In this article, we will list the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024. If you want to skip our discussion about global peace, head to the 11 safest countries in the world in 2024.
In the past couple of years, there has been a noticeable deterioration in global peace. Some of the global events such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict have added to the geopolitical tensions all around the world. These events have had a profound effect on various aspects of lives, making some countries extremely unsafe.
According to the Global Peace Index, the world has become less peaceful in the past 15 years. There was a 0.42 percent decline in world peace in 2023. While world peace has been deteriorating over the past few years, the gap between the least and most peaceful countries is consistently widening. Between the years 2008 and 2022, the 25 least peaceful countries have seen a decline of 12.1 percent on average, while the 25 most peaceful countries have enjoyed an average increase of 4.3 percent in their ratings in the Global Peace Index.
Peace, security, and safety are essential for businesses. It is no coincidence that the six countries renowned for meager crime rates also rank higher for ease of doing business. Some of these countries include New Zealand, Singapore, and Denmark. Singapore ranks pretty high on our list of the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024. The country has achieved tremendously after its independence in terms of safety and economic growth. Singapore has one of the world's most business-friendly regulatory environments and is ranked among the world's most competitive economies.
The United States is one of the major economies contributing to travel and tourism. So, American tourists are always on the lookout for safe countries. However, a mishap can happen anywhere, which is why some companies work to make travel as safe as possible. One of these companies is Chub Limited (NYSE:CB). It is one of the leading names in the travel insurance market. Chub Limited (NYSE:CB) is also developing a 'Studio Developer Portal' that aims to capitalize on the smart tourism trend. Smart tourism integrates technologies like cloud computing and IOT to make traveling easier. Chub Limited (NYSE:CB)'s portal will offer B2B2C partners access to digital insurance products and services.
It is likely that global peace might deteriorate further in the future. One of the biggest indicators of this is increasing military spending throughout the world, which has surged over the last few years. Regional conflicts throughout the world have fueled this trend of ever-increasing military spending.
A 2023 report by Markets and Markets highlights that the global defense market has reached an estimated value of more than $2 trillion. It is expected to grow at a compounding annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% between 2024 and 2028. The defense market is expected to be worth more than $2.54 trillion by the end of the forecasted period. Some of the trends driving this growth are the development of new military technologies, military modernization programs, and increasing internal and external security threats.
The increasing military spending are worrying sign as it indicates a further deterioration of peace. Luckily, some countries in the world are incredibly safe. Our list of the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024 ranks these countries.
30 Safest Countries In the World in 2024
25 Safest Cities in Europe to Visit In 2024
Methodology
To curate our list of the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024, we used two rankings. The first was the Global Peace Index of 2023 of Vision of Humanity and the Second Was a Ranking of Countries according to safety by Travelsafe-abroad. We picked the top 50 countries in the Global Peace Index and noted their ranking in the index. Then for each of these countries, we noted their ranking on Travelsafe-abroad's rankings. Finally, we averaged these rankings to arrive at AverageInsider Monkey Score. The lower this score, the safer the country. As a tie-breaker, we used the Global Peace Index ranking.
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30 - Portugal
Insider Monkey Score - 54
Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. The country has a low crime rate and a stable socio-political environment. The 2023 Global Peace Index ranked the country seventh. The country is comparatively modest in size, which helps in maintaining the overall peace.
29 - Malaysia
Insider Monkey Score - 49.5
Malaysia is 29th on our list of the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024. The vast majority of the country is known to be safe for travelers, and the local population is known to be hospitable. It ranks 19th on the 2023 Global Peace Index and has an overall score of 1.51 in the index.
28 - Belgium
Insider Monkey Score - 44.5
Belgium is known for its stable sociopolitical environment and low levels of violent crimes, making it one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. However, the country has had some incidences of terrorist attacks, such as the attacks in Brussels on 22 March 2016.
27 - Bhutan
Insider Monkey Score - 43.5
Bhutan is one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. It has low levels of violent crimes as it ranks 17th in the Global Peace Index. However, the country is prone to some natural threats. Bhutan is located in an active seismic zone, and earthquakes can happen at any time.
