In this article, we take a look at the top 20 countries with the lowest crime rates. You can skip our detailed analysis of crime, business, and cybersecurity, and go directly to Top 5 Countries with Lowest Crime Rates.
A country’s crime rates are indicative of the level of its law and order and government effectiveness. Countries with lowest crime rates in the world, therefore, have strong rule of law and safer economic environments which encourage business growth and profitability.
Crime Rates and Business Safety
Six of the countries, with some of the lowest crime rates in the world, are also given the highest ease of doing business scores by the World Bank. This means that business friendliness in these countries, which include New Zealand, Singapore, and Denmark, among others, has a positive correlation with their low crime rates. The robust governmental infrastructure in these countries suppresses crime and supports the business community in establishing and operating their firms. Because of the peace and stability, which prevails as a result of low crime rates, these countries also offer a safe haven to investors from all across the globe.
On the contrary, countries with higher crime rates tend to instill a fear of failure and investment losses among the business community, which drives them to relocate their businesses to more stable countries with lower crime rates. For instance, Venezuela, which has the highest crime rate in the world, saw a decrease of $761 million in foreign direct investments in 2021.
Singapore, which has the lowest crime rates in the world, has attracted investments from more than 4,500 top-ranking US firms, as a direct result of these companies operating in the country. These include Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), among others, bringing the direct US investment in Singapore to$270 billion, as of 2021, Per Asean Briefing.
Cybersecurity
Many countries are implementing major policy initiatives to curb their crime rates, especially those of cybercrime, due to its increasing intensity. Some of the most common crimes which affect businesses and consumers are debit/credit card fraud, forgery of official documents, and insurance frauds.
In 2022, governments and businesses across the world invested a collective amount of $2.1 billion in Financial Crime Tech (FinCrime Tech) companies. These companies develop and offer AI-integrated softwares to businesses and state departments which detect fraud and money-laundering activities. Between 2018 and 2022, Anti-Money Laundering and FinCrime Tech companies grew at a compound rate of 20.2%.
Our Methodology
For our list of the top 20 countries with lowest crime rates, we have used data from two reports - 2021 Global Organized Crime Index and Gallup’s Global Law and Order Report, 2022.
The Global Organized Crime Index evaluates the prevalence of crime in countries across the world, and measures it from 1-10, with the score of 1 indicating virtually no criminality and the score of 10 indicating high criminality. The criminality is calculated by using indicators which include trafficking of humans and arms, resource-related crime, drug trade, and existence of mafia-style groups, among others.
Gallup’s Law and Order Report, on the other hand, gives each country a law-and-order-index score based on incidents of assault and mugging, theft of money and property, overall safety of citizens, and people’s confidence in local police force. Since it is a law-and-order-index score on a scale of 1-100, we have formulated a crime index score by subtracting each country’s value from 100.
In order to compare these values with those of the Global Organized Crime Index, we placed these values on a scale of 1-10. Then we used averaged-out scores from the Organized Crime Index and our newly-formulated Crime Index to rank the top 20 countries with lowest crime rates in descending order of their scores. Countries with the lowest crime score have the lowest crime rates.
Another pertinent index discussed in this article is countries' resilience against organized crime. The resilience score is measured on a scale of 1-10, with the score of 1 corresponding to highest resilience and a score of 10 corresponding to the lowest. It is based on multiple factors including law enforcement, crime prevention, strength of the judicial system, and government transparency.
Here are the top 20 countries with lowest crime rates:
20. Tajikistan
Crime Index Score: 3.06
Tajikistan’s murder and homicide rate was recorded to be 0.91 in 2020, which is a 44.3% decline from the previous decade. While it is a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world, the US State Department labels its environment ‘unpredictable’ in terms of safety, especially in the areas bordering Afghanistan. Economically, Tajikistan is a resilient country and the World Bank expects its economy to grow by 4.2% by the end of 2023, which is likely to have an impact on poverty reduction.
19. Uzbekistan
Crime Index Score: 3.04
Uzbekistan is a lower middle income country in Central Asia, which has a resilience score of 3.79 against organized crime. Even though the country faced repercussions of Russia-Ukraine war, its resilience allowed its GDP to grow up to $80.3 billion in 2022. In order to tap the supplier potential of the country, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and provided online trading access to sellers in Uzbekistan.
