The US Doesn’t Make List of Top 120 Safest Countries in the World
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
The United States isn’t among the top 100 safest countries in the world — in fact, it isn’t even among the top 120 safest.
That is what new rankings from the Institute for Economics and Peace say. The organization released its 2018 Global Peace Index, which ranks 163 independent countries and territories according to their levels of peacefulness.
The report analyzes 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators and measures the state of peace based on cultural, economic and political factors, such as ongoing domestic and international conflict and militarization.
Clocking in as the safest country is Iceland for the tenth year in a row, followed by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal and Denmark.
Europe was ranked the most peaceful region — although its overall rating fell for the third straight year due to increasing political instability and terrorism. The index found that the overall global level of peace has also declined for the fourth year in a row.
Bringing up the back half of the list is the US, ranking at No. 121. The report says it’s the US’ worst level on the index since 2012, and it’s the second year in a row the country has had a decline in overall peace due to several key factors, including incarceration rate, external conflicts, weapons exports and its arsenal of nuclear and other heavy weapons.
In another analysis, the Gallup 2018 Global Law and Order report, 142 countries were ranked based on residents’ sense of safety and security and their personal experiences with crime and law enforcement. Singapore took the top spot on that list, followed by Norway and Iceland — trailed by the US at No. 35.
Featured image of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash.
*This post has been updated to reflect that Iceland has been ranked safest country for 10 years, not eight.
WELCOME OFFER: 30,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $600
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: up to $100 annual CLEAR statement credit, up to $100 annual LoungeBuddy statement credit, 3x points on travel and transit, 3x points on restaurants worldwide
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 30,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on all eligible travel, from subway swipes and window seats to hotel stays and city tours.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide.
- Receive up to $100 per year in statement credits when you use the American Express® Green Card to pay for your CLEAR® membership at select airports and stadiums across the U.S. and Permissible Biometric Scanning Technology terms: eye scanning, irises scanning and fingerprints scanning.
- Use the American Express® Green Card to purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy to any of the lounges in the LoungeBuddy network – no memberships, elite statuses, or first class tickets required. Earn up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year on your LoungeBuddy purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $150 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.