Based on recent 2025 and 2026 reports from various indices, Iceland is consistently ranked as the safest and most peaceful country in the world. It has held this position for over 17 years due to its exceptionally low crime rates, minimal militarization, and high social cohesion.
Iceland is consistently ranked as the #1 safest country in the world by the Global Peace Index (GPI), a position it has held for over a decade due to extremely low crime, no standing army, high social cohesion, and minimal conflict, though some other reports might place Switzerland or the Netherlands first based on different survey criteria.
Australia has been a perennial top ten inhabitant of the safest countries ratings since it launched seven years ago – and in 2026, we're holding strong in second place.
Crime rate by country 2025: 10 countries with the highest crime...
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world in 2021, a position it has held since 2008.
Iceland consistently ranks as the country with the lowest crime rate and highest level of peacefulness, leading the Global Peace Index for many years due to its strong community, low gun violence (police don't carry guns), and high social welfare, followed by other small, stable European nations like Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
The top 10 most dangerous places
Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2021 was 0.74, a 13.52% decline from 2020. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2020 was. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2019 was 0.89, a 0.29% increase from 2018. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2018 was 0.88, a 4.6% increase from 2017.
In 2023, the rate of police-reported violent crime continued to be lower in Canada than the United States (252 incidents per 100,000 population versus 334 incidents), though the gap between the two countries has narrowed over the last 25 years.
Canberra is officially Australia's #1 safest city, with a crime index rating of 26 out of 100. That places it as the 49th safest city in the world. This ranking comes from Compare the Market Australia, which analysed 6 years of public data from Numbeo's crime index.
Australia's largest terrestrial predator is the Dingo, a native canine that acts as an apex predator, managing herbivore populations and benefiting ecosystem health, though the marine saltwater crocodile is the continent's largest overall reptile predator, while the extinct Thylacoleo carnifex (marsupial lion) was Australia's largest-ever mammalian predator.
Homicide rate: Australia's homicide rate hovers around 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. rate of approximately 6 per 100,000. Property crime: Both countries experience property crime, but Australia's rates are generally lower, and violent property crimes (like armed burglary) are less common.
The 2024 GPI indicates Iceland, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, Malaysia and Canada to be the most peaceful countries, while Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Congo, Russia, Syria, Israel and Mali to be the least peaceful.
According to the latest 2025 CEOWORLD Health Care Index, Taiwan once again ranks as the country with the best healthcare in the world, maintaining its top position with an overall score of 78.72. South Korea (77.7) and Australia (74.11) remain in second and third place, respectively.
Russia is the largest country in the world by far, with a total area of just over 17 million square kilometers. After Antarctica, the next three countries are Canada, the U.S., and China; all between 9.5 and 10 million square kilometers.
Rockhampton. Rockhampton is the most dangerous city in Australia. According to the reports, it has a crime index of 67.2, which is one of the major contributors to the country's higher rate. It has a crime rate of 132 per 1000 people, with most of the cases for theft, burglary, and assault.
Murder - NSW recorded the lowest murder rate in Australia over the three years from 2021 to 2023, 9% below the national average. Physical assault - NSW's assault rate is among the lowest nationally, 24% lower than the national average. Robbery - NSW has the lowest rate in Australia, 67% below the national average.
Australia's biggest crime problems vary by metric, but generally involve high rates of property/theft offences, significant issues with violence (especially assault & domestic violence), and serious impacts from serious & organised crime (drugs, money laundering). While traffic offences lead in sheer numbers, theft (like car & retail) and acts intended to cause injury (assaults) are most common in reported incidents, with organised crime posing a major economic and security threat, costing billions annually.
Key takeaways. The safest countries in the world are Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, and Finland, according to the 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI).
1. Venezuela Venezuela has a crime index of 82.1, the highest of any country in the world.
Australia has a stable political system based on democratic principles, with a strong rule of law. We have a well-established legal framework and robust democratic institutions that ensure political stability and the protection of individual rights and freedoms.