Top Ten Safest Countries 2013

According to John Locke, the famous British political philosopher, one of the principle purposes of government is to protect its people and their belongings. He suggests, in society, we are willing give up our right to do whatever we please, in order to coexist with one another and create an environment in which we can conduct business and promote the better good of everyone by reaching common ground and agreeing to certain terms required to achieve this end. It is difficult to seek self-actualization when we do not feel secure.

To compile this list we have looked at a number of statistics such as homicide rate, property crime rates, violent crime rates, and have taken into account population. With that said, here are the top ten safest countries in the world:

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10

Switzerland

For many years, Switzerland was considered to be the safest country in all of Europe. Unfortunately, although still extremely safe, crime levels have been increasing over the last half decade. They are now approaching the average levels of crime across Europe. However, much of the increase in crime has been attributed to the popularity of Swiss nightlife picking up. As long as you apply common sense, you should be safe anywhere you go in the beautiful country of Switzerland.

9

Finland

Finland is known for its high quality of life and is commonly ranked as one of the best places to live in the world. Unlike many other European cities, it isn’t plagued by pickpockets. It is one of the most stable countries in the world based on economic, political, social, and military indicators. Finland is definitely a safe bet for travelers and has a strong respect for civil liberties, democracy, and human rights.

8

Slovenia

Slovenia is, perhaps, the most surprising entry on this list. The former Yugoslav republic has made quite the transition following the fall of Communism and the Yugoslav Civil War. Located on the Mediterranean near Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Hungry, this mountainous country is considered to be one of the hidden gems of European tourism.

7

Ireland

Most people don’t fully realize how safe Ireland is. Back in the 1980’s and early 1990’s it got a bad reputation due to the civil unrest and associated terrorist attacks which were occurring at the time. Today, Ireland is one of the safest places in the world. Violent crime of any kind is not tolerated. The Irish are very friendly people and are quite welcoming of most foreigners.

6

Austria

This central European country, according to the OECD Factbook, is one of the safest places in the world. In some of the larger cities, unfortunately pick pockets are still relatively common, but recent increases in law enforcement personal have put a damper on their prevalence. Known as the land of music, Austria enjoys very low violent crime rates and peaceful relations with its neighboring countries. The only mark against Austria is it scores slightly lower than other European countries in respectfulness of human rights and is slightly less tolerant than the other countries on this list.

5

Japan

Japan has been widely known as one of the safest countries in the world to visit for many decades. Street crime of any sort is nearly nonexistent. Even in its biggest cities such as Tokyo and Yokohama, it is safe to wander the streets at just about any hour of the day. Japan has extremely strict gun laws in place, making any gun related crimes nearly extinct. On top of being one of the safest countries in the world, the Japanese people are noted for being friendly and welcoming of foreigners and travelers.

4

Canada

Canada, year after year, scores high on its appreciation of human rights and position of tolerance. Nearly all parts of Canada enjoy very low violent crime rates despite the availability of guns and other weapons. In recent years, Canada has been considered an above average target of terrorism due to its close ties to the United States and United Kingdom and its involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

3

Denmark

Despite being the native home to the warmongering Vikings who ravaged Europe 1,000 years ago, Denmark is considered one of the safest and most peaceful nations on the planet. Denmark cites safety and security as the the country’s most important characteristics. It is so safe that many of the leaders of state do not employ their own bodyguards and feel safe to walk around in public. The crime rates in Denmark consistently rank as some of the lowest in the world.

2

New Zealand

New Zealand is considered to be a very liberal country and is manifested through its carefree attitude. According to the Global Peace Index it is one of the safest countries in the world. New Zealand succeeds in keeping the peace through a large police force outfitted with the latest in modern technology. It is also considered one of the least corrupt countries in the entire world.

1

Iceland

Located on an island in the middle of the northern Atlantic ocean, Iceland is widely considered to be the safest country on the planet. Since being tracked, Iceland has averaged less than one murder per year over the last 50 year period. It also has an exceptionally low rate of property crime and any other form of violent crime. It is one place in the world where you can feel truly safe wherever you go.

 

Featured Image: Flickr by PopTech

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