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SafetyScorer

Safety scores

Countries

We score countries on six factors. Violent crime (homicide rates from UNODC and national police) counts for 25%, conflict and terrorism for 20%, road deaths for 20%, health risks for 15%, natural hazards for 10%, and petty crime and scams for 10%, and the overall score can never be more than the conflict score plus 35. We check US State Department and UK FCDO advice for every page. National scores hide big regional differences, especially in Mexico, Brazil and India, so read the page before you rule a country in or out.

All rated countries

  1. #1 of 196

    Monaco

    Monaco is one of the most heavily policed places in the world and street crime is rare; there was no homicide or armed robbery in 2025. The risks are theft on the trains and at Nice airport on the way in, busy steep streets, and the crowds of Grand Prix week.

    Score 93, grade A

  2. #2 of 196

    Singapore

    Singapore shares the top score of the countries we cover. Street crime is rare and roads are among the safest in Asia. The risks a visitor actually faces are dengue, seasonal haze from Indonesia, phone scams and laws far stricter than at home.

    Score 93, grade A

  3. #3 of 196

    Switzerland

    Switzerland is one of the safest countries in the world for visitors, with 0.6 homicides per 100,000 people and some of Europe's safest roads. Most serious harm happens in the mountains, through falls, avalanches and sudden weather, while pickpocketing has grown around Geneva.

    Score 93, grade A

  4. #4 of 196

    Iceland

    Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world on the 2026 Global Peace Index and crime against visitors is rare. Nature is the risk. Sneaker waves, glacier collapses, eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula and fast-changing weather on rural roads cause most serious incidents involving tourists.

    Score 92, grade A

  5. #5 of 196

    Japan

    Japan is one of the safest countries in the world for travellers, with a homicide rate near 0.2 per 100,000. The risks that matter are natural ones (earthquakes, typhoons, heat) and drink-spiking bar scams in a few Tokyo nightlife districts.

    Score 92, grade A

  6. #6 of 196

    Luxembourg

    Luxembourg is one of the safest countries in Europe for visitors. Murders are rare enough that one case moves the rate, and there is no terrorism record. The real risks are pickpockets around the main station and on buses, and the roads, where deaths rose from 18 in 2024 to 29 in 2025.

    Score 91, grade A

  7. #7 of 196

    Denmark

    Denmark is one of Europe's safest countries for visitors, with 0.87 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024 and about 2.3 road deaths per 100,000 in 2025. Watch for pickpockets in central Copenhagen and gang trouble late at night in Christiania and Nørrebro. The terrorism threat is rated serious.

    Score 90, grade A

  8. #8 of 196

    Ireland

    Ireland is one of the safer countries in Europe, with about 0.65 homicides per 100,000 people and no gun killings in 2025. Visitors should watch for pickpockets and late-night trouble in central Dublin, and drive carefully on narrow rural roads, where road deaths rose to 185 in 2025.

    Score 90, grade A

  9. #9 of 196

    Malta

    Malta is one of the safest places to visit in the Mediterranean, with fewer than one homicide per 100,000 people and no recent history of terrorism. The risks are on its packed roads, in the sea when the red flag is up, in the summer heat and in a few Paceville bars.

    Score 90, grade A

  10. #10 of 196

    Norway

    Norway is a very safe country for visitors, with about 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people and around 2 road deaths per 100,000. What hurts people here is nature. Avalanches kill about six or seven people a winter, mountain weather turns fast even in summer, and rescue is far away in the Arctic north.

    Score 90, grade A

  11. #11 of 196

    Brunei

    Brunei is one of the safest places to visit in South-East Asia, with very little crime and no history of terrorism. The real risks are its strict laws, including a Sharia penal code that covers some acts by non-Muslims, careless driving, dengue and crocodiles near rivers.

    Score 89, grade A

  12. #12 of 196

    Finland

    Finland is a very safe country for visitors, with a Level 1 US advisory and 9th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Its homicide rate, about 1.4 per 100,000, is mostly violence between people who know each other. The real risks are winter cold, remote Lapland, lakes and wildlife on dark roads.

    Score 89, grade A

  13. #13 of 196

    Andorra

    Andorra is a very safe country for visitors, with little street crime and no terrorism record. Most harm comes from the mountains (avalanches, ski collisions, falls on trails and storms) and from steep roads in winter. Bring full travel insurance, because the EHIC and GHIC are not valid.

    Score 88, grade A

  14. #14 of 196

    Austria

    Austria is one of the safest countries in Europe, with about 0.8 homicides per 100,000 people and 6th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index. The real risks are in the mountains and on the roads, where deaths rose to 397 in 2025, plus pickpockets in Vienna and a terrorism threat the FCDO calls likely.

    Score 88, grade A

  15. #15 of 196

    Czechia

    Czechia (the Czech Republic) is a very safe country, with 0.77 homicides per 100,000 people and 13th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Most problems are about money in Prague, from pickpockets to exchange offices. Hepatitis A cases jumped in 2025, and tick-borne encephalitis is common in the countryside.

    Score 88, grade A

  16. #16 of 196

    Germany

    Germany is a safe country to visit, with 0.91 homicides per 100,000 people and about 34 road deaths per million. The main concern is terrorism and copycat attacks on crowds, including a vehicle attack on Berlin's Pride event in July 2026, followed by pickpocketing in big-city stations and on public transport.

    Score 88, grade A

  17. #17 of 196

    Liechtenstein

    Liechtenstein is a very safe country to visit, with little street crime and no terrorism record. One domestic killing in late 2025 pushed up a homicide rate that rests on tiny numbers. For visitors the risks are Alpine ones (avalanches, rockfall, storms, falls on mountain paths) plus ticks in summer.

    Score 88, grade A

  18. #18 of 196

    Netherlands

    The Netherlands is a safe country for visitors, with about 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people and some of the best flood protection in the world. The things to watch are bikes, which now account for more road deaths than cars, pickpockets around Amsterdam Centraal and on Schiphol trains, and canals after a night out.

    Score 88, grade A

  19. #19 of 196

    San Marino

    San Marino is very safe for visitors. The FCDO calls street crime very rare, roads killed 12 people from 2016 to 2025, and the main practical risks are steep, busy roads and medical bills, because the UK's GHIC and the EU's EHIC are not accepted. Crime data is thin, so confidence is medium.

    Score 88, grade A

  20. #20 of 196

    Slovenia

    Slovenia is one of the safest countries in Europe, with 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people and 4th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index. The risks are outdoors; the Julian Alps killed a record 50 people in 2025, road deaths rose 35% that year, and the August 2023 floods were the worst disaster in the country's history.

    Score 88, grade A

  21. #21 of 196

    Sweden

    Sweden is a safe country for visitors, with about 0.8 killings per 100,000 people in 2025 and around 2 road deaths per 100,000. Its gang violence is real but aimed at rivals and their homes: shootings fell to 158 in 2025, while bombings rose to 189. Pickpockets in Stockholm and Arctic distances are the everyday risks.

    Score 88, grade A

  22. #22 of 196

    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom is a safe destination with about 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people and some of the safest roads in the world. The two things visitors should take seriously are a terrorism threat level of severe and phone snatching in central London.

    Score 88, grade A

  23. #23 of 196

    Estonia

    Estonia is a safe country to visit, with a Level 1 US advisory, 25th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index and 43 road deaths in 2025. The homicide rate, about 1.8 per 100,000, is higher than in Western Europe but rarely touches visitors. Russian airspace violations and GPS jamming are the new risks.

    Score 86, grade A

  24. #24 of 196

    Hungary

    Hungary is a safe country to visit, with 0.72 homicides per 100,000 people and a Level 1 US advisory. The risks visitors meet are money ones, from pickpockets on Budapest's metro to bars that present huge bills. Roads are safer than they were but still behind Austria and Czechia.

    Score 86, grade A

  25. #25 of 196

    New Zealand

    New Zealand is one of the most peaceful countries in the world and crime against visitors is rare. The risks are natural and self-inflicted. Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, sudden alpine weather and unfamiliar winding roads hurt far more tourists than crime does.