18. Egypt
Crime Index Score: 2.99
Egypt is often considered safer than the US and the UK. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Gallup Law and Order, Egypt was ranked ahead of both the US and the UK in safety. Because of its large GDP size, low crime rate and high investor confidence, Egypt continues to attract huge investments from businesses all across the world. In the last month of 2022, 29 top-ranking global companies signed agreements with the government, allowing them to establish their headquarters in Egypt. These companies, which include Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), will contribute approximately $1 billion to the country’s revenue.
17. Malta
Crime Index Score: 2.98
Malta earned a score of 0.92 out of 1 on World Justice Project’s Order and Security Scale and ranked 7th out of 140 countries in the world. To encourage the growth of businesses and investments, Maltese government has announced tax exemptions and low costs for business incorporation and maintenance.
16. Japan
Crime Index Score: 2.97
World Justice Project gave Japan a score of 9.2 out of 10 for order and security. Japan has the third-biggest economy in the world and is one of the safest countries in the world to live in. It is also a highly attractive country in terms of investment, despite a slowed-down economy. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has announced its plans to invest $690 million in the country by 2024. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has also invested heavily in Japan, amounting to more than $100 billion as of December 2022.
15. Hungary
Crime Index Score: 2.95
With its low criminality scores and high ranking on the Human Development Index, it is no surprise that Hungary is attracting huge amounts of investment from all over the world. In November 2022, BMW group announced its setting up of a high-voltage battery assembly plant in Hungary, thus making an investment of approximately $2.2 billion. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, a Chinese battery manufacturing company, also announced an investment of $8 billion in Hungary in August 2022.
14. Netherlands
Crime Index Score: 2.95
Netherlands has a criminality score of 4.69 and ranks 18th out of 193 countries for resilience against crime. Consequently, it ranks 11th on US News list of countries open to business. This ranking is based on its favorable tax environment, simple regulations, absence of corruption, safety and transparent government practices.
13. Jordan
Crime Index Score: 2.91
The occurrence of violent crimes is rare in the urban centers of Jordan. Violent incidents, on rare ocassions, are either a result of inter-clan clashes or a repercussion for terrorism in its neighboring countries, Iraq and Syria. Economically, Jordan is a thriving country with a Gross National Income of $112 billion.
12. Sweden
Crime Index Score: 2.89
Sweden has a high score of 8.6/10 for safety on OECD Better Life Index. While it is a generally peaceful country, incidents of gang crime tend to increase in Sweden ahead of its general elections. It is regarded as one of the most highly developed societies in the world, with strong economic indicators. The current industrialization initiatives taken by the government of Sweden are environment-friendly and make use of fossil-free sources of energy.
11. Austria
Crime Index Score: 2.82
Austria is one of the safest countries in the world in terms of crime. The country has a well-functioning legal system and a strong police force, which contribute to maintaining a low crime rate. It is also experiencing a business boom, especially due to an increase in exports by small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2021, these enterprises earned approximately $550 million in sales revenue with the help of online trading platforms such as Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).
10. Portugal
Crime Index Score: 2.73
Portugal ranks 6th out of 163 countries in the Global Peace Index of 2022,witha score of 1/5 for violent crime and 1.45/5 for homicide. Its quality-of-life score is 53.6, which is calculated using indicators such as public safety, political and economic stability, and a good job market. Portugal’s score for resilience to organized crime is 6.46/10.
9. Slovenia
Crime Index Score: 2.65
Slovenia is a Central European country with a criminality score of 4.29. According to a UNODC report, its homicide rate was 0.5 per 100,000 people in 2020, which is a promising figure in comparison with the world's average homicide rate of 5.8. Some of the most prevalent organized crimes in Slovenia are vehicle theft, human and drug trafficking, and money laundering.
8. Switzerland
Crime Index Score: 2.57
Switzerland was given a high score of 9.3 out of 10 by OECD Better Life Index for public safety. With a GDP of $813 billion, it also ranks first on the list of countries open for business. In November 2022, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced its expansion into Switzerland with the launch of a new infrastructure region called AWS Europe (Zurich).
7. New Zealand
Crime Index Score: 2.53
New Zealand is a high-income country with a GNI per capita of $45,440 in 2021. Because of its high law and order and security ranking, the country provides good opportunities for tourism, business, and investment. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has recently announced its plan to invest $180 million in New Zealand for building a data center.
6. Canada
Crime Index Score: 2.49
Canada is a generally safe and peaceful country. While there has been a decrease in property crime and non-violent crime in recent years, incidents of violent crime were reported to have increased in 2021, with 890 cases reported per 100,000 people. Economically, Canada ranks among the top 10 countries in the world by nominal GDP with an annual growth rate of 4.6%.
