Kathmandu. The Global Peace Index has released a list of the safest countries for the year 2026. The Global Peace Index analysed the level of peace in 163 countries. This has created the world’s most comprehensive annual rankings.
Iceland is at the top of the list. This makes it the safest country.
The Global Peace Index (GPI) for 2026 shows a steady decline in global peace. Armed conflict is the main reason for this decline. Active government conflicts are now the highest in the world since World War II. The number of countries involved in external conflicts has doubled since 2008.
10 Safe Countries
- Iceland
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Slovenia
- Ireland
- Austria
- Portugal
- Singapore
- Finland
- Japan
Iceland has been ranked as the most peaceful country in the world for the 19th year in a row. It has no standing army, a very low crime rate, and high social trust.
In 2026, New Zealand has moved up one place globally. Switzerland ranks third globally. Slovenia has moved up two places to fourth. Ireland is the fifth most peaceful country in the world.
Likewise, Japan has been ranked tenth, followed by Belgium at sixth position, Singapore at eighth, Finland at ninth and Japan at sixth position. Denmark is in the 11th position.
European countries at the top of the list
According to this list, Western and Central Europe are the most peaceful regions. West Asia and North Africa are the least peaceful. Of the 8 regions included in the GPI last year, only Eastern Europe and Central Asia saw an average improvement. South Asia had the biggest decline.
This year marks the 20th edition of the GPI. It ranks 163 independent countries and territories based on their level of peace. That’s 99.7 percent of the world’s population. It uses 23 indicators to measure the state of peace. It examines three areas: the level of social protection, the extent of domestic and international conflicts, and the degree of militarization.
This year’s results show that the average level of global peace has decreased by 0.7 percent compared to last year. The level of peace has decreased in 99 of the 163 countries included in the index. Peace has improved in 62 of them. This year, 119 countries have been less peaceful than in 2008. –Agency