    Score 86, grade A

  26. #26 of 196

    Portugal

    Portugal is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, 7th on the 2026 Global Peace Index, with about 0.9 homicides per 100,000 people in 2025. The risks are more road deaths per head than Spain or Italy, large summer wildfires inland, and pickpocketing in central Lisbon and Porto.

    Score 86, grade A

  27. #27 of 196

    Australia

    Australia is very safe from crime, with fewer than 1 homicide per 100,000 people. The real risks are the beach, the sun and the distances. Rip currents, bushfires, extreme heat and remote roads cause far more harm to visitors than crime, and the December 2025 Bondi attack raised the terrorism picture.

    Score 85, grade A

  28. #28 of 196

    Slovakia

    Slovakia is a safe country to visit, with about 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people and a Level 1 US advisory. The 2024 shooting of the prime minister and large protests in 2025 show real political tension, but visitors are not targets. In the mountains, fast weather changes and brown bears are the risks to plan for.

    Score 85, grade A

  29. #29 of 196

    South Korea

    South Korea has very little violent or street crime, with a homicide rate of about 0.5 per 100,000. The risks are unusual ones for a rich country. North Korea still tests missiles and the war has never formally ended, spring brings fine dust and yellow dust, and pedestrians face assertive traffic.

    Score 85, grade A

  30. #30 of 196

    Spain

    Spain is one of the safer countries in Europe, with about 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people and fewer road deaths per head than Italy or France. Theft in Barcelona and Madrid is the problem most visitors meet, and summer heat, wildfires and flash floods have become serious hazards.

    Score 85, grade A

  31. #31 of 196

    Belgium

    Belgium is safe for visitors, but less relaxed than its neighbours. Drug gangs fired guns 101 times in Brussels in 2025 and set off bombs in Antwerp, mostly away from tourist areas. Theft at Brussels stations, a terrorism threat level of 3 out of 4 and frequent strikes are the everyday issues.

    Score 84, grade B

  32. #32 of 196

    Canada

    Canada is a safe country for most visitors, with a homicide rate of about 1.9 per 100,000 and a Level 1 US advisory. The risks to plan for are outdoors ones: summer wildfires and smoke, winter driving, wildlife and very long distances to help.

    Score 84, grade B

  33. #33 of 196

    Croatia

    Croatia is one of the safer countries in Europe, with 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people and a Level 1 US advisory. The risks are everyday ones; roads with above-average EU death rates, pickpockets and bar rip-offs in Split and Dubrovnik, summer wildfires, and war-era mines off the beaten track.

    Score 84, grade B

  34. #34 of 196

    Cyprus

    Cyprus is a safe holiday island with under one homicide per 100,000 people and crime against tourists that the FCDO calls uncommon. The catches are the Middle East war next door, which reached a British base in March 2026, deadly summer wildfires, poor driving, and the different rules in the Turkish Cypriot north.

    Score 84, grade B

  35. #35 of 196

    Italy

    Italy is a safe country to visit, with about 0.6 homicides per 100,000 people, one of the lowest rates in Europe. The real risks are pickpocketing in Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples, city traffic that kills hundreds of pedestrians a year, and earthquakes and volcanoes in the centre and south.

    Score 84, grade B

  36. #36 of 196

    Poland

    Poland is a safe country to visit, with 0.80 homicides per 100,000 people and the biggest gain of any country on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Roads are safer than they were but still behind Western Europe, the war next door brings drone incursions and sabotage, and unofficial taxis are the everyday trap.

    Score 84, grade B

  37. #37 of 196

    France

    France is a safe country to visit, with about 1.3 homicides per 100,000 people and modern roads. The weak points are a terrorism threat the FCDO calls very likely, frequent strikes and protests, and pickpocketing in Paris that is among the worst in Europe.

    Score 82, grade B

  38. #38 of 196

    Greece

    Greece is safe for travellers, with under 1 homicide per 100,000 people and a US Level 1 advisory. The risks are natural and practical rather than criminal; wildfires and heat every summer, earthquakes, fast and careless driving, quad bike crashes on the islands, and theft on the Athens metro.

    Score 81, grade B

  39. #39 of 196

    Lithuania

    Lithuania is a safe country to visit, with a Level 1 US advisory and 24th place on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Its homicide rate has fallen a long way but is still about 2.6 per 100,000. The disruption visitors are most likely to meet is a Vilnius airport closure caused by smuggling balloons from Belarus.

    Score 81, grade B

  40. #40 of 196

    Maldives

    For a resort holiday, the Maldives is one of the safest places in Asia. Crime on resort islands is rare and roads hardly matter. The sea is the main danger, with at least 112 tourists dying in marine accidents in six years. Gang knife crime in Malé and a low-level terrorism threat are the other caveats.

    Score 81, grade B

  41. #41 of 196

    Taiwan

    Taiwan has very little crime, excellent hospitals and a US Level 1 advisory. The real risks are traffic, with just under 3,000 road deaths a year and most of them on scooters, plus typhoons from July to September and frequent earthquakes. Tension with China is real but has not changed travel advice.

    Score 81, grade B

  42. #42 of 196

    Bulgaria

    Bulgaria is a safe and peaceful country for most visitors, ranked 26th on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Its weak points are everyday ones; the EU's highest road death rate, thieves, rogue taxis and overcharging clubs in Sunny Beach and the ski resorts, and summer wildfires and flash floods.

    Score 80, grade B

  43. #43 of 196

    Latvia

    Latvia is a safe country to visit, rated Level 1 by the US and 19th of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace Index. The everyday risks are in Riga's Old Town, where bars overcharge and pickpockets work the crowds. Road deaths are above the EU average, and stray drones from the war next door have crashed in the east.

    Score 80, grade B

  44. #44 of 196

    North Macedonia

    North Macedonia is one of the calmer countries in the Balkans, rated Level 1 by the US, with about 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people. The weak spots are fire safety in venues after the Kočani nightclub fire killed 63 people in 2025, heavy winter air pollution in Skopje, and roads where 132 people died in 2025.

    Score 79, grade B

  45. #45 of 196

    Qatar

    Qatar has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and ranks 31st on the 2026 Global Peace Index, the best in the Middle East. Iranian strikes on its gas plants and the US air base since February 2026 put it under a US Level 3 advisory. Strict laws, fast roads and summer heat are the everyday risks.

    Score 79, grade B

  46. #46 of 196

    Romania

    Romania is safe for most travellers, with under one homicide per 100,000 people and a Level 1 US advisory. The real risks are the roads, which kill at one of the highest rates in the EU, brown bears in the Carpathians, earthquake risk in Bucharest, and stray Russian drones near the Ukrainian border.

    Score 79, grade B

  47. #47 of 196

    United Arab Emirates

    On crime and roads alone, the United Arab Emirates would rank with the safest countries we cover. The 2026 Iran war changed that; strikes have killed at least 13 people in the UAE and the US says reconsider travel. Strict laws on drugs, alcohol and behaviour are the other risk visitors underestimate.

    Score 79, grade B

  48. #48 of 196

    Fiji

    Fiji is a calm, friendly place for a holiday, with a US Level 1 advisory and low serious crime. The risks are practical rather than criminal; road deaths rose sharply in 2025, cyclones hit from November to April, and serious illness or a diving accident often means evacuation abroad.

    Score 78, grade B

  49. #49 of 196

    Mauritius

    Mauritius is one of the easiest and safest trips in Africa or the Indian Ocean. Violent crime is low and there is no history of terrorism. The real risks are crowded roads, theft from villas and beaches, mosquito-borne outbreaks such as dengue and chikungunya, and the cyclone season.

    Score 78, grade B

  50. #50 of 196

    Serbia

    Serbia is safe for most visitors; homicides are rare and crime against tourists is mostly pickpocketing. The catches are mass protests since the Novi Sad canopy collapse of November 2024, an early election on 25 October 2026, tension on the Kosovo border, and the deadliest roads ETSC tracks.

