The 15 Safest Countries To Travel, Ranked In A New Report

Iceland has been named the safest country to travel in 2025 in a new report from Berkshire Hathaway. Pictured here: Godafoss waterfall.

getty

From war to terrorism to civil unrest, the world is facing turmoil on many fronts. In May 2024, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution alert, warning travelers about the increased risks of terrorism, protests and violence. Yet despite these challenges, global travel is booming: According to a recent report from the UN World Tourism Organization, international travel in 2024 is already up 11% over 2023 and might be on track to surpass pre-pandemic levels.

But navigating the complexities of this changing world requires caution, and for travelers, it’s more important than ever to stay informed about which countries are truly safe. So what are the safest countries to visit? You can find the answers in the seventh annual report from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) on the Safest Countries in the World for 2025.

For this annual ranking, BHTP evaluated the 42 most popular countries, using a number of third-party sources ranking popular destinations. BHTP surveyed American travelers about their travel experiences, combining their input with data from a number of sources including the Global Peace Index, Numbeo and GeoSure Global. These insights helped the company rank the countries based on crime, terrorism risks, health systems and more. “We combine this data with the survey results to calculate a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety,” Carol Mueller, vice president at BHTP told me in an interview. “The rankings shown reflect the weighted scores.”

However, BHTP cautions that its safest countries list doesn’t account for random terrorist acts and natural disasters. “It also doesn’t mean that any given country is safe right this moment, or that every part of the country is as safe as any other,” write the authors of the report. “Israel is a perfect example. Travelers to the country say it’s safe, but you probably don’t want to visit right now.”

So what is the safest country for 2025? Iceland tops the list, making a notable jump from last year, when it ranked ninth. Despite recent natural disasters (erupting volcanoes, collapsing ice caves), Iceland has a low crime rate and a peaceful, small population. According to Berkshire Hathaway, the country’s one main road also contributes to the safety, as it means there are fewer traffic concerns. “Logic dictates that it’s hard to have traffic accidents if you don’t have traffic,” write the authors of the report. And while volcanic eruptions remain a concern, Berkshire Hathaway notes that “you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more languorous about it than the Icelanders.”

According to Mueller, Iceland ranked highly, but not at the top, when looking at survey respondents’ only rankings of countries on attributes like safety from violet crime, transportation safety, healthcare, safety for women and people of color, and safety from terrorism. “Where it really shone is when the other measures were factored in,” says Mueller. “For instance, the travel-safety app provider GeoSure Global found Iceland’s cities to be extremely safe in all the dimensions it measures. Numbeo gave it high marks for its low crime rate. the Global Peace Index gave it high marks for low levels of militarization and incarceration. And the fact that it’s held these attributes over time factored in as well.”

In this year’s safest countries list, Australia comes in second place, due to its remote location and low crime rates. However, Berkshire Hathaway warns travelers to be mindful of the country’s wildlife—from poisonous jellyfish to dangerous crocodiles.

The third safest country in the world for 2025 is Canada, which ranked number one in last year’s report. Pictured here: the aurora borealis over Maligne Lake in Alberta’s Jasper National Park.

getty

After topping the list last year, Canada falls to the third spot in 2025. Berkshire Hathaway says that its low population density and sprawling wilderness make it a low-crime destination–but travelers should be cautious of encounters with wildlife, from bears in national parks to elk on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Ireland—which ranks fourth this year—is a safe and welcoming destination, though Berkshire Hathaway says that travelers should be prepared for the challenges of driving on the left side of narrow roads.

Rounding out the top five is Switzerland, which is known for its orderly cities and efficient infrastructure. But Berkshire Hathaway cautions that the country’s Alpine regions pose a growing risk due to avalanches and landslides, which have become more common with the changing climate.

Some of the big changes on this year’s list include New Zealand, which returns to the top 10, climbing to sixth place after being ranked 11th last year. Berkshire Hathaway notes that its isolated location and strict biosecurity measures help keep crime low. Another country making a big leap: Germany, which moves from last year’s 18th place to the seventh spot. According to Berkshire Hathaway, its cities continue to rank highly for safety, while its countryside is even more secure.

