What makes a place safe to travel? Many travelers are more concerned about rising prices for flights, hotels and activities than safety, but others still worry about crime and natural threats. Since 2018, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has put together an annual list of the world’s safest countries for U.S. travelers, and this year’s was just released.
To create the list, Berkshire Hathaway surveys American travelers, asking where they’ve been over the past five years. Only travelers who have actually visited a country get to rate it on safety. The survey data is then enhanced with various safety indicators, including the Global Peace Index, Numbeo statistics and GeoSure Global safety scores for major cities in each country. This leads to a weighted safety score, reflecting each country's overall safety.
This year Iceland takes the top spot as the safest country in the world for travelers, jumping up from number nine last year. With just one main road that’s rarely congested, accidents on the road are not a concern. While there are active volcanoes, Icelanders are famously calm about them—and you can be too.
Australia comes in second, a leap from last year’s number ten. It’s remote, with a low crime rate, though you may want to keep an eye out for some serious wildlife: think jellyfish, crocodiles, snakes and sharks.
Canada, last year’s safest country, falls to third place. With a low population density and tons of wilderness, crime is rare. Wildlife encounters—bears, moose, elk, and more—can be an issue, but only if you’re not paying attention.
For more info about the safest countries in the world, check out the Berkshire Hathaway study here.
15 safest places in the world to travel
- Iceland
- Australia
- Canada
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- New Zealand
- Germany
- Norway
- Japan
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- Netherlands
- Sweden