The Safest Countries in the World
Safety is one of the top priorities for nations worldwide, be it in better protecting its citizens on the streets, guarding them against wrongdoing or even safeguarding them against online crime.
Safety has taken on special meaning in the age of the global coronavirus pandemic. Only a handful of countries have no reported COVID-19 cases, according to the World Health Organization.
European countries dominate this category in the 2021 Best Countries report. Scandinavian countries, as well as Switzerland, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands perform better in this category, as people around the world associate them with a high level of safety.
Being seen as safe is one of nine equally weighted attributes used to develop the Quality of Life sub-ranking in the 2021 Best Countries report. The survey is based on a study that surveyed more than 17,000 global citizens from four regions to assess perceptions of 78 countries on 76 different metrics. The survey did not define safety, leaving it open to interpretation among respondents.
The following are the top 10 countries viewed as the safest. The United States fails to make the list, coming in at No. 38, a drop of six positions from 2020.
No. 10: Austria
Safest ranking: 10
Best Countries overall ranking: 21
Learn more about Austria.
No. 9: Netherlands
Safest ranking: 9
Best Countries overall ranking: 10
Learn more about the Netherlands.
No. 8: Australia
Safest ranking: 8
Best Countries overall ranking: 5
Learn more about Australia.
No. 7: Sweden
Safest ranking: 7
Best Countries overall ranking: 9
Learn more about Sweden.
No. 6: Finland
Safest ranking: 6
Best Countries overall ranking: 18
Learn more about Finland.
No. 5: New Zealand
Safest ranking: 5
Best Countries overall ranking: 7
Learn more about New Zealand.
No. 4: Canada
Safest Ranking: 4
Best Countries overall ranking: 1
Learn more about Canada.
No. 3: Norway
Safest Ranking: 3
Best Countries overall ranking: 13
Learn more about Norway.
No. 2: Denmark
Safest Ranking: 2
Best Countries overall ranking: 12
Learn more about Denmark.
No. 1: Switzerland
Safest Ranking: 1
Best Countries overall ranking: 4
Learn more about Switzerland.
Safest Countries in the World, Ranked by Perception
1. Switzerland
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Canada
5. New Zealand
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Australia
9. Netherlands
10. Austria
Want to Know More?
The 2021 Best Countries rankings, formed in partnership with BAV Group, a unit of global marketing communications company VMLY&R, and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, are based on a study that surveyed more than 17,000 global citizens from four regions to assess perceptions of 78 countries on 76 different metrics.
More from U.S. News
The 25 Best Countries in the World
Countries Without Reported COVID-19 Cases
Global Economy Set for a Post-Pandemic Boom
10 Safest Countries in the World originally appeared on usnews.com