Global Peace Index You are safe when traveling in these countries
The Institute for Economics & Peace has published the Global Peace Index for the 18th time. Nothing has changed at the top in 2024.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Every year, the Institute for Economics & Peace determines the state of peace in 163 countries.
- Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world for the 15th year in a row - Switzerland has to make do with sixth place.
- In the "protection and security" category, Singapore scores better than Iceland.
Your next vacation is coming up. You've chosen a few destinations but can't decide on a country yet. You've already read through the travel advice from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and you know which country you need a visa for and which destination has the lowest crime rate.
However, you still have concerns about the security situation in the selected countries. The report by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) in Sydney could make your choice easier.
Europe well represented at the top
Every year, the IEP compiles a Global Peace Index of 163 recognized countries and states that make up 99.7 percent of the world's population.
The state of peace is determined by a mixture of indicators such as crime rate, relations with neighboring countries and military expenditure. The number of refugees and the impact of terrorism also play a role.
This year, Iceland is once again confirmed as the most peaceful country in the world - for the 15th year in a row. The northern European island is known for its low crime rate and good relations with other countries.
It is followed by Ireland, which gained one place compared to 2023. Switzerland moved up three places this year and is now the sixth safest country.
Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia and Malaysia complete the top ten. Our neighbors Germany (20th), Italy (33rd) and France (86th) are further behind.
At the other end of the rankings are countries that have been involved in conflicts for some time or are even at war. Yemen brings up the rear, followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Israel has fallen behind due to the Middle East conflict and is now one of the ten least peaceful countries. Significant in this context: Palestine is ten places ahead of Israel.
Singapore is the safest country
However, travel safety is particularly relevant for vacations. This can be seen from the factors under "Protection and safety" in the Global Peace Index. This category includes the murder rate and the number of prison inmates. And here Iceland has to give way to another country: Singapore.
Switzerland does better in this ranking and is in fourth place, just behind Norway. Finland, Denmark, Japan, Slovenia, Qatar and South Korea complete the top ten.