    Score 78, grade B

  51. #51 of 196

    Bhutan

    Yes. Bhutan is one of the safest countries in Asia for visitors, with little crime, a US Level 1 advisory and a mandatory guide on every trip. The real risks are the roads, monsoon landslides and floods, altitude on treks and basic health care outside Thimphu.

    Score 77, grade B

  52. #52 of 196

    Seychelles

    Seychelles is a safe island holiday for most visitors, with a US Level 1 advisory and no history of terrorism. The catches are the sea, which is dangerous on some coasts for months at a time, narrow mountain roads on Mahé, and opportunistic theft and break-ins, set against a serious heroin problem.

    Score 77, grade B

  53. #53 of 196

    Malaysia

    Malaysia is one of the more peaceful countries in Asia, with 0.73 homicides per 100,000 people and a US Level 1 rating. Roads are the main danger, with 6,537 deaths in 2025, two thirds of them motorcyclists. Watch for bag snatchers and card fraud in cities, and avoid the islands off eastern Sabah.

    Score 76, grade B

  54. #54 of 196

    Montenegro

    Montenegro is a safe holiday country for most visitors, rated Level 1 by the US and 30th on the 2026 Global Peace Index. Its weak points are the roads, with 107 deaths per million people in 2025, more guns and organised crime violence than its neighbours, and summer wildfires.

    Score 76, grade B

  55. #55 of 196

    Oman

    Oman is one of the calmest places in the Gulf for crime, with 0.14 homicides per 100,000 people. The 2026 Iran war has reached it, with drone strikes on Duqm and Salalah ports and a US Level 3 advisory. For most visitors, the bigger dangers are the roads, flash floods in wadis and summer heat.

    Score 76, grade B

  56. #56 of 196

    Samoa

    Samoa is one of the calmest places in the Pacific for a visitor, with a US Level 1 advisory and little theft. The risks come from nature and distance; lagoon currents, unlit roads at night, a dengue outbreak since April 2025, cyclones and tsunamis, and evacuation abroad for serious illness.

    Score 75, grade B

  57. #57 of 196

    Bahrain

    Bahrain has very little crime, and its roads are safer than Saudi Arabia's or Oman's. As home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, it was hit by Iranian missiles and drones from the first day of the 2026 war, and civilians were killed and injured. The US says reconsider travel.

    Score 74, grade B

  58. #58 of 196

    Georgia

    The country of Georgia in the Caucasus has low crime and a US Level 1 advisory. The risks are its roads, with 469 deaths in 2025, nearly two years of daily protests in Tbilisi that are sometimes violent, and the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where no one should go.

    Score 74, grade B

  59. #59 of 196

    Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan is a calm, US Level 1 destination where violent crime against visitors is uncommon. The real risks are the roads, which killed about 2,300 people in 2025, pickpocketing in markets and on transport, and the long, very cold winters and remote distances.

    Score 74, grade B

  60. #60 of 196

    Nauru

    Nauru is a tiny, quiet island with a US Level 1 advisory and no reported crime problem for visitors. The catches are practical; very basic health care with evacuation to Australia, dengue, biting dogs, drought, one ATM, and almost no crime statistics to judge it by.

    Score 74, grade B

  61. #61 of 196

    Uzbekistan

    Uzbekistan is one of the calmer places to travel in Central Asia, with little violent crime and a US Level 1 advisory. The main risks are road crashes, poor hospitals outside a few private clinics, bag-snatching in bazaars, summer heat and the fenced border with Afghanistan.

    Score 74, grade B

  62. #62 of 196

    Albania

    Albania is safer for visitors than its reputation suggests; crime against foreigners is rare and homicides run at about 1.3 to 1.7 per 100,000. The real risks are aggressive driving on unlit roads, weak medical care outside Tirana, unsafe tap water, and earthquakes like the 2019 Durrës quake that killed 51 people.

    Score 73, grade B

  63. #63 of 196

    Kuwait

    Kuwait has very little crime, and a tough 2025 traffic law cut road deaths by a third. The 2026 Iran war hit it hard. Missiles and drones killed people in the first days and damaged the airport's main terminal in June, and the US says reconsider travel. Summer heat above 50°C is the other serious hazard.

    Score 73, grade B

  64. #64 of 196

    United States

    The United States is safe for most visitors, and crime fell sharply in 2025. It still has far more homicides and road deaths than Western Europe or Japan, a severe terrorism and political-violence picture, and medical costs that make travel insurance essential.

    Score 73, grade B

  65. #65 of 196

    Argentina

    Argentina is one of the safer countries in Latin America, with a record low 3.6 homicides per 100,000 people in 2025 and a US Level 1 advisory. Visitors mainly meet pickpocketing, phone snatching and scams in Buenos Aires, plus risky long road journeys. Rosario has serious drug-gang violence.

    Score 72, grade B

  66. #66 of 196

    Armenia

    Armenia has low crime, and Yerevan, Lake Sevan, Dilijan and the monasteries are safe to visit. The catch is the closed border with Azerbaijan, where the UK and US warn against travel, a peace treaty that is agreed but not yet signed, reckless driving and a high earthquake risk.

    Score 72, grade B

  67. #67 of 196

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Bosnia and Herzegovina is safe for most visitors, with about one homicide per 100,000 people and little crime aimed at tourists. The catches are landmines left from the 1990s war in rural areas, a long political crisis in Republika Srpska, road deaths that rose 10% on 2019, and heavy winter air pollution.

    Score 72, grade B

  68. #68 of 196

    China

    Mainland China has one of the lowest homicide rates we track, and most visitors never meet crime beyond a tea-house scam. The risks are the roads, unpredictable law enforcement and exit bans, which give it a US Level 2 advisory, plus typhoons, floods and earthquakes, and restricted travel to Tibet and Xinjiang.

    Score 72, grade B

  69. #69 of 196

    Jordan

    Jordan's tourist trail, from Amman to Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, has low crime. Iranian missiles aimed at or crossing Jordan since March 2026, terrorism risk and border no-go zones bring a US Level 3 advisory. Roads and flash floods are the everyday dangers.

    Score 72, grade B

  70. #70 of 196

    Kiribati

    Kiribati is peaceful and rarely visited, with a US Level 1 advisory and few roads. The risks are health and isolation; one of the highest tuberculosis rates anywhere, a polluted lagoon on South Tarawa, evacuation for anything serious, sporadic flights and low atolls exposed to rising seas.

    Score 72, grade B

  71. #71 of 196

    Kosovo

    Kosovo is safe for most visitors, with little crime aimed at tourists. The risks are political, with tension in the Serb-majority north since the 2023 Banjska attack and protests in Pristina after war crimes verdicts in September 2026, plus weak public hospitals and awkward rules for onward travel to Serbia.

    Score 72, grade B

  72. #72 of 196

    Tonga

    Tonga is a quiet, conservative kingdom where serious crime is rare and the US advises normal precautions. The real risks are natural and practical; the January 2022 eruption and tsunami, cyclones, unlit roads with a volatile road-death record, repeated dengue outbreaks and hospitals that send most serious cases abroad.

    Score 72, grade B

  73. #73 of 196

    Micronesia

    The Federated States of Micronesia is a quiet, low-crime destination with a US Level 1 advisory. The risks are distance and weather; Typhoon Sinlaku hit Chuuk in April 2026, care for anything serious means evacuation to Guam, and the data on crime and roads is thin.

    Score 71, grade B

  74. #74 of 196

    Vanuatu

    Vanuatu is a low-crime country with some of the highest natural hazard exposure anywhere. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake killed 14 people in Port Vila in December 2024, cyclones and volcanoes regularly disrupt travel, malaria is present, and serious illness means evacuation to Australia or New Zealand.