Click to continue reading and see the Top 5 Countries with the Lowest Crime Rates.
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Disclosure: none. Top 20 Countries with Lowest Crime Rates is originally published on Insider Monkey.
FAQs
Top 20 Countries with Lowest Crime Rates? ›
According to the “Societal Safety and Security” indicator of the Global Peace Index (GPI), Iceland is the country with the lowest crime rate in the world. It's followed by Norway and Japan, which have the next highest scores in the category.
What country has the lowest crime rate? ›According to the “Societal Safety and Security” indicator of the Global Peace Index (GPI), Iceland is the country with the lowest crime rate in the world. It's followed by Norway and Japan, which have the next highest scores in the category.
Where does US rank in safest countries? ›...
The top ten most peaceful countries, according to the 2022 GPI:
- Iceland.
- New Zealand.
- Ireland.
- Denmark.
- Austria.
- Portugal.
- Slovenia.
- Czech Republic.
Canada's ranking is 14 spots before the United Kingdom, and 34 spots ahead of the United States. The U.S. News 2021 Best Countries Report gave Canada a score of 96.7 out of 100 for safety. This ranking puts Canada significantly above the United States (10.8) and the United Kingdom (55.4).
How safe is the USA? ›Although we were surprised to see a negligible rise in overall concern in 2020, the US rate of high daily concern about safety jumped three points in 2021—from 47% to 50%. Following suit, the percentage of Americans who feel safe in their state fell five points year over year, from 55% in 2020 to 50% in 2021.
Where is the safest place on earth to live? ›What is the safest place to live in the world? Iceland is the safest place to live in the world. It ranks number one on the latest Global Peace Index, with a score of 1.107. Even better, it's held that same position for the last decade.
Which city is more safest in USA? ›Frisco, Texas, part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex has been ranked the number 1 safest city to live in the U.S. It boasts the fourth-lowest violent crime rate and the sixth-lowest property crime rate.
What is the safest country in so America? ›1. Uruguay. Sitting at the top of the pile of safest South American countries is Uruguay. According to the 2022 Global Peace Index, Uruguay ranks 46th out of the world's 163 nations.
Which is the safest USA? ›1. Vermont. Vermont was the safest state in the US in 2022, with a total score of 69.49. Vermont ranks second for Personal & Residential Safety and third for Road Safety.
What is the US number one crime? ›
Property crime is the most prevalent crime in the United States, while violent crimes and assault follow slightly behind.
Which state has the most murders? ›# | State | Homicide Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | District of Columbia | 49.2 per 100k |
2 | Louisiana | 22.9 per 100k |
3 | Missouri | 18 per 100k |
4 | South Carolina | 17.4 per 100k |
- Afghanistan - 3.631 (higher scores indicate less peace)
- Yemen - 3.407.
- Syria - 3.371.
- South Sudan - 3.363.
- Iraq - 3.257.
- Somalia - 3.211.
- Congo (Dem. Rep of) - 3.196.
- Libya - 3.166.
American and Canadian governments provide many of the same types of services who have reached the age of retirement. However, Canadian retirees have fewer worries than their American counterparts, thanks to a more generous retirement system.
Is it better to move to Canada or the US? ›The USA has larger income packages, but Canada has superior healthcare, more maternity leaves, and other social benefits. In addition, although Canada's average workweek is a little longer than the US's, getting a Worker Visa Canada is much easier.
Which is the best country to live in? ›- Sweden. #1 in Quality of Life. #5 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Denmark. #2 in Quality of Life. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Canada. #3 in Quality of Life. ...
- Switzerland. #4 in Quality of Life. ...
- Norway. #5 in Quality of Life. ...
- Finland. #6 in Quality of Life. ...
- Germany. #7 in Quality of Life. ...
- Netherlands. #8 in Quality of Life.
“It is relatively safe for travelers to head to tourist destinations and major urban centers such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey,” Lopez-Aranda told CNN Travel. The state of Quintana Roo, where Cancún is located, carries an "exercise increased caution" travel advisory.
Is it safe to live in Mexico? ›Violent crime is prevalent throughout Mexico, though it is typically infighting between Mexicans. The best way to stay safe in the face of violent crime is to research your destination ahead of time. Stick to tourist areas as much as possible. Stay tuned to the local media and avoid any dangerous areas.