26 - Netherlands
Insider Monkey Score - 37.5
The Netherlands has one of the most well-developed social service systems, which helps keep crimes low in the country. The country scores 1 out of 5 in the Global Peace Index's organized conflict (internal) composites (the lower the figure, the more positive the outcome), depicting that there are very little or no internal conflicts going on in the country.
25 - Slovakia
Insider Monkey Score - 35.5
Slovakia is 25th on our list of the safest countries in the world in 2024. The US Department of State has labeled the country as a low-threat location. While pickpocketing and other petty crimes might occur, the country has almost no violent crimes as it scores 1 out of 5 in the violent crimes composite of the Global Peace Index.
24 - Latvia
Insider Monkey Score - 33
Latvia is one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. The country has a well-developed system of social services and a strong social safety net, contributing to a low crime rate. However, instances of petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, may occur in touristy areas such as Riga's Old Town, Central Market, and the main railway station.
23 - Bulgaria
Insider Monkey Score - 32
Bulgaria is one of the safest countries to visit. Although it has a reputation for organized crimes, criminal offenses against tourists are quite rare in the country. The country scores 1 out of 5 in the terrorist activity and organized conflicts composite of the Global Peace Index, depicting that these two threats are quite low in the country.
22 - Mauritius
Insider Monkey Score - 31.5
Mauritius has an overall low crime rate and ranks 23rd in the Global Peace Index. However, the country is prone to natural threats such as cyclones. In addition, road safety can vary according to the location, so visitors are advised to be cautious while driving.
21 - Sweden
Insider Monkey Score - 28
Sweden is 21st on our list of the 30 safest countries in the world. It has a low crime rate, minimal incidents of terrorism, and effective law enforcement. The country fares especially well in the political stability department as it scores 1 out of 5 in the Global Peace Index's political stability, political terror, and organized conflict (internal) composites.
20 - Estonia
Insider Monkey Score - 27
Estonia has a low crime rate and ranks 25th on the Global Peace Index. The country has a low threat of terrorism, but visitors should remain vigilant at all times. The country also scores 1 out of 5 in the organized conflict (internal) composite of the Global Peace Index, depicting that it has a stable environment.
19 - Poland
Insider Monkey Score - 25
Poland is 19th on our list of the safest countries in the world. The country has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe and has particularly low levels of violent crimes. Recently Poland has demonstrated a commitment to peacekeeping efforts as it joined the declaration on strengthening UN peacekeeping missions in 2018.
18 - Norway
Insider Monkey Score - 22
Norway is one of the safest countries in the world. The country is known for its egalitarian and collectivist society, with a comprehensive social security system and universal health care, all of which are instrumental in making it a safe country. The country scores 1 out of 5 in the 2023 Global Peace Index's violent crime composite, depicting that there are very rare incidences of violent crime in the country.
17 - Qatar
Insider Monkey Score - 21.5
Qatar is 17th on our list of the 30 safest countries in the world. It ranks 21st in the 2023 Global Peace Index and scores 1 out of 5 in its violent demonstration, organized conflicts, and violent crime composites.
16 - Hungary
Insider Monkey Score - 21
Hungary is 16th on our list of the 30 safest countries in the world in 2024. The country ranks 18th on the Global Peace Index and has a strong economy, which helps keep the crime rate low in the country. However, road safety in the country can vary across the regions, so visitors should be cautious.
15 - Australia
Insider Monkey Score - 19.5
Australia has a strong economy with mining, agriculture, finance, and tourism being key industries. Overall poverty levels in the country are low, keeping the overall crime rates also low. The country ranks 22nd on the Global Peace Index.
14 - Croatia
Insider Monkey Score - 18.5
Croatia is one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. It ranked 14 on the 2023 Global Peace Index rankings and scored 1 out of 5 in the organized conflict (internal) composite.
13 - Japan
Insider Monkey Score - 17.5
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world in 2024. It has low crime rates, and there are minimal incidences of terrorism in the country. It ranks 9th in the 2023 Global Peace Index rankings and scores 1 out of 5 in organized conflicts (internal), access to weapons, violent crimes, and political instability composites.
12 - Germany
Insider Monkey Score - 17
Germany is the 12th on our list of the safest countries in the world in 2024. It scores 1 out of 5 in the organized conflicts (internal) and political terror composites of the 2023 Global Peace Index.