    Score 71, grade B

  75. #75 of 196

    Vietnam

    Vietnam is a low-crime country with no recent terrorism, and the US rates it Level 1. Its roads are the real danger, at about 18 deaths per 100,000 people on WHO's 2021 estimate. Add bag snatching from motorbikes, typhoons and floods from May to December, methanol in cheap spirits and strict drug laws.

    Score 71, grade B

  76. #76 of 196

    Antigua and Barbuda

    Antigua and Barbuda is one of the easier Caribbean destinations, rated Level 1 by the US. Police count about a dozen murders a year, roughly 12 per 100,000 on a population of 94,000, rarely involving visitors. The bigger risk is the weather. Hurricane Irma destroyed about 95% of buildings on Barbuda in 2017.

    Score 70, grade B

  77. #77 of 196

    Grenada

    Grenada is a relaxed island where most crime against visitors is theft from villas, cars and beaches. The US rates it Level 2 for crime, and 18 homicides in 2024 is a high rate for 117,000 people. Hurricane Beryl wrecked Carriacou in July 2024, and the hurricane season is the main thing to plan around.

    Score 70, grade B

  78. #78 of 196

    Kyrgyzstan

    A good choice for trekkers and road-trippers: the US rates Kyrgyzstan Level 1 and violent crime against visitors is uncommon. The real risks are the roads, which killed about 900 people in 2025, remote mountains with little rescue, poorly equipped hospitals, street theft in Bishkek and a high earthquake risk.

    Score 70, grade B

  79. #79 of 196

    Marshall Islands

    The Marshall Islands are quiet and low in crime, with a US Level 1 advisory. The risks are health and geography; a dengue outbreak declared in August 2026, one of the world's highest tuberculosis rates, very limited hospital care that means evacuation for anything serious, and atolls barely above the sea.

    Score 70, grade B

  80. #80 of 196

    Moldova

    Moldova is safe for most visitors to Chișinău and the wine country, with about 2.5 homicides per 100,000 people. The catches come from next door. Russian drones regularly stray in from Ukraine, Transnistria is outside government control and off limits under UK advice, and state hospitals are poor.

    Score 70, grade B

  81. #81 of 196

    Barbados

    Barbados is one of the calmer Caribbean islands for visitors, and the US rates it Level 1. Petty theft is the usual problem, but about 50 people were killed in each of 2024 and 2025, about 18 per 100,000, mostly in gang shootings away from the tourist coast. Rip currents and hurricanes are the other risks.

    Score 69, grade C

  82. #82 of 196

    Turkey

    Turkey is visited safely by millions every year and its roads are safer than its reputation. The risks are terrorism in big cities, a high earthquake threat, scams and theft in Istanbul, risky resort activities, and a no-go zone along the Syrian border.

    Score 69, grade C

  83. #83 of 196

    Turkmenistan

    Mostly yes for visitors on an organised trip. The US rates Turkmenistan Level 1 and crime against foreigners is rare, but it is one of the most closed countries in the world, publishes almost no crime data, controls the internet tightly and has poor hospitals, risky night roads and a history of deadly earthquakes.

    Score 69, grade C

  84. #84 of 196

    Uruguay

    Uruguay is politically stable, has no terrorism or natural disaster risk to speak of, and ranks first in South America on the Global Peace Index 2026. The catch is crime in and around Montevideo, where gang shootings pushed homicides to 10.3 per 100,000 in 2025, and road deaths that now exceed murders.

    Score 69, grade C

  85. #85 of 196

    Azerbaijan

    Baku and the north see little crime. The risks are regional. The US rates Azerbaijan Level 3 because of the war next door in Iran, mines still cover the districts around former Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian border is closed, and the authorities jail critical journalists.

    Score 68, grade C

  86. #86 of 196

    Cabo Verde

    Cabo Verde is one of Africa's most stable democracies, malaria-free since 2024 and on the US Level 1 list. Resort holidays on Sal and Boa Vista are usually trouble-free. The risks are muggings and theft in Praia and the resort towns, powerful currents, mountain roads and very basic medical care.

    Score 68, grade C

  87. #87 of 196

    Chile

    Chile is one of the safer countries in South America, ranked 52nd on the Global Peace Index 2026, and homicides fell to 5.4 per 100,000 in 2025. Theft and increasingly armed muggings in Santiago and Valparaíso are the main problem for visitors, along with earthquakes, wildfires and unrest in Araucanía.

    Score 68, grade C

  88. #88 of 196

    Mongolia

    Mongolia is peaceful and has a US Level 1 advisory, but it is a harder trip than its neighbours. The road death rate is high, winter smog in Ulaanbaatar is among the worst anywhere, temperatures swing from +35°C to -40°C, and help can be a day's drive away in the countryside.

    Score 68, grade C

  89. #89 of 196

    Morocco

    Morocco has low violent crime, about 1.7 homicides per 100,000 people, and most trips to Marrakech, Fes and the coast are trouble-free. The real risks are roads, where deaths rose by about a quarter in 2025, constant hustling and theft in the medinas, a standing terror threat, and earthquakes and flash floods.

    Score 67, grade C

  90. #90 of 196

    São Tomé and Príncipe

    São Tomé and Príncipe is one of the calmest countries in Africa, with low crime and peaceful elections. The risks are practical; poor unlit roads and unsafe motorbike taxis, malaria in all areas and rising again, and medical care so limited that serious cases are flown to Europe, South Africa, Ghana or Gabon.

    Score 67, grade C

  91. #91 of 196

    Saudi Arabia

    Crime against visitors is rare, but Iranian and Houthi strikes have hurt dozens of civilians in 2026, and attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports killed three in October. The UK now advises against non-essential travel to Riyadh province and the south-west. Roads are safer but still deadly, and the law is strict.

    Score 67, grade C

  92. #92 of 196

    Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka is calmer than at any time since the 2022 economic crisis, and violent crime against visitors is rare. The bigger risks are fast buses and crowded roads, dengue and rabies, monsoon floods (Cyclone Ditwah killed more than 600 people in late 2025) and bag-snatching from motorbikes.

    Score 67, grade C

  93. #93 of 196

    Suriname

    Suriname is one of the calmer countries in South America, rated Level 1 by the US and certified malaria-free by WHO in June 2025. Theft and armed robbery do happen in Paramaribo, road deaths are climbing in 2026, and hospitals are basic, so trips to the interior need a reliable operator.

    Score 67, grade C

  94. #94 of 196

    Indonesia

    Indonesia has little violent crime and most visitors to Bali, Java and Lombok have no trouble. The risks are nature and transport. Quakes, eruptions and floods are frequent (Sumatra's 2025 floods killed over 1,200), the terror threat is real, and Bali's scooter crashes hurt many tourists.

    Score 66, grade C

  95. #95 of 196

    Panama

    Panama City, Bocas del Toro, Boquete and the San Blas islands are visited safely by most travellers, and the US rates Panama Level 2. Gang killings in Panamá and Colón provinces keep homicides near 13 per 100,000, the Darién jungle is off limits, and roads and protests are the other risks.

    Score 66, grade C

  96. #96 of 196

    Tajikistan

    Crime against visitors is low, and most trips to Dushanbe, the Fann Mountains and the Pamir Highway go smoothly. The US rates Tajikistan Level 2 and says reconsider travel to the Afghan border and Gorno-Badakhshan. Mountain roads, landmines, earthquakes and basic medical care are the other risks.

    Score 66, grade C

  97. #97 of 196

    Belarus

    Belarus is orderly and its street crime is low, but the US says do not travel and the UK advises against all travel. The main risk is arrest for political activity, even online or abroad, with no US consular help and little from the UK. Russian forces are based in the country, and foreign bank cards mostly do not work.

    Score 65, grade C

  98. #98 of 196

    Egypt

    Egypt's main tourist routes, from Cairo and Giza to Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts, are heavily guarded and pickpocketing is rare. The risks are road and bus crashes, harassment of women, aggressive touts, uneven dive and boat safety, stomach bugs, and large no-go zones in North Sinai and the Western Desert.

