The World's Safest Country in 2026: Results of the Global Peace Index Ranking

The Institute for Economics and Peace has released its new Global Peace Index 2026, which ranks the world’s safest countries. European countries dominate the list of leaders, and first place once again went to one of the northern islands. Learn more about the world’s most peaceful countries in 2026 and the criteria used to evaluate them

Safety remains one of the key considerations when planning trips abroad. Travelers are increasingly focusing not only on attractions and the cost of their trip, but also on the overall level of stability in their destination country. The American publication Travel + Leisure has published the updated results of the 2026 Global Peace Index, an annual ranking that identifies the world’s most peaceful countries.

Which country has held the top spot in the ranking for nearly two decades, what criteria are used to assess the level of peace, and which countries made it into the top five safest—we’ll cover all of this in the article below.

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What is the Global Peace Index, and how is the ranking determined?

The Global Peace Index is compiled annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)—an independent, nonpartisan think tank. In 2026, the 20th edition of the ranking was published, covering 163 independent states and territories.

In total, the study covers 99.7% of the world’s population. To assess the level of peace, analysts use 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, grouped into three main categories:

• the level of security and order in society;
• current internal and external conflicts;
• the degree of militarization.

The evaluation principle is structured such that the lower a country’s total score, the more peaceful it is considered to be.

The world’s happiest cities in 2026, according to Time Out — are listed here.

Iceland: Top of the Rankings for 19 Consecutive Years

Iceland once again took first place in the 2026 Global Peace Index. The country has held the top spot for 19 consecutive years—its total score is 1.161, significantly ahead of its closest competitor. Over the past year, Iceland’s peace index score improved by another 2%.

The country’s performance in the areas of security and public order rose by 4%, while its level of militarization decreased by 0.3%. The report’s authors attribute these results to several systemic factors: the absence of a standing army, a very low crime rate, and strong social cohesion among the population.

The Top 5 Safest Countries in the World According to the 2026 Global Peace Index

The top five most peaceful countries in the world in 2026 are predominantly European nations. The full list of the top-ranked countries is as follows:

1. Iceland – 1st place (score 1.161);
2. New Zealand – 2nd place (score 1.343);
3. Switzerland – 3rd place;
4. Slovenia – 4th place;
5. Ireland – 5th place.

New Zealand moved up one position compared to 2025—a rise driven by a reduction in arms imports, which improved the country’s militarization score. Switzerland moved up from fifth place last year to third and remains one of Europe’s strongest nations in terms of security and public order.

Slovenia showed the most rapid growth among the leaders—the country jumped five spots to fourth place thanks to improvements in security. Ireland rounds out the top five safest countries, despite a slight decline in its overall score compared to last year.

About the top 10 countries for working abroad in 2026 — read more at the link.

Europe: The World’s Most Peaceful Region in 2026

According to the Global Peace Index 2026 report, Western and Central Europe remain the most peaceful region on the planet. Analysts note that seven of the world’s ten safest countries are located here.

These results confirm a consistent trend in recent years—the European continent maintains a leading position in terms of security, social stability, and low levels of militarization. According to forecasts by IEP researchers, Iceland shows no signs of relinquishing the top spot in the ranking anytime soon.

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Reminder! In our previous article, we discussed the best countries to live in with children in 2026.

Photo: Magnific

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