What is the cheapest and safest state to live in? ›- Mississippi. Coming in as the cheapest state to live in in the United States is Mississippi with a cost of living index score of 83.3. ...
- Kansas. ...
- Alabama. ...
- Oklahoma. ...
- Georgia. ...
- Tennessee. ...
- Missouri. ...
- Iowa.
Kolkata stands at the top for the second time in a row as the safest city in India.
What is the 1 safest city in the world? ›
What is the number 1 safest city in the world? Copenhagen is considered to be the safest place according to the index.
What is the safest small town in America? ›City | Crime Cost per Capita | |
---|---|---|
1. | Yorktown Town, NY | $43 |
2. | Mason, OH | $47 |
3. | Andover, MA | $51 |
4. | Southlake, TX | $64 |
15 Safest Large Cities in the US (with a population over 300,000) The Chicago suburb of Naperville, Illinois was named the safest city in America.
What is the top 10 safest towns in America? ›- Laredo, Texas.
- Portland, Maine.
- Warwick, Rhode Island.
- Yonkers, New York.
- Gilbert, Arizona.
- Burlington, Vermont.
- Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Lewiston, Maine.
According to the GPI 2021 report, Iceland was ranked the safest country in the world for the 13th consecutive year, followed by New Zealand, Ireland, Austria, and Denmark.
Where is it safest for Americans to travel? ›- Iceland.
- Switzerland.
- Denmark.
- New Zealand.
- Canada.
- Spain.
- Portugal.
- Ireland.
1. Costa Rica. Costa Rica is generally regarded as the safest Central America countires. To top it off, Costa Rica is an absolutely stunning country with friendly people, unforgettable cloud forests, and beautiful beaches.
Which state in US has lowest crime rate? ›Maine ranked first for being the most prepared for an emergency and second for road safety. This New England state has a population of 1,362,359 and ranks 35th in the country for income. It has a median household income of $56,277. Maine has the lowest crime rate in America, with around 1.3 crimes per 1000 people.
Is it safe to live in Florida? ›Florida ranks high on the list of the safest states in the US. According to Real Estate US News, many cities in the state are listed in the top 25 safest places to live in 2021-2022. So if you're looking for a safe place to live, Florida is a great option!
Is the US safer than Europe? ›No, American cities are generally much more dangerous than European ones. The United States has four cities in the list of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world by murder rate (St. Louis, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Detroit), whereas Europe has none.
What is the most violent crime in US? ›
...
Most Violent Cities in America 2023.
Rank | 1 |
---|---|
City | St. Louis |
State | Missouri |
Violent Crime Rate | 2,082 |
2023 Population | 279,390 |
The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Las Vegas is 1 in 33. Based on FBI crime data, Las Vegas is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Nevada, Las Vegas has a crime rate that is higher than 90% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.
Is Detroit a safe place to live? ›Detroit consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous cities in America. Detroit likely won't bother you if you're from a large city, but people from rural areas may find a trip to Detroit more stressful than it's worth.
What place has the most serial killers? ›Although serial killings are rare, the United States' fascination with them makes more sense when you keep in mind that the U.S. has the most serial killings of any country in the world.
What state has the most unsolved murders? ›To answer those questions, there are currently more than 200,000 unsolved homicides in the United States, and that number rises by around 6,000 every year. As for which US state has the most unsolved murders, as expected due to it's massive population, California has the most unsolved murders.
Which country is the most abusive? ›A UN report compiled from a number of different studies conducted in at least 71 countries found domestic violence against women to be most prevalent in Ethiopia.
What is the most feared country? ›Currently, some of the most dangerous countries in the world according to the GPI include Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, all of which are facing ongoing conflicts and high levels of violence.
What is the most hostile country? ›- Sudan. For a variety of causes, Sudan is among the most dangerous nations in the world. ...
- Central African Republic. ...
- Somalia. ...
- Iraq. ...
- Democratic Republic of the Congo. ...
- South Sudan. ...
- Russia. ...
- Syria.
- The Netherlands, Denmark, and Israel have the best pension systems.
- The U.S. ranks far from the top.
U.S. residents can own property in Canada without becoming a resident of Canada, but must report income or proceeds from a sale to both country's taxing authorities. Canadian banks offer mortgages and home equity loans with similar financing terms to those extended in the U.S.
Can a US citizen live in Canada and collect Social Security? ›
If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them.
How long can a US citizen live in Canada? ›Yes, if you are an American citizen, you may live in Canada. If your stay exceeds 180 days, you will most likely need a visa. You will also need a visa or work permit if you intend to work in Canada.