Some notable dips include the United Kingdom (which falls from sixth place in 2024 to 13th in 2025) and the Netherlands (which drops from fifth to 14th, largely due to concerns about drug policies in urban areas).

And again, the United States doesn’t appear in the list of top 15 safest countries in the world. “In general, the U.S. fares better with solely survey respondent rankings, than when the additional measures are factored in,” says Mueller. “Over the past four years the average position of the U.S. has been 20.5 when all measures (surveys plus outside data) are factored; using survey results alone the U.S.’s position has averaged 19.5.”

Besides the overall list, Berkshire Hathaway’s report also delves into specific categories of safety, highlighting the top performers in areas like crime prevention, transportation and health systems. The company also breaks out lists for women, LGBTQ+ travelers and more.

And this year, Berkshire Hathaway has created—for the first time—a Safe Travel Hall of Fame to acknowledge countries that have averaged a top 10 position since the company started ranking the safest places in 2018.

Read on for the list of the world’s 15 safest countries to travel, as well as some of the broken-out lists and the Hall of Fame.

Australia was named the second safest country to travel. Pictured here: Sydney with the Harbor Bridge.

getty
Ranked: The 15 Safest Countries In The World To Travel

Here’s the overall list of the safest countries for 2025.

Iceland
Australia
Canada
Ireland
Switzerland
New Zealand
Germany
Norway
Japan
Denmark
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Sweden

The Northern lights over the coastline of Hamnoy in the Lofoten islands of Norway.

getty
Ranked: The Safest Countries From Violent Crime

Berkshire Hathaway’s list also reveals which countries perform best in certain areas. Here is a look at the world’s safest places, statistically, when it comes to violent crime.

Norway
Canada
Australia
Ireland
Iceland
New Zealand
United Arab Emirates
Germany
Italy
Portugal

A sunset view of the Dubai Marina in the UAE.

getty
Ranked: The Safest Countries From Terrorism

When it comes to terrorism, the UAE is the safest country, according to Berkshire Hathaway’s report. “This marks the first time the United Arab Emirates have topped any safety category,” write the authors of the report.

United Arab Emirates
Canada
Ireland
New Zealand
Australia
Norway
Iceland
Japan
Switzerland
Portugal

Canada was named the safest country for transportation. Pictured here: Edmonton.

getty
Ranked: The Safest Countries For Transportation Safety

According to Berkshire Hathaway, this year’s number one and two transportation winners have one thing in common: “roads that cut though hundreds of miles of unpopulated areas.”

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Ireland
Denmark
Germany
Japan
Iceland
Italy
Portugal

Canada was named the safest country for health measures. Pictured here: a forest on Mount Seymour, North Vancouver, British Columbia.

getty
Ranked: The Safest Countries For Health Measures

Berkshire Hathaway rank the countries with the most well-developed and efficient healthcare-delivery systems.

Canada
Norway
New Zealand
Ireland
Italy
Australia
Iceland
Germany
United Arab Emirates
Portugal

New Zealand was named the safest country for women, LGBTQIA+ travelers and people of color. Pictured here: Roy’s Peak at Lake Wanaka.

getty
Ranked: The Safest Countries For Women, LGBTQIA+ Travelers And People Of Color

Berkshire Hathaway breaks out safety lists for women, LGBTQ+ travelers and people of color. This is the overall for all three. For the first time, Costa Rica makes the top 10 list.

New Zealand
Canada
Ireland
Australia
United Kingdom
Costa Rica
Iceland
Norway
Germany
Italy

Switzerland was one of the countries in the Safety Hall of Fame. Pictured here: a train crossing over the Landwasser Viaduct in the Swiss Alps.

getty
Safest Countries: Hall of Fame

While the top 15 safest countries shifts from year to year, certain destinations have consistently earned high marks in safety. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has created a Hall of Fame to honor the countries that have maintained a top 10 ranking since 2018. Here’s the list, which is in no specific order.

• Switzerland

• Australia

• Canada

• New Zealand

• Iceland

• Norway

• Ireland

• Japan

The 15 Safest Countries To Travel, Ranked In A New Report

Tags: