SAFEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD: RANKING THE SAFEST PLACES TO TRAVEL TO IN 2025
What makes a safe place to travel?
Some travelers are wondering less about safety these days, as prices for everything travel-related continue to rise.
For other travelers, travel safety is framed in a question like, “When will I be able to make my pilgrimage to Israel?” or “How are the volcanic eruptions in Iceland going to affect my trip there?”
The answers to these questions play right into our research. Since 2016 we’ve been surveying travelers on their attitudes toward travel safety; since 2018 we’ve been compiling lists of the world’s safest places.
Over time we’ve seen a lot of things change – the pandemic not least among them – and seen generations come and go, but as you’ll see from this year’s list, we’ve also seen a lot of things stay the same.
Just like a house with good bones, a destination has a good support structure when it comes to safety. The things that make Switzerland a safe destination for travelers are going to continue to make it safe for travelers a decade from now.
Consume this list confident that these countries are still going to be bellwethers for travel safety whenever in 2025 you happen to travel.
Still, it’s always prudent to do your own research on specifically where you’re going and protect your travels with coverage from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. Getting covered is fast and easy, and the protection can be a true lifesaver.
Here are the safest countries for travelers in 2025:
THE SAFEST PLACES TO TRAVEL
- Iceland
- Australia
- Canada
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- New Zealand
- Germany
- Norway
- Japan
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- Netherlands
- Sweden
Just for comparison, here is last year’s list:
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Portugal
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Japan
- France
- Spain
- Brazil
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD’S SAFEST COUNTRIES
Changes
After years of doing this (more to come on that front), it’s clear that travelers think that Canada, Northern Europe, Australia and New Zealand are pretty safe places.
And while we don’t like to dwell on the bottom countries in our rankings, you can pretty much guess who they are by looking at our top 15.
Despite some general stability, there’s always movement in our rankings year over year. For instance, over the last year:
- Iceland zoomed from ninth all the way to first.
- New Zealand rebounded from 11th to sixth, while United Kingdom fell to 13th from that sixth spot, and the Netherlands tumbled from fifth to 14th.
- Last year Brazil made the biggest leap ever, jumping to 15th from 42nd. This year they were back down to 36th.
Safety may be a static concept, but your favorite country’s results may vary.
History and Methodology
We survey a large group of American travelers and ask them where they’ve traveled in the last five years. Only people who have visited specific countries can rate those countries on safety.
We then augment those ratings with other indices and information, including the Global Peace Index, data from Numbeo, and an average of the GeoSure Global scores of the major cities in each country.
From there, we calculate a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety.
The beauty of this approach is its balance. No one score tips the balance in favor of one country over another, and each score contributes to the overall score.
Photo by Tsunami Green on Unsplash
Caveat
Our ratings can’t account for random terrorist acts or the possibility of natural disasters, like the volcanic eruptions in Iceland. No country gets dinged for being flood-prone or dry in the summer.
It also doesn’t mean that any given country is safe right this moment, or that every part of the country is as safe as any other. Israel is a perfect example. Travelers to the country say it’s safe, but you probably don’t want to visit right now.
Like any other measurement, you need to balance our rankings with what’s going on in the world as you’re booking your travel. And you need to take additional steps to stay ahead of travel-safety issues, like signing up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and buying travel insurance to protect your investment.
THE TOP 15 SAFEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
1. Iceland
Rank Last Year: 9
Why It’s Ranked Highly
As noted in our Iceland trip-planning guide, the country has one major road, and it’s never crowded. Logic dictates that it’s hard to have traffic accidents if you don’t have traffic.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Volcanoes. Iceland is a volcanic island, and volcanic islands sometimes have volcanic eruptions. But you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more languorous about it than the Icelanders.
What We Say
“The shoulders of the ‘shoulder season’ in Iceland are narrow. A little bit of October and some of April are your only bridges between winter and summer. That’s not long, but it’s better than it seems.”
2. Australia
Rank Last Year: 10
Why It’s Ranked Highly
Australia’s far enough away from anywhere that any resident probably has a good reason for being there. Those types of places have traditionally had little crime.
Our guide on safe travel in Australia has more details.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Wild things. The State Department states, “From jellyfish to crocodiles, sharks, poisonous insects, and snakes, the continent and its waters host wildlife that merit awe and respect in equal doses.”
What We Say
"Australia’s cities are quite safe, relatively speaking – but relative in comparison to a lot of cities that aren’t exactly safe ... In general, a modicum of common sense goes a very long way in Australian cities.”
3. Canada
Rank Last Year: 1
Why It’s Ranked Highly
A dispersed population. Canada places ninth among the world’s countries for the lowest population density. It’s hard to have crime if you don’t have victims or perpetrators.
What You Need To Watch Out For
A different group of wild things. Bear and rubber-legged moose haunt the middle stretches of the Trans-Canada Highway, elk are found farther west and caribou farther north, wolves are common, and white-tailed deer are the same car magnets they are in the United States.
What We Say
“Between Winnipeg and Toronto there are a handful of large towns/small cities, but otherwise a whole lot of not much. Unless you’re up for some significant quality time on the Trans-Canada Highway, you need to decide whether you want to visit western or eastern Canada and plan accordingly.”
4. Ireland
Rank Last Year: 4
Why It’s Ranked Highly
As noted in our trip-planning guide to Ireland, the country has few major cities and a generally friendly populace.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Narrow roads and inexperienced drivers. The country is right-hand drive, just like the United Kingdom. That can be a major adjustment for American drivers. Throw in Ireland’s ridiculously narrow roads and you have all the ingredients of some big-time travel issues.
What We Say
“You don’t need a carefully guided and curated tour to discover Ireland (though there are many great tours which do precisely that). All you really need is a rental car and a map. And a good raincoat.”
5. Switzerland
Rank Last Year: 2
Why It’s Ranked Highly
Safe cities. As our guide to planning a Swiss vacation says, “GeoSure Global’s city-by-city rankings has Switzerland's major cities – Basel, Bern, Geneva, and Zurich – as 85th-to-90th-percentile safe for everything except theft, and even there the scores are far above average.”
What You Need To Watch Out For
Like the sign says, watch out for falling rock. The melting of Switzerland’s glaciers has changed the safety outlook for Switzerland’s Alpine regions. Avalanches, landslides, and flooding are more common than in past years. Winter and shoulder-season travelers need to be vigilant.
What We Say
“Many Swiss towns have quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It’s like being in the dorms but with better chocolate! Be respectful during these times.”
6. New Zealand
Rank Last Year: 11
Why It’s Ranked Highly
It’s even harder to get to than Australia. The lack of casual visitors greatly reduces the rate of happenstance crimes.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Taking out native flora or fauna. According to our New Zealand trip-planning guide, “If you don’t declare items like honey, fresh fruit, seeds, and plants, you could be fined $NZ400.”
What We Say
“New Zealand's diverse climate means there's no bad time to visit, though you can experience some temperature extremes throughout the year depending on where you are ... [remember] that seasons are ‘backwards’ from what [they are in] the United States.”
7. Germany
Rank Last Year: 18
Why It’s Ranked Highly
The country is orderly and well-run. It gets lots of tourist traffic and knows how to handle it. The cities traditionally rank highly for safety among travelers and the countryside is safer still.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Be warned: According to the State Department, “Under German law it is also illegal to bring into or take out of Germany any literature, music, or paraphernalia that glorifies fascism, the Nazi past, or the ‘Third Reich’.”
What We Say
“Starting in late 2025 the European Union will (finally) require Americans to apply for authorization to visit member states [like Germany]. The application will be quick (less than 10 minutes) and inexpensive ($8 or thereabouts), but it will be one more thing Americans need to do before visiting.”
8. Norway
Rank Last Year: 3
Why It’s Ranked Highly
Outside of Oslo the country is largely rural, and the northern part of the country has 225,000 reindeer and nowhere near that many people. And Oslo is perhaps Europe’s safest capital.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Multiple dangers, if you travel to Svalbard in the country’s north. This town has rapidly become a tourist destination but poses multiple risks, including the lack of healthcare and transportation infrastructures. If you get sick or injured in Svalbard, an expensive evacuation is likely in your future.
What We Say
“Norway in the summer ranges from kinda temperate to downright hot to arctic, depending on where you are. Because of this, you need to pack for just about any sort of weather.”
9. Japan
Rank Last Year: 12
Why It’s Ranked Highly
The country is the exception to the rule that only sparsely populated countries are safe. The country is in the top 50 for population density and has the world’s 12th-lowest homicide rate.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Medical marijuana. According to the State Department, the Japanese government does not discriminate between medical and recreational marijuana. Having either can result in a long jail sentence and a fine.