    Score 65, grade C

  99. #99 of 196

    Timor-Leste

    Mostly yes, with care. Timor-Leste is peaceful by regional standards and the WHO certified it malaria-free in 2025, but robbery, gang fights and harassment of women are common in Dili, mountain roads are poor, rabies has spread since 2024 and serious illness means evacuation to Australia or Singapore.

    Score 65, grade C

  100. #100 of 196

    Algeria

    Algiers, Oran, Constantine and the Roman sites of the north are safer than many visitors expect, with a low homicide rate and a heavy police presence. The serious risks are terrorism and kidnapping in the Sahara and border areas, now including Tamanrasset, dangerous roads, earthquakes and summer wildfires.

    Score 64, grade C

  101. #101 of 196

    El Salvador

    El Salvador has gone from one of the most violent countries in the world to one of the calmest in the Americas, with 82 murders recorded in 2025 on a narrow government count, and the US rates it Level 1. Rights groups say the state of exception behind this led to mass arbitrary arrests and deaths in custody.

    Score 64, grade C

  102. #102 of 196

    Palau

    Palau is a calm, low-theft destination with a US Level 1 advisory. Its score is held down by statistics from a population of 18,000, where two or three killings or road deaths a year mean high rates, and by typhoons, unexploded wartime bombs and limited hospital care.

    Score 64, grade C

  103. #103 of 196

    Rwanda

    Rwanda is orderly and has little crime against visitors. The risks come from outside and from the roads; M23 fighting in eastern DR Congo has put the western border off limits, Ebola is circulating in the region, and the US raised its advisory to Level 3 in June 2026.

    Score 64, grade C

  104. #104 of 196

    Tunisia

    Most holidays in Hammamet, Sousse, Djerba and Tunis pass without trouble, and street violence is moderate. The risks are a terrorism threat that has hit tourists before, no-go zones along the Algerian and Libyan borders, roads deadlier than Europe's, and petty theft and harassment in busy places.

    Score 64, grade C

  105. #105 of 196

    Dominica

    Dominica is a calm, rugged island where visitors rarely meet crime, and the US rates it Level 1. Nature is the bigger risk. Hurricane Maria killed 31 people in 2017 and Erika 30 in 2015, roads are steep and slide-prone, and even 10 to 18 homicides a year is a high rate for 66,000 people.

    Score 63, grade C

  106. #106 of 196

    Thailand

    Thailand is safe for most visitors from crime, and the US rates it Level 1. Its roads are the problem, with about 32 deaths per 100,000 people, mostly on motorbikes. Add scams in Bangkok and Phuket, dengue, floods, and no-go zones on the Cambodian and Malaysian borders.

    Score 63, grade C

  107. #107 of 196

    Tuvalu

    Tuvalu is a peaceful atoll nation with a US Level 1 advisory and no reported theft or violence against visitors. The risks are the setting; low atolls exposed to cyclones and rising seas, one hospital with evacuation abroad, dengue, untreated water and rare flights. Crime data is 14 years old.

    Score 63, grade C

  108. #108 of 196

    Botswana

    Botswana is one of Africa's most peaceful countries, 50th on the 2026 Global Peace Index, and its safari areas see little crime. The risks are on the road, where animals and drink-driving cause frequent fatal crashes, and in the towns, where the FCDO says violent crime is rising. Malaria is a risk in the north.

    Score 62, grade C

  109. #109 of 196

    Cambodia

    Most trips to Angkor, Phnom Penh and the coast go smoothly, and the US rates Cambodia Level 2. The serious risks are scam compounds that trap foreigners lured by fake jobs, violent bag snatching, unsafe roads, landmines and the closed Thai border, where fighting in 2025 killed more than 100 people.

    Score 62, grade C

  110. #110 of 196

    Costa Rica

    Costa Rica is politically calm with good medical care, and most visitors to its beaches and cloud forests have no trouble. But homicides have stayed near record highs, at 16.7 per 100,000 in 2025, mostly gang violence in San José, Limón and Puntarenas. Visitors mostly meet car theft and rip currents.

    Score 62, grade C

  111. #111 of 196

    Laos

    Laos is calm, and Luang Prabang, Vientiane and the 4,000 Islands see little serious crime against visitors. The dangers lie elsewhere. Methanol in spirits killed six tourists in 2024, wartime bombs still kill people, roads are deadly at night and care outside Vientiane is basic.

    Score 62, grade C

  112. #112 of 196

    Namibia

    Namibia has no conflict, no terrorism history and some of Africa's easiest self-drive safaris. The real risk is driving; crashes on gravel roads are common, road deaths rose 20% in 2025, and help can be hours away. Windhoek has muggings and car crime, and the homicide rate is high, though rarely aimed at tourists.

    Score 62, grade C

  113. #113 of 196

    Paraguay

    Paraguay is one of the calmer countries in South America for visitors, with about 6.1 homicides per 100,000 in 2025 and a US Level 1 advisory. The risks are concentrated on the Brazilian border (Ciudad del Este, Pedro Juan Caballero) and in the far north, on the roads, and in dengue and chikungunya outbreaks.

    Score 62, grade C

  114. #114 of 196

    Equatorial Guinea

    Mostly, if your papers are in order. The US advisory is Level 2, for crime, poor health care and arbitrary enforcement of the law. Street crime in Malabo and Bata is the everyday risk; the more unusual ones are detention over paperwork or business disputes, roadblocks and the lack of emergency care.

    Score 61, grade C

  115. #115 of 196

    Zambia

    Zambia is one of the calmer countries in southern Africa, with the lowest US advisory level and little crime against visitors in the national parks. The risks are road crashes, which police say killed 2,567 people in 2025, malaria in every province, and cholera that CDC calls widespread.

    Score 61, grade C

  116. #116 of 196

    Gabon

    Mostly, with precautions. Gabon has no conflict zones and the US advisory is Level 2. The risks are robbery, carjacking and assaults in shared taxis in Libreville and Port-Gentil, malaria, poor roads outside the capital and limited health care. Since the 2023 coup, police may scrutinise tourists closely.

    Score 60, grade C

  117. #117 of 196

    India

    India is visited safely by millions each year, and its homicide rate is lower than America's. The risks are elsewhere. Roads are among the world's deadliest, Delhi's winter air is hazardous, stomach illness is common, women face frequent harassment, and Kashmir and the Pakistan border are off limits.

    Score 60, grade C

  118. #118 of 196

    Israel

    Israel's cities, hospitals and roads work well, and crime rarely touches visitors. The risk is conflict, with Iranian missile strikes in 2026, fighting with Hezbollah and repeated terrorist attacks. The US says reconsider travel and bans travel near Gaza, Lebanon and Egypt. The West Bank and Gaza have separate advice.

    Score 60, grade C

  119. #119 of 196

    Malawi

    Malawi is calm and welcoming, with a US Level 2 advisory for crime and unrest and no areas the UK advises against. The real risks are night driving, malaria and cholera, floods in the rainy season, and robberies and break-ins in Lilongwe, Blantyre and around bus stations.

    Score 60, grade C

  120. #120 of 196

    The Bahamas

    Most visitors to Nassau, Paradise Island and the Out Islands have no trouble. Murders fell 31% in 2025 to 83, but that is still about 21 per 100,000, almost all on New Providence. For tourists the bigger risks are often on the water, with unregulated jet skis, sharks and hurricanes from June to November.

    Score 60, grade C

  121. #121 of 196

    Saint Kitts and Nevis

    Visitors rarely meet trouble, and the US rates St Kitts and Nevis Level 1. But for a federation of about 47,000 people the murder count is high: 28 in 2024 and about 30 in 2023. 2025 brought only 7. Hurricanes, fast traffic and evacuation for serious illness are the other risks.

    Score 58, grade C

  122. #122 of 196

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    Most visits are trouble-free and the US rates the country Level 1. But gang shootings pushed homicides to 54 in 2024 and 40 in 2025, about 40-54 per 100,000, and the UK warns some happen in public places. Hurricane Beryl in 2024 and La Soufrière's 2021 eruption show the natural risks.

