi, Oman, Côte d’Ivoire and Afghanistan recorded the largest improvements in peacefulness.
• Ukraine, Haiti, Mali, Israel and Russia recorded the largest deteriorations.
• New Zealand is the most peaceful country in Oceania.
• Singapore is the most peaceful country in Asia.
• Mauritius is the most peaceful country in Africa with Qatar the most peaceful in the Middle East.
• Costa Rica is the most peaceful country in Latin America and the Caribbean with Uruguay the highest-ranked South American country.
• The number of forcibly displaced people around the world has tripled from 31 million in 2008 to 108.4 million in 2023 according to the latest UN figures.
• The USA has remained in 131st place while the UK has dropped one position to 37th.

Safest countries in the world – ranked

The table below ranks 163 of the world’s countries by how they scored on the Global Peace Index. Some countries have been omitted due to a lack of sufficient data.

More rankings and articles can be found in our remote work area:

► 100 best cities in the world 
► Most dangerous countries in the world
► Countries with the best healthcare in the world
► World’s worst countries to drive in
► Happiest countries in the world
► Best countries for women
► Poorest countries in the world – ranked
► World’s most powerful passport
► Countries with the fastest internet in the world
► Most stressed countries in the world
► Most expensive cities for expats
► World’s most democratic countries

Enjoyed this post? pin it for later…

Lead image: ANDREW MAYOVSKYY/SHUTTERSTOCK