What We Say
“If anything, Japan has become safer in the last few years. More people speak English, so they can help you if you get lost or need help with navigating.’”
– Is It Safe To Travel To Japan In 2024? Insights From Travel Experts
10. Denmark
Rank Last Year: 8
Why It’s Ranked Highly
Hygge. This essentially Danish spirit means taking time to be with the people you care about enjoying life’s simpler pleasures. This concept drives much of Danish society and results in a warm, welcoming place for visitors.
What You Need To Watch Out For
No right turns on red. It’s almost silly to mention, but it’s about all Denmark has for safety concerns.
What We Say
“One of our top safety tips is to always carry some of the local currency ... If you’re dashing across Scandinavia, that could mean your pockets will be full of Danish kroner in Sweden ... [So] limit the amount of local currency you get to the equivalent of US $20-$50.”
Photo by Aneta Foubíková on Unsplash
11. Portugal
Rank Last Year: 7
Why It’s Ranked Highly
Portugal has much of the allure and safety of Spain but with significantly fewer tourists. And fewer tourists mean fewer tourist-directed crimes.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Unlocked windows in vacation rentals. The State Department recommends that windows in vacation rentals be locked at all times. Also, seasonal wildfires are a problem.
What We Say
“Traveling safely ... means what it does in other parts of the world, namely: watch your belongings; be aware of your surroundings; be alcohol-smart; and limit the time you spend walking streets alone after dark.”
12. Spain
Rank Last Year: 14
Why It’s Ranked Highly
It’s European, cosmopolitan, and used to heavy tourist pressure. It knows how to keep crowded places safe and (somewhat) sane.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Travel restrictions for Barcelona. The city is looking to phase out short-term vacation rentals and impose other restrictions on tourism. This could send tourists to other parts of the country where there’s less infrastructure, posing safety hazards.
What We Say
“Spain can be quite hot, especially in the cities. If you’re traveling from Texas, Arizona, or the South you’ll probably be right at home. If you’re a cool-weather traveler you may find Madrid or Barcelona a little stifling in midsummer.”
13. United Kingdom
Rank Last Year: 6
Why It’s Ranked Highly
According to the World Population Review, the U.K.’s overall criminality score rivals that of Australia and is among the world’s lowest.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Your neighborhood. The U.K. is a country of neighborhoods, and travel safety can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. In London, for instance, GeoSure safety ratings range from 86 in Ladbroke Grove to 70 in Queensway.
What We Say
“What goes for any big city around the world goes for London: Keep your eyes and ears open. If you’re suspicious of someone, move away from them. Closely watch the things that matter most to you. In addition, do the little things, like wearing your backpack in front of you when you’re standing in line, or keeping one foot on the strap of a handbag that’s over a chair.”
14. Netherlands
Rank Last Year: 5
Why It’s Ranked Highly
The country is a top-20 finisher in the Global Peace Index and has a microscopic homicide rate ... in addition to tulips and windmills.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Drugs. The State Department makes it clear: “Despite common misperceptions, marijuana and hashish are controlled substances in the Netherlands, and although not enforced in defined tourist areas, possession is a crime that can result in a fine.”
What They’re Saying
“An English speaker is never that far away. Even if someone speaks only a few words of English, it should be enough for you to have a basic conversation.”
15. Sweden
Rank Last Year: 20
Why It’s Ranked Highly
The country has a lower homicide rate than New Zealand and has some of the safest cities in Europe, according to GeoSure Global.
What You Need To Watch Out For
Marijuana. Per the State Department, “Marijuana of all forms, including CBD products, are illegal to bring into or possess in Sweden,” and, “penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Sweden are strict.”
What We Say
“Orebro, Vasteras, and Uppsala came in fourth, fifth, and seventh on GeoSure’s list of safest cities, in a country that BHTP’s female travelers consider to be [one of the] safest in the world. They’re also lovely towns that should be on the itinerary of any visitor to Sweden.”
TRAVEL SAFETY HAS MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS
Because people who had actually visited specific countries do our safety ratings, we felt comfortable asking them about multiple aspects of travel safety, including safety from crime, terrorism, and disease, and safety for groups such as travelers of color and LGBTQIA+ travelers.