    Score 58, grade C

  123. #123 of 196

    Senegal

    Senegal is one of West Africa's calmest countries, with a US Level 1 advisory and a peaceful change of power in 2024. The risks are ordinary but real; road deaths reached 868 in 2025, malaria is nationwide, rip currents drown swimmers and robbery is rising in Dakar. Casamance needs extra care.

    Score 58, grade C

  124. #124 of 196

    Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone has been at peace since its civil war ended in 2002 and has no areas the UK advises against. The risks are practical. Health care is among the weakest in West Africa, roads are dangerous especially at night, robberies in Freetown are becoming more common, and the sea has strong currents and no lifeguards.

    Score 58, grade C

  125. #125 of 196

    Solomon Islands

    The Solomon Islands reward careful travellers with reefs and WWII history, but it is a harder trip than Fiji or Samoa. Malaria is the biggest risk, Honiara has robbery and a record of riots (most recently in November 2021), roads are poor, and hospitals run short of basic supplies.

    Score 58, grade C

  126. #126 of 196

    Trinidad and Tobago

    Tobago and the guarded parts of Port of Spain are manageable with care, but Trinidad has one of the highest murder rates in the Caribbean. Police counted 369 killings in 2025, down from a record 624 in 2024, still about 27 per 100,000. The US advisory is Level 3 for crime, health and terrorism.

    Score 58, grade C

  127. #127 of 196

    Cuba

    Cuba's danger in 2026 is not mainly crime. Since February the UK has advised against all but essential travel because of grid collapses, shortages of fuel, water and medicines, protests and flight cuts. Crime is rising but still lower than in most of the Caribbean. If you go, bring cash and medicines.

    Score 57, grade C

  128. #128 of 196

    Ghana

    Ghana is stable, democratic and friendlier to first-time visitors than most of its neighbours, and the homicide rate is low. The risks are practical; road deaths rose 18% in 2025, malaria is everywhere, the Atlantic beaches have deadly rip currents, and armed robbery in Accra has become more common.

    Score 57, grade C

  129. #129 of 196

    Nepal

    Nepal is a low-crime country where the danger comes from the land itself. The Bhote Koshi flood of August 2026 killed more than 1,300 people, roads and mountain flights carry real risk, altitude sickness hits trekkers, and the September 2025 protests showed how fast politics can turn violent.

    Score 57, grade C

  130. #130 of 196

    Peru

    Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa and Lake Titicaca are usually trouble-free, and the US rates Peru Level 2. Homicides rose to about 10.7 per 100,000 in 2025, armed street robbery hits parts of Lima, protests can stop the Machu Picchu trains, and altitude is the commonest health problem.

    Score 57, grade C

  131. #131 of 196

    The Gambia

    The Gambia is one of the easier West African countries to visit, with a US Level 2 advisory and no regions off-limits. The risks are hustlers and theft around the beach resorts, poor roads, malaria and thin medical care. Blackout protests turned violent in September 2026, ahead of the 5 December presidential election.

    Score 57, grade C

  132. #132 of 196

    Comoros

    Comoros is quiet and crime is low, but it is not an easy place to fall ill or get hurt. Protests flare after elections, roads off the main ring road are poor, the boats between the islands are often overloaded, malaria rose sharply in 2024 and hospitals are basic, so serious cases need evacuation.

    Score 56, grade C

  133. #133 of 196

    Djibouti

    Djibouti is the steadiest country in a rough neighbourhood, and crime against visitors is mostly petty. The catches are a standing terrorism threat linked to al-Shabaab, a mined and closed border with Eritrea, roads full of trucks and khat-chewing drivers, malaria in all areas and very basic hospitals.

    Score 56, grade C

  134. #134 of 196

    Saint Lucia

    Most resort and honeymoon visitors have no trouble, and the US rates Saint Lucia Level 2. But InSight Crime counts 70 homicides in 2025 and 77 in 2024, about 39 per 100,000, mostly gang shootings, and resort guests have been robbed and assaulted. Steep roads, scams and hurricanes are the other risks.

    Score 56, grade C

  135. #135 of 196

    Dominican Republic

    Most visitors to Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo have no trouble, and the homicide rate fell to about 8 to 9 per 100,000 in 2025, a record low. The bigger risks are the roads, which WHO ranks among the deadliest in the world, robberies by thieves on motorbikes, and sexual assaults reported at resorts.

    Score 55, grade C

  136. #136 of 196

    Philippines

    Palawan, Boracay, Bohol and Siargao are visited safely by millions. The national picture is rougher, with about 4.4 homicides per 100,000 people, armed street robbery in Manila, around 20 typhoons a year, active volcanoes, and terrorism and kidnapping in western Mindanao and the Sulu islands.

    Score 55, grade C

  137. #137 of 196

    Bolivia

    Most trips to La Paz, Titicaca, Sucre and Uyuni pass without trouble, and the US rates Bolivia Level 2. The bigger problems are road blockades (a state of exception was declared in June 2026), crash-prone buses, altitude above 3,600 m and express kidnappings by fake taxis and fake police.

    Score 54, grade D

  138. #138 of 196

    Eswatini

    Eswatini is an easy add-on to a South Africa or Mozambique trip, and crime against visitors is mostly theft. The catches are a murder rate of about 12 per 100,000, dangerous roads, protests that security forces put down hard, malaria in parts of the country and public hospitals short of medicine.

    Score 54, grade D

  139. #139 of 196

    Republic of the Congo

    With care. Congo-Brazzaville is far calmer than neighbouring DR Congo, and the US advisory is Level 2. But gang crime in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire has risen, rural roads are poor and health care is so limited that most serious cases need evacuation.

    Score 54, grade D

  140. #140 of 196

    Tanzania

    The Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar remain open and most organised trips run normally. But the US says reconsider travel after the deadly crackdown on protests that followed the October 2025 election, and robbery, road and ferry crashes, and malaria are the risks visitors actually meet.

    Score 54, grade D

  141. #141 of 196

    Angola

    With care. The US advisory for Angola is Level 2, but Level 3 for greater Luanda because of crime. Armed robbery in the capital, landmines on rural roads, cholera and malaria, and very limited emergency care are the main risks; the UK advises against all but essential travel to most of Cabinda.

    Score 53, grade D

  142. #142 of 196

    Jamaica

    Most resort visitors have no trouble, and murders fell 42% in 2025 to 673, the fewest in 31 years. But that is still about 24 per 100,000, with gang violence concentrated in parts of Kingston and Montego Bay, and Hurricane Melissa damaged hospitals and roads in the west in October 2025.

    Score 53, grade D

  143. #143 of 196

    Mauritania

    Only with planning. The US says reconsider travel, and the US and UK rule out the east and north-east, where Mali's war spills over. Nouakchott and the western desert towns can be visited, but robbery is rising, roads are poor and health care is very limited.

    Score 53, grade D

  144. #144 of 196

    Mexico

    Mexico's national numbers are grim, with 21.4 homicides per 100,000 people in 2025, but the violence is concentrated in cartel-contested states. Most visitors to Mexico City, Oaxaca, Yucatán and the Caribbean resorts have trouble-free trips if they follow state-level advice and avoid driving at night.

    Score 53, grade D

  145. #145 of 196

    Bangladesh

    Bangladesh is calmer since the February 2026 election, and the US rates it Level 2, but protests can still turn violent, terrorism is a real threat and violent crime has risen since 2024. Roads, buses and ferries are dangerous, healthcare is poor, and floods, cyclones and dengue peak from June to October.

    Score 52, grade D

  146. #146 of 196

    Brazil

    Brazil is less violent than it was, with 19.1 intentional violent deaths per 100,000 people in 2025, the lowest since records began in 2012. For visitors, the main risks are robbery in big cities, beach theft, drink spiking through dating apps, dengue, and favelas that both the US and UK say to avoid.

