The Safest Countries in the World in 2025

How does the Global Peace Index Rank the Safest Countries in the World?

The GPI framework evaluates countries across:

• Societal safety and security
  
  
• Ongoing domestic and international conflicts
  
  
• Militarization.

Each country receives a score based on 23 indicators, scored from 1 (most peaceful) to 5 (least peaceful), with the highest weight placed on conflict-related indicators. Due to its robust methodological framework, the IEP asserts that the GPI commands a level of trust similar to the Human Development Index (HDI), introduced by the United Nations Development Program in 1990.

To assess societal safety and security, the GPI considers indicators such as perceived levels of criminality, political stability, homicide rates per 100,000 people, and levels of violent crime, among others.

In 2025, Europe retained its lead, adding one more country to the Top 10, while new concerns such as increased military capabilities and global instability shaped the evaluation.

What are the Top 10 Safest Countries in The World?

In 2025, Europe remained the most peaceful region in the world, leading the Top 10 with 8 countries, with the only exception being Singapore and New Zealand. The continent has undisputedly held the title since the Global Peace Index’s inception in 2008, always ranking in with at least 6 countries and a maximum of 8. Check the list below:

The Global Peace Index's Top 10 safest countries have had only minor changes over its 17-year history, consistently showing Europe as the safest continent despite conflicts in nearby regions.

Outside of Europe, only three countries have regularly made the list. New Zealand is the only Oceanic country to have been in the Top 10 every year since the Index started. The only other time an Oceanic country appeared was in 2015 when Australia ranked ninth. 

Malaysia exited the Top 10, though Singapore has remained strong in the 6th place while Japan, which was a regular in the top 10 for 15 out of 17 years, dropped to 17th place in 2024, but recovered to 12th place in 2025. 

European countries have dominated the top 10, with the same set of countries appearing in slightly different positions over the years. This solidifies Europe as the safest continent. 

The GPI report is intriguing and explains in a straightforward way the main question everyone had: "What is the safest country in the world?"

Holding the position since 2011, Iceland remains the safest country in the world.

Austria and Denmark have always been in the top 10. Portugal has appeared 11 times out of 19, while Ireland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and have each been in the top 10 ten times.

It's also important to note that 35 out of the 36 European countries ranked by the Global Peace Index are in the upper half of the 163 territories analyzed.

Why is Europe the Safest Region in the world? 

Overall, the 2025 GPI asserts that global peacefulness is on a downward trend, reaching higher levels than since the end of WWII. According to the report:

• "This year’s results found that the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.36 per cent. This is the 13th deterioration in peacefulness in the last 17 years, with 74 countries improving and 87 deteriorating in peacefulness."
  
  
• "Western and Central Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world on the 2025 GPI and is home to eight of the ten most peaceful countries in the world."

While there are no entirely risk-free countries, Europe's high levels of societal safety and security make it the safest region in the world to live in.

In comparison with other regions of the world:

• Middle East & North Africa (MENA): MENA remains the least-peaceful region in 2025, with four of the ten lowest-ranked countries located there. Ongoing armed conflicts and a continuing rise in military expenditure drove most of the region’s score deterioration.
  
  
• Asia-Pacific: Asia-Pacific kept its place as the world’s second-most-peaceful region. Small gains in several countries’ militarization scores offset declines elsewhere. New Zealand is still the region’s safest nation, while North Korea remains the lowest-ranked.
  
  
• Central America & the Caribbean: Central America recorded another steep fall in homicides, yet it still shows the highest average homicide rate of any region. Within the Caribbean, Citizenship-by-Investment states such as Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia continue to stand out as the area’s most stable jurisdictions, despite not being individually ranked in the GPI index itself.
  
  
• North America: The region holds its position as the world’s third-most-peaceful bloc, but the gap between its two ranked countries widened in 2025. Canada improved slightly and now sits just outside the global top-10, while the United States fell further in the rankings because of worsening perceptions of criminality and higher violent-crime indicators.
  
