We all like to think the places we travel to are safe. It's surely our number one requirement, and it's certainly a factor in why many of the safest countries in the world in 2026, according to the new study by the Global Peace Institute , are also among the most sought-after by Americans looking to relocate overseas.

The irony is that while air travel continues to surpass passenger numbers, the list of the safest countries to travel to is shrinking. As the U.K.’s Telegraph announced in 2025, the "overall picture is one of diminishing horizons," citing the U.K. as an example of how countries are increasingly adding countries to Negative Travel Advisory Lists—the U.K. government added 12 more countries to the Red Travel List from 2019 to 2025.

The Safest Countries In The World, Over The Years

Every year for the past two decades, the Institute for Economics and Peace has published its Global Peace Index , a comprehensive analysis of global safety. In 2020, the report concluded that “the conflicts and crises that emerged in the past decade have begun to abate, only to be replaced with a new wave of tension and uncertainty as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Then came a period when no one could travel, and nothing seemed safe, until the world opened up again.

By 2022, fear over the pandemic had eased, but global political tensions were rising, not least because of the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that same year. The report ended by saying that “the conflicts and crises that emerged in the past decade have begun to abate, only to be replaced with a new wave of tension and uncertainty as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and rising tensions between many of the major powers.”

By 2023, the report concluded that the world was a little more unsafe than the year before and in 2025, the report found that many countries were increasing their levels of militarization in response to the rising tensions—and that "global peacefulness continues to decline and that many of the leading factors that precede major conflicts are higher than they have been since the end of World War Two." The report added that “traditional alliances are dissolving, leading to increased economic uncertainty.”

That was one year ago, and we've since seen the onset of the war in Iran, as yet unfinished, an event that promises to change the shape of travel to the Middle East and beyond for some time to come.

The 2026 report highlights how internationalized intrastate conflicts are becoming more frequent, having increased by more than 175% since 2010. And the number of countries involved in at least one external conflict in the previous five years has risen from 59 in 2008 to 103 in 2026.

In that context, it has never been more important to take heed of government advice on where and how to travel.

The Safest Countries In The World In 2026

In the six years I’ve been writing for Forbes about the safest countries in the world, one thing has remained the same: Iceland has taken the number one spot throughout that time, and many of the top ten countries have been in Europe. New Zealand ranks second, followed by Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland and Japan.

Steve Killelea, the founder of the Institute for Economics & Peace and the creator of the Global Peace Index, says, “The picture that emerges from this year's Index is of two worlds moving apart.”

Global peacefulness has now deteriorated for twelve consecutive years, yet the countries at the top have barely moved. Killelea says, "The 25 most peaceful nations have deteriorated by just 0.3% since 2008, while the 25 least peaceful have deteriorated by almost 19%.”

Here are the safest countries in the world as per the Global Peace Index, 2026:

  1. Iceland retains its position as the world’s most peaceful country for the 19th consecutive year. With no standing army and exceptionally low crime levels, it stands apart in the data, described as outperforming all others “by a significant margin.” In practical terms, there is no destination globally that matches its level of safety.
  2. New Zealand moves up to second place, from third, recording the lowest ongoing conflict score across the Asia-Pacific region. Beyond its striking natural scenery, it offers a level of political stability and societal calm that few countries can rival.
  3. Switzerland ranks third, reinforcing a long-held perception among travelers, underscored by the data, as one of the most consistently stable and secure countries in the world.
  4. Slovenia climbs two places to fourth, emerging as one of the list’s most underrated countries. Tucked between Austria and Croatia, it is steadily gaining recognition as both a peaceful and visually compelling European destination.
  5. Ireland takes fifth place, combining a well-earned reputation for warmth and hospitality with consistently strong peace indicators, meaning the figures reflect what visitors have long experienced on the ground.
  6. Austria ranks sixth because of its cultural richness, Alpine landscapes and high level of national stability. It now formally sits among the most peaceful countries worldwide.
  7. Portugal ranks seventh and stands out for its militarisation, ranking as the second-least militarised country globally after Iceland. Alongside its climate and coastline, its safety credentials continue to strengthen its appeal.
  8. Singapore is eighth, maintaining its position as one of Asia’s benchmarks for safety and order. Its performance is particularly notable given its high population density.
  9. Finland rises to ninth, with its image of tranquil, nature-driven living reflected clearly in the data. From its lakes to its northern lights, it continues to pair quality of life with strong peace indicators.
  10. Japan enters the top ten in tenth place, climbing three positions and one of the most significant shifts in this year’s ranking. The report highlights a 25% improvement in its internal conflict measure, adding to its longstanding appeal as a safe and culturally rich destination.

Why Are These The Safest Countries In The World?

It’s worth noting what makes these countries the safest places on earth. Killelea remarks that all ten have the same underlying strengths, combining low levels of violent crime with political stability, well-functioning institutions, low militarisation and good relations with their neighbors. It is these factors, however, that are “slow-moving and take decades to build,” and it's why the index changes so little from year to year.

Killelea adds that, with the caveat that the GPI measures peacefulness rather than safety in a strict sense, “The benefits show up clearly in the data. The economic cost of violence in the world's ten most peaceful countries averages just 2.2% of GDP, compared with 23.4% in the ten most affected. For a visitor, the conditions that flow from this include low homicide rates, a light police footprint and safe public spaces, even if no index can promise an incident-free trip.”

The U.S. ranks 134th, down four spots, driven—the report says—by a 38.5% decrease in the political instability indicator. It marks the biggest year-on-year shift in this measure since the Global Peace Index began, with political violence now at its highest level since the 1970s.

One important caveat Killelea notes is that the GPI measures peacefulness rather than traveler safety. It captures factors such as armed conflict, militarisation, political stability and violent crime at the national level and was never designed as a travel advisory. A strong ranking signals low violence and robust, stable institutions—factors that matter to visitors—but it doesn’t account for practical travel risks such as road safety, natural hazards, or everyday issues like petty crime in tourist hotspots.

Killelea concludes, in the study on the safest countries in the world, that “The Index is best read as a guide to the underlying conditions of a society rather than a guarantee of personal safety, and travelers should always consult their government's travel advice alongside it.”

The Global Peace Index ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7% of the world’s population. It uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators to measure the state of peace across three domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security, the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict, and the degree of Militarisation.