    Score 52, grade D

  147. #147 of 196

    Nicaragua

    Granada, León, San Juan del Sur and Ometepe see fairly little violent crime against visitors. The real risk is political. UN experts document arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and expulsions of critics, and the US rates Nicaragua Level 3 over wrongful detention. Roads, health care and volcanoes add to it.

    Score 52, grade D

  148. #148 of 196

    Côte d'Ivoire

    Côte d'Ivoire is stable and Abidjan is one of West Africa's easier cities, but it carries real risks. The UK advises against all travel to the northern border strip because of jihadist groups from the Sahel, roads kill far more people than official counts show, and malaria and rip currents are serious hazards.

    Score 51, grade D

  149. #149 of 196

    Guyana

    A rewarding but demanding trip. The US says reconsider travel because of crime, with 130 murders in 2025 (about 15.6 per 100,000), and 137 people died on the roads. Malaria is present outside Georgetown, hospitals are basic, and Venezuela's claim to Essequibo keeps the western border tense.

    Score 51, grade D

  150. #150 of 196

    Lesotho

    Lesotho is peaceful politically and has no malaria, but its murder rate, 22 per 100,000 in 2024, is still among the highest in the world. Most killings involve gangs, not visitors; the practical risks are carjacking and mugging in Maseru, mountain roads and the need to cross into South Africa for good hospital care.

    Score 51, grade D

  151. #151 of 196

    Zimbabwe

    Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools see little crime against tourists, and the US rates Zimbabwe Level 2. But WHO ranks its roads among the deadliest in Africa, mugging is common in cities after dark, hospitals want cash up front, and political activity can get you arrested.

    Score 51, grade D

  152. #152 of 196

    Belize

    Most visitors to Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Ignacio have no serious trouble, and the US rates Belize Level 2. But gang violence centred on Belize City's Southside gives this small country a homicide rate of about 21.8 per 100,000, care is limited, and hurricanes threaten from June to November.

    Score 50, grade D

  153. #153 of 196

    Burundi

    Bujumbura can be visited with care, but Burundi is not easy. The US says reconsider travel, the UK advises against all travel near the Congolese border and Kibira National Park, and visitors face armed robbery, grenade attacks, fuel shortages, malaria and cholera with very limited medical care.

    Score 50, grade D

  154. #154 of 196

    Benin

    Southern Benin, with Cotonou, Ouidah, Ganvié and the Voodoo festival, is generally calm and welcoming. The north is a different country now. JNIM fighters from the Sahel made 2025 the army's deadliest year, the famous Pendjari and W parks are off-limits, and roads and malaria are risks everywhere.

    Score 49, grade D

  155. #155 of 196

    Cameroon

    Partly. The US advisory for Cameroon is Level 2, but it says do not travel to the North-West, South-West and Far North regions or near the borders with Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic. Elsewhere the main risks are armed robbery in the cities, kidnapping on rural roads and very dangerous driving.

    Score 49, grade D

  156. #156 of 196

    Eritrea

    Asmara is one of Africa's calmer capitals, but Eritrea is a hard country to visit safely. Since 9 October 2026 the UK advises against all but essential travel, tension with Ethiopia is high, the borders are mined and militarised, and foreigners have been held without charge or consular access.

    Score 49, grade D

  157. #157 of 196

    Guatemala

    Most visitors to Antigua, Lake Atitlán and Tikal have good trips, but Guatemala is not an easy country. Homicides rose about 10% in 2025 to some 17 per 100,000, gangs extort buses and shops, armed robbers target tourist routes, and Fuego, Central America's most active volcano, forced evacuations again in August 2026.

    Score 49, grade D

  158. #158 of 196

    Kenya

    Most safari and beach trips to Kenya go smoothly, and the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Diani are far from the no-go zones. Visitors still face real risks; one of Africa's worst road records, robbery in Nairobi and Mombasa, a high terror and kidnap threat, deadly protests, and malaria.

    Score 49, grade D

  159. #159 of 196

    Togo

    Lomé, the coast and the hills around Kpalimé are visited without major trouble. The far north, on the Burkina Faso border, has had jihadist attacks since 2021 and a state of emergency since 2022. Elsewhere the risks are street crime in Lomé, poor roads, malaria and protests.

    Score 48, grade D

  160. #160 of 196

    Uganda

    Most safari and gorilla trips in Uganda pass without trouble, but the risks are serious. The US rates the country Level 4, do not travel. Islamist ADF militants have killed tourists in the west, the January 2026 election ended in deadly violence, an Ebola outbreak ended only in August 2026, and road deaths keep rising.

    Score 48, grade D

  161. #161 of 196

    Madagascar

    Organised trips to Madagascar's national parks and beaches continue under the military-led government that took power in October 2025. The bigger risks are armed robbery on main roads and beaches, deadly bush-taxi crashes, cyclones, malaria and seasonal plague, and hospitals that can only handle routine cases.

    Score 47, grade D

  162. #162 of 196

    Liberia

    Liberia is peaceful and its 2023 election ended in a peaceful handover, so the US rates it Level 2. Crime is the main concern; the FCDO calls the crime rate high and foreigners are mugged in Monrovia's Mamba Point and Sinkor. Health care is poor, with no reliable ambulance service, and roads are unlit and unpaved.

    Score 46, grade D

  163. #163 of 196

    North Korea

    Americans cannot legally travel to North Korea on a US passport, and the UK advises against all but essential travel. Visitors who do go must join a guided tour, and the real risk is arrest for minor acts with no consular help. Hospitals are poor, roads are deadly, and independent data on crime barely exists.

    Score 46, grade D

  164. #164 of 196

    South Africa

    South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, 36.6 per 100,000 in the year to March 2026, and crime touches visitors more often than in most countries we score. Safaris, the Winelands and Cape Town's main sights can be visited safely with careful planning around driving, airports and hiking.

    Score 46, grade D

  165. #165 of 196

    Colombia

    Most visitors to Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena and the coffee region have good trips, but Colombia is getting more violent. Homicides reached about 28 per 100,000 in 2025, armed groups control large rural areas, and scopolamine robberies and express kidnappings target tourists in the big cities.

    Score 45, grade D

  166. #166 of 196

    Guinea-Bissau

    Guinea-Bissau is quiet on the street but unsettled at the top. Soldiers took power on 26 November 2025, the elections due on 6 December 2026 are in doubt, and the US says reconsider travel. Crime is mostly petty, but landmines remain outside Bissau, roads are deadly and serious illness means evacuation.

    Score 45, grade D

  167. #167 of 196

    Honduras

    Honduras is less violent than a decade ago, but its 2025 homicide rate of about 26 per 100,000 is still among the highest in the Americas. Most visitors stick to the Bay Islands and Copán and have no trouble. The US says reconsider travel, and a state of exception covers most municipalities.

    Score 45, grade D

  168. #168 of 196

    Lebanon

    Lebanon is back in a war in 2026. Since 2 March, Israeli strikes have killed more than 4,000 people, according to the Health Ministry, and attacks continued after the April ceasefire. The US says do not travel; the UK advises against all travel to the south, parts of the Bekaa and Beirut's southern suburbs.

    Score 45, grade D

  169. #169 of 196

    Mozambique

    Maputo, Tofo, Vilanculos and the Bazaruto islands are visited safely by most travellers, but the US says do not travel to Cabo Delgado, where an Islamist insurgency has killed more than 6,600 people since 2017. Elsewhere, armed street crime, kidnapping for ransom, dangerous roads, malaria and cyclones need planning.

    Score 45, grade D

  170. #170 of 196

    Pakistan

    Lahore, Islamabad and the northern valleys draw more visitors each year, but Pakistan topped the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, has fought Afghanistan since February 2026, and the US says do not travel to two provinces. Roads, floods and disease add to the risk. Where you go matters more here than almost anywhere.

    Score 45, grade D

  171. #171 of 196

    Ethiopia

    Addis Ababa is stable and short visits there usually go smoothly, but much of Ethiopia is unsafe. War with Tigrayan forces resumed in September 2026, Fano and Oromo insurgencies continue, kidnapping is widespread in several regions, and Lalibela, Gondar and the Simien Mountains are in no-go areas.