Is it hard for a US citizen to move to Canada? ›There are a few ways you can move to Canada if you're a US citizen, and you don't have to become a Canadian citizen to live there. You can get a regular visitor visa and stay up to six months, request to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor, or become a permanent resident.
Is it cheaper to live in Canada rather than the US? ›Overall, both Canada and the US are fairly expensive to live in. Canada has much higher housing costs but healthcare costs are much more expensive in the US. While US salaries are slightly higher, Canadians have a much easier time making a higher salary with less education.
What country has the best value of life? ›1. Sweden. Sweden is the top country in 2022 best quality of life rankings. The country stands out in the ranking of quality of life for health systems and well-developed public education, security, economic stability, and politics.
How many US citizens leave the US each year? ›In 2018, the Federal Voting Assistance Program estimated a total number of 4.8 million American civilians lived abroad, 3.9 million civilians, plus 1.2 million service members and other government-affiliated Americans.
Which citizenship is best? ›- United States – Best country to settle.
- United Kingdom – Best country to work.
- Canada – Best country to become a citizen.
- Singapore – Best country to do business.
- Australia – Best country to invest.
- Switzerland – Best country for highest quality of life.
Other factors come into play, as well. Compared to the rest of the world, Japan has extremely low rates of poverty, unemployment and drug use. All of these societal factors combine to make Japan one of the safest countries in the world.
Where is the lowest crime rate in the US? ›When it comes to homicides, the 10 safest states in America are New Hampshire, Vermont, Wyoming, Maine, Rhode Island, North Dakota, South Dakota, Hawaii, Idaho, and Alaska. New Hampshire has the lowest number of homicides out of all 50 states, with just 20 reported homicide incidents.
What is the safest country in North America? ›When evaluated by 2022 GPI, the top three safest countries in North America are Canada, Costa Rica, and Panama.
What is the crime rate in USA? ›
...
U.S. Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023.
U.S. Crime Rate & Statistics - Historical Data | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Per 100K Population | Annual % Change |
2020 | 6.52 | 28.64% |
2019 | 5.07 | 1.19% |
2018 | 5.01 | -5.90% |
The number of homicides in the U.S. is approximately 25 times higher than the number of homicides in Japan and the number of robberies in the U.S. is 178 times higher than the number of robberies in Japan.
Is crime high in China? ›In 2021, more than 85% of China's convicted criminals received less than three-year jail terms, compared with 76.7% in 2011. From 2009 to 2020, the country's homicide convictions fell by half from 14,667 to 7,157 while the number of robbery cases plummeted from 283,243 to 11,303.
Is NYC or London safer? ›But despite the recent spike, the BBC notes that London remains safe compared to American cities. In 2017, London's murder rate per 100,000 people was 1.2. New York City's rate was nearly three times higher, at 3.4.
What is world safest country? ›According to the GPI 2021 report, Iceland was ranked the safest country in the world for the 13th consecutive year, followed by New Zealand, Ireland, Austria, and Denmark.
Is knife crime higher in the UK or USA? ›Knife murders are also higher stateside: there were 4.96 homicides “due to knives or cutting instruments” in the US for every million of population in 2016. In Britain there were 3.26 homicides involving a sharp instrument per million people in the year from April 2016 to March 2017.
What US state has the most murders? ›# | State | Homicide Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | District of Columbia | 49.2 per 100k |
2 | Louisiana | 22.9 per 100k |
3 | Missouri | 18 per 100k |
4 | South Carolina | 17.4 per 100k |
Frisco, Texas, part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex has been ranked the number 1 safest city to live in the U.S. It boasts the fourth-lowest violent crime rate and the sixth-lowest property crime rate.
What's the best country to live in? ›- Sweden. #1 in Quality of Life. #5 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Denmark. #2 in Quality of Life. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
- Canada. #3 in Quality of Life. ...
- Switzerland. #4 in Quality of Life. ...
- Norway. #5 in Quality of Life. ...
- Finland. #6 in Quality of Life. ...
- Germany. #7 in Quality of Life. ...
- Netherlands. #8 in Quality of Life.
- Mauritius. According to the GPI, Mauritius is the safest country in Africa. ...
- Ghana. Ghana is the second safest country in Africa, according to the GPI. ...
- The Gambia. ...
- Botswana. ...
- Sierra Leone. ...
- Sudan. ...
- Central African Republic. ...
- Somalia.