Among the nearly 200 countries on our planet, there are some that are considered desirable to visit and live in, and others that are not so lusted after.
When considering which countries to visit or even move to, there are several things to consider, such as weather, education, and the cost of living. Let’s explore the safest countries in the world, as well as the most dangerous.
What Country is the Safest on the Planet?
According to data collected by the Global Peace Index, Iceland is the safest place to live on planet Earth.
The GPI score includes factors such as national security, social safety, domestic crime, international conflict, and militarization. Iceland’s current GPI score of 1.107 means that the beautiful country is currently the safest in the world.
Why Iceland is Such a Great Place to Live
Although Iceland has been named the safest country in the world for over a decade, that’s not the only reason why it’s such a great place to live.
Iceland also has the most gender equality on the planet and the lowest poverty rate among the 38 countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which includes countries such as Canada, Japan, France, the UK, and the USA.
Where Do the Happiest People Live?
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In addition to being safe and comfortable, Iceland is also home to some of the happiest people in the world.
Technically, the country is third on the list of happiest countries, behind Finland and Denmark, according to the 2022 World Happiness Report. Along with being the safest country, being the third happiest certainly makes Iceland one of the best places to live.
The Second Most Peaceful Country in the World
According to the Global Peace Index, after Iceland, New Zealand is the second safest and most peaceful country.
It’s interesting to note that the two countries are fairly similar in that they are both small islands with a generous amount of space per person, plenty of beautiful nature, and small cities as opposed to large metropolises.
7 of the Top 10 Safest Countries Are on One Continent
Aside from New Zealand, Singapore, and Japan, numbers two, nine, and ten, respectively, seven of the top ten safest countries are all on one continent: Europe. In addition to Iceland, the other six countries on the list are Ireland, Denmark, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic.
The GPI reported that one of the main reasons why seven of the top ten safest countries are located in Europe is because of the “UN’s peacekeeping” abilities.
How Does the USA Score on the GPI?
Not only is the USA not in the list of top ten safest countries, it’s not even in the top 100!
With a GPI score of 2.44, the USA comes in embarrassingly as the 129th safest of the 195 total countries. To put that score into perspective, Azerbaijan beat the USA as the 128th safest, and the US government advises its citizens not to even visit Azerbaijan because it’s so dangerous.
Why is the USA So Low on the Safety List?
Experts report that one of the major reasons why the United States is so incredibly low on the list of safe countries is because of the rise of domestic and civil violence.
One member of the GPI stated, “Civil unrest continues to be the primary driver of the deterioration.” Though the rise in political instability and terror are also playing a big part in the country’s lack of peace.
Safest State in the United States
Because the United States is so large and relative safety differs drastically from state to state, realistically, it’s challenging to say just how safe the country is as a whole. Some states are considered extremely safe, whereas others are typically quite dangerous.
For example, Alaska is known as the most dangerous state, with 837.8 criminal incidents per 100,000 people. On the other hand, New Hampshire is the safest state in the country, with only 195.7 incidents per 100,000 residents.
Most Dangerous Country in the World
Although the USA is certainly not the safest overall, it’s also not the most dangerous country in the world.
In fact, for the last five years, Afghanistan has ranked as the least peaceful and most dangerous country on the planet due to its excessive amount of terrorist activity, violent demonstrations, political instability, and resident displacement.
Let’s Talk About Crime
While Afghanistan is the least peaceful country on Earth, Venezuela comes in at a close second.
In fact, although Venezuela didn’t rank as the most dangerous according to all collected data, the GPI reported that “Venezuela continues to record the highest possible scores in homicide rate, violent crime and political terror.”
Iceland: The Best Place to Visit & to Live
For years, travelers, tourists, and adventurers have valued Iceland as one of the best countries on Earth to visit for its natural beauty and delicious food.
Now, according to the data, everyone knows that Iceland is not only a fantastic place to visit, but it’s also a safe, peaceful, and generally happy place to live. In fact, it’s the safest and most peaceful country in the world.