It’s important to note, these are based on survey respondents’ ratings only, and unlike the Safest Countries rankings above, it does not augment respondents’ ratings with other indices and information. We used an average of six sub-category scores as the basis for the Safest Places calculation employed above. Here are the top-10 lists for the sub-categories.
Safest Places To Travel – Safety From Violent Crime
- Norway
- Canada
- Australia
- Ireland
- Iceland
- New Zealand
- United Arab Emirates
- Germany
- Italy
- Portugal
Respondents’ picks line up with the data – Norway and Canada are two of the world’s safest places statistically when it comes to violent crime.
Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash
Safest Places To Travel – Safety From Terrorism
- United Arab Emirates
- Canada
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Norway
- Iceland
- Japan
- Switzerland
- Portugal
This marks the first time the United Arab Emirates have topped any safety category.
Safest Places To Travel – Transportation Safety
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Germany
- Japan
- Iceland
- Italy
- Portugal
Canada and Australia have one big thing in common when it comes to transportation – roads that cut though hundreds of miles of unpopulated areas.
Photo by Atoms on Unsplash
Safest Places To Travel – Health Measures
- Canada
- Norway
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Italy
- Australia
- Iceland
- Germany
- United Arab Emirates
- Portugal
All these countries have extremely well-developed and efficient healthcare-delivery systems.
Safest Places To Travel – Women’s/LGBTQIA+/People of Color Safety
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Ireland
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- Costa Rica
- Iceland
- Norway
- Germany
- Italy
Costa Rica makes the top 10 for the first time.
Photo by Jordan Opel on Unsplash
RANKINGS BY AGE AND INCOME
Unlike past years, survey respondents had wildly different perceptions of the world’s safest countries depending on their age and income. After we broke apart the responses, here are some of the categories with the biggest deviation from the overall scores:
Millennial Survey Respondents
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Australia
- Ireland
- Germany
- Switzerland
- France
- Japan
- United Arab Emirates
- Norway
Last year China was 10th; this year, 36th.
Gen Z Survey Respondents
- Croatia
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Canada
- Vietnam
- United Arab Emirates
- Australia
- Greece
- Norway
The United States made the top 10 for Gen Z last year; this year, it was 27th, and Croatia tops a list for the first time ever.
Respondents With A Household Income Of More Than $200,000
- South Korea
- Philippines
- Switzerland
- Brazil
- Norway
- Egypt
- Iceland
- Costa Rica
- France
- Germany
Costa Rica makes a second top-10 list.
Photo by John T on Unsplash
Respondents Spending More Than $25,000/Year On Travel
- Vietnam
- Ireland
- Canada
- Philippines
- Portugal
- New Zealand
- Bahamas
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Morocco
The more you spend you travel the further afield you go – and the better Vietnam looks as a destination.
Mature Survey Respondents
- Iceland
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Australia
- South Korea
- Germany
- Canada
- Sweden
- Hungary
Traditionally mature travelers consider the U.S. to be a safe destination. This year is was 28th, behind Turkey and India.
Parents
- Australia
- Ireland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Vietnam
- Portugal
- Germany
- Italy
- Norway
- Iceland
Belgium got a lot of love from parents last year; this year, Vietnam is a parents’ favorite.
LGBTQIA+ Travelers
- Ireland
- Costa Rica
- Portugal
- United Arab Emirates
- Denmark
- Switzerland
- Canada
- Italy
- South Korea
- South Africa
South Africa and the United Arab Emirates are not generally thought of as safe locations for LGBTQIA+ travelers – but those survey respondents who indicated they identify as LGBTQIA+ rating them as safe.
Hall of Fame
We promised some additional perspective on historical travel safety. Here for the first time is our Safe Travel Hall of Fame – countries who have averaged a top-10 position since 2018, when we started our Safest Places ratings.
There may be more additions to the Hall of Fame over time, but this isn’t one of those halls of fame where they let anyone in. (We see you, Cleveland.) You have to earn your position here among the following:
- Switzerland
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Iceland
- Norway
- Ireland
- Japan
Congratulations to all these countries for their dedication to travel safety.
Final Notes
As a reminder, survey results can be variable.
Regardless of when you feel able to visit the World’s Safest Countries, be sure to do your own research, sign up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and choose travel insurance from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection to cover all your travels. Discover what makes our coverage special.
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