Seven European Countries Ranked Among World’s Safest

Seven European countries have been ranked among the safest in the world, according to the latest edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), an annual report that evaluates 163 countries based on factors including internal and international conflicts, safety and security.

The index measures each country’s level of peace and stability on a scale from one to five, with lower scores indicating greater peacefulness.

Once again, Iceland was named the most peaceful country in the world, maintaining its position at the top of the ranking by a significant margin.

The Nordic country improved its score by 2% compared with the previous year, with the strongest progress recorded in the area of safety and security. The report highlights Iceland’s low crime rates, comprehensive social welfare system and strong public trust in local authorities.

Switzerland and Slovenia among Europe’s top performers

Beyond Iceland, seven of the world’s 10 most peaceful countries are European.

Switzerland was ranked the second-safest country in Europe and third globally, behind Iceland and New Zealand. Slovenia followed as the third-safest country in Europe and fourth worldwide.

The report noted that Western and Central Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world, despite the fact that countries in the area accounted for a significant share of the increase in military spending over the past year.

Poland records major improvement

Poland recorded the biggest improvement in the rankings, moving from 45th place in 2025 to 22nd place in 2026.

Meanwhile, France was identified as the least peaceful country in the Western and Central European region, with its safety and security score declining by 2% this year.

According to the report, one in four people in France said they did not feel safe when returning home at night, while one in 10 respondents appeared to have experienced violent crime.