    Score 44, grade D

  172. #172 of 196

    Guinea

    Guinea (Guinea-Conakry) is open to careful travellers; neither the US nor the UK advises against any region. The catches are armed robbery after dark, roads that kill about 37 people per 100,000 a year, malaria everywhere and poor health care, under a 2021 coup leader elected in 2025.

    Score 43, grade D

  173. #173 of 196

    Iran

    Iran is at war with the US and Israel since 28 February 2026, and attacks resumed in late August after a June memorandum. The US and UK both advise against all travel and warn that foreigners and dual nationals risk arbitrary detention. Earthquakes and roads add everyday risk.

    Score 43, grade D

  174. #174 of 196

    Russia

    Street crime is moderate and Moscow and St Petersburg look normal, but the US and UK both advise against all travel to Russia. The main risks are arbitrary detention of foreigners, drone attacks that close airports at short notice, and terrorism. Western bank cards do not work and consular help is very limited.

    Score 43, grade D

  175. #175 of 196

    Iraq

    The US says do not travel to any part of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region. The UK advises against all travel to the north and west and against all but essential travel elsewhere. Drone and missile attacks linked to the Iran war hit Kurdistan hard in 2026, and roads, heat and guns add to the risk.

    Score 42, grade D

  176. #176 of 196

    Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea is manageable on an organised trip and risky without one. Armed robbery, carjacking and sexual assault are common in Port Moresby, Lae and Mount Hagen, tribal fighting closes parts of the Highlands, and hospitals are very basic. Remote lodges, dive resorts and guided treks are far safer than the towns.

    Score 41, grade D

  177. #177 of 196

    Venezuela

    Venezuela is in an uncertain transition after US forces seized Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, and twin earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people in June. The UK advises against all but essential travel. Crime, power cuts and hospitals short of medicines are the everyday risks.

    Score 41, grade D

  178. #178 of 196

    Palestine

    Gaza is closed to visitors, with daily strikes reported since the October 2025 ceasefire and a health system in ruins. The West Bank is a different trip. Bethlehem, Ramallah and Jericho take tourists, but violence has risen, the north is a no-go area for the UK, and every journey passes Israeli checkpoints.

    Score 40, grade D

  179. #179 of 196

    Ukraine

    Ukraine is at war. The US says do not travel for any reason, and the UK advises against all travel except to a few western regions. UN monitors counted 2,222 civilians killed from January to August 2026, more than in all of 2025. Crime and roads would score as average in peacetime; the war is what matters.

    Score 38, grade F

  180. #180 of 196

    Afghanistan

    The US and UK both say do not travel, even on an organised tour. Foreigners risk detention by the Taliban and kidnapping by criminals and militants, fighting with Pakistan has killed hundreds of Afghan civilians since October 2025, and health care and disaster response are very limited.

    Score 37, grade F

  181. #181 of 196

    Libya

    Libya is calmer than during its civil wars, and the UK has eased its advice for Tripoli (June 2026) and the Benghazi area (July 2026) to all but essential travel. The US still says do not travel for any reason, citing militia clashes, kidnapping and armed crime, and roads are among the deadliest anywhere.

    Score 37, grade F

  182. #182 of 196

    Myanmar

    No. Myanmar has been at civil war since the military coup of February 2021. The US says do not travel for any reason, the UK advises against all travel to most of the country, and landmines, arbitrary arrest, scam compounds and the damage from the 2025 earthquake add to the risk.

    Score 37, grade F

  183. #183 of 196

    Ecuador

    Ecuador had a record 50.9 homicides per 100,000 in 2025, driven by drug gangs on the coast, and the UK advises against seven coastal provinces including Guayaquil. The Galápagos, Quito, Cuenca and the Andes carry far less risk, though theft and express kidnapping occur nationwide.

    Score 36, grade F

  184. #184 of 196

    Nigeria

    Business travellers and diaspora visitors go to Lagos and Abuja every day, but Nigeria is one of the riskiest countries we cover. Kidnappings rose to at least 7,825 victims in a year, the US says do not travel to 23 of 36 states, roads are deadly and Nigeria has the world's highest malaria burden.

    Score 35, grade F

  185. #185 of 196

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    No. The US says do not travel to the DRC, the UK advises against all travel to seven eastern provinces, and a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared a global health emergency in May 2026 is still growing. Kinshasa is calmer than the east, but street robbery, fake police and very limited health care make it hard going too.

    Score 31, grade F

  186. #186 of 196

    Syria

    Syria has opened up since Bashar al-Assad fell in December 2024, but the US and UK still advise against all travel. Bombs killed at least 10 people in Damascus in July 2026, sectarian violence killed thousands on the coast and in Suwayda in 2025, and hospitals lack basic medicines.

    Score 31, grade F

  187. #187 of 196

    Chad

    No. The US says do not travel to Chad for any reason, and the UK advises against all travel to the north, the Lake Chad region and every border area, and against all but essential travel elsewhere, N'Djamena included. Kidnapping, carjacking, landmines and cholera add to the risk.

    Score 29, grade F

  188. #188 of 196

    Mali

    No. Mali has been under military rule since the coups of August 2020 and May 2021, and the jihadist insurgency has moved south towards Bamako. The US and UK both say do not travel anywhere in the country, foreigners are kidnapped for ransom, and the UK tells anyone still there to leave by air, not by road.

    Score 29, grade F

  189. #189 of 196

    Niger

    No. Niger has been under military rule since the coup of 26 July 2023, and jihadist groups attack in the west, south-east and north. The US and UK both say do not travel, foreigners have been kidnapped in Niamey itself, and the authorities require a military escort for any foreigner leaving the capital.

    Score 29, grade F

  190. #190 of 196

    Yemen

    Yemen is one of the most dangerous places to travel in 2026. Fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces escalated sharply in September, kidnap risk is very high, health care has largely collapsed and roads kill about 29 people per 100,000 a year.

    Score 29, grade F

  191. #191 of 196

    Burkina Faso

    No. Burkina Faso has been ruled by the military since two coups in 2022, and al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates attack towns, roads and army posts across much of the country. The US and UK both say do not travel, kidnapping of foreigners is a real threat even in Ouagadougou, and help in an emergency is very limited.

    Score 28, grade F

  192. #192 of 196

    Central African Republic

    No. The US says do not travel, and the UK advises against all travel outside Bangui and all but essential travel to the capital. A peace process has calmed parts of the country, but armed groups still kidnap and kill in the north-west and south-east, roads are among the deadliest anywhere and health care is very basic.

    Score 26, grade F

  193. #193 of 196

    Somalia

    Somalia is among the most dangerous countries to visit. Al-Shabaab attacks hotels, beaches and the Mogadishu airport zone, kidnapping for ransom is common, and medical care barely exists outside Hargeisa. The UK's advice is slightly softer only for three western regions of Somaliland.

    Score 26, grade F

  194. #194 of 196

    South Sudan

    South Sudan is close to a return to civil war in 2026, with mass killings in Jonglei and Ruweng. Armed robbery and carjacking are common even in Juba, WHO estimates 23 road deaths per 100,000 people a year, and there is no public ambulance number.

    Score 25, grade F

  195. #195 of 196

    Sudan

    No. Sudan has been at war since 15 April 2023, when the army and the Rapid Support Forces turned on each other. The US and UK both say do not travel, there is no Western embassy open in Khartoum, and kidnapping, landmines, disease and drone strikes on the airports make even short trips extremely risky.

    Score 22, grade F

  196. #196 of 196

    Haiti

    Haiti is not safe to visit in 2026. Armed gangs control most of the capital, UN figures show more than 3,000 people killed in the first half of the year, and kidnappings target vehicles and buses. The US and UK advise against all travel, US airlines may not fly to Port-au-Prince, and health care is extremely limited.

    Score 15, grade F