  
• South America: South America is now fourth out of the eight GPI regions. Scores worsened in indicators linked to internal conflict and societal safety, keeping the region behind North America and Asia-Pacific.
  
  
• South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: Both regions experienced overall deteriorations in 2025, driven by higher scores for internal conflict and political instability.
  
  

Generally, the world is experiencing worsened levels of security and peacefulness across all regions. There are no 100% risk-free locations where to live. Even so, amid the growing uncertainties, Europe is by far the safest and most stable continent in the world.

How to Live in Europe: Investment Immigration Solutions 

While the Global Peace Index is a useful tool to consider, it is not the be-all and end-all. However, it does paint a clear picture of everyday reality: Europe is the safest region of the world and living in any of its 35 countries represents a better, more secure life.

A life where a person does not have to consistently worry about their surroundings or look over their shoulder. A life where it is possible to have a safe, conducive environment for the entire family, or where to best enjoy retirement and the golden years. 

How, then, to move to Europe and live in one of its countries?

The solution is found in investment immigration programs, which usually come in two formats: Residency by Investment or Citizenship by Investment.

In Europe, Residency by Investment is far more common, largely in part because of Golden Visa programs. On the other hand, Citizenship by Investment programs are more prevalent in the Caribbean. 

The best European Golden Visa is currently found in Greece and in Portugal. It currently offers an official and government-recognized path to Residency status through a direct investment in the country’s Real Estate market. Purchasing property in the minimum amount of €250,000 sufficient grounds to qualify and earn Residency.

Even though Greece does not feature in the Top 10 of the safest countries, it does not mean the country is by any means unsafe. Its status as a European Union country cannot be overstated, as the bloc holds high standards and demands certain criteria to be upheld across levels of public safety and peacefulness. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of State classifies Greece as Level One, recommending only normal precautions to be exercised when visiting the country. 

Portugal, also an EU country, offers one of the best Residency by Investment programs with its Portuguese D2 Visa and the Golden Visa through investment Funds. The D2 Visa program requires opening a new or branching out an existing business in Portugal. With a one-time investment, Residency is achievable in 3 months, and Citizenship in 5 years, the fastest of any EU country. 

Ranking 7 in the GPI, Portugal is the 7th safest country in the world and 5th in Europe. Many factors play a key role in this.

For instance, there is a healthy relationship between the police forces and the local population, which starts from an early age, and results in an overall better combat against criminal occurrences.

Since tourism is one of the country’s main economic drivers, Portugal also places further importance in creating and fostering a secure environment for locals, residents, and expats alike. The main criminal occurrences are petty property theft and domestic violence, though violent crime continues to decline every year.

Read more:
Portugal vs. Spain vs. Greece: Where to Buy Property?
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Best English Speaking Countries to Live in
Mediterranean Living: The Best Places for a Long and Healthy Life

It is important to bear in mind both Portugal and Greece are among the world’s most powerful passports in 2025, a common recurrence in European countries. Incidentally, both countries also enable their Citizens to hold another passport and be Dual Citizens, also frequently practiced in the Eastern Caribbean countries and some other European Union members. Endeavoring through either the Portugal D2 Visa or the Greece Golden Visa is embarking on the path to holding a European Union passport, one of the world’s best destinations for retirement, and the safest place to create a Plan B safe haven.  

Choosing the right investment immigration program can be a challenging task. But it does not have to be. Not with Investment Visa on your side. With a team of industry veterans holding more than 25 years of experience, knowing every detail and step of investment immigration programs from all over the world, Investment Visa advisors have successfully guided hundreds of investors to second residency and citizenship in Europe.  

Whether it is a brand-new property in Greece or through specifically curated D2 Visa investment options, Investment Visa has solutions for all types of investors and expats.

Contact Investment Visa today, get the best advice on the market and start your journey toward a brighter future.