Most Dangerous Countries

Last updated February 28, 2026
Unveiling the World's Danger Zones
Global safety is a critical concern in this present-day world. Not only does it impact international relations, but it also influences where we choose to travel, where businesses decide to operate, and in some cases, where people choose to live. When assessing the most dangerous countries in the world, various factors come into play, including societal safety, the presence of ongoing domestic and international conflicts, and the degree of militarization. Every year, the Global Peace Index (GPI) bolsters this assessment by ranking 163 independent states and territories according to their levels of peacefulness. The GPI is based on a range of indicators related to safety, security, ongoing conflict, and militarization. The lower the score, the higher the country ranks in terms of safety. The higher the score, the more dangerous it is considered. Key findings from the 2022 GPI data include:
- Afghanistan scores the highest at 3.55, making it the most dangerous country in the world according to the GPI. Yemen follows closely with a score of 3.39, and Syria comes third at 3.36.
- While most of the most perilous states are found in the Middle East or Africa, Russia appears substantially high on the list, with a score of 3.28.
- Other highly dangerous countries include South Sudan (3.18), Democratic Republic of Congo (3.17), and Iraq (3.16), as well as Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Sudan, all scoring over 3.00.
- The United States, the third most populous country in the world, comes in with a score of 2.44, underscoring the various challenges it faces in terms of societal safety and security. Diving deeper into the data will allow us to examine the underlying issues contributing to a country's danger level, offering insights into how these issues can be addressed for a safer, more peaceful world.
All Metrics
| Region ↕ | Peace Index 2025↕ | Crime Index 2025↕ | Homicide Rate↕ | War Casualties 2024↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 3.441 | 38.4 | 6.77 | |
| Ukraine | 3.434 | 47 | 3.78 | 37.8K |
| Sudan | 3.323 | 45.6 | 1.6K | |
| DR Congo | 3.292 | 66.2 | 689 | |
| Yemen | 3.262 | 63 | 5.81 | 5.2K |
| Afghanistan | 3.229 | 75.2 | 4.03 | 816 |
| Syria | 3.184 | 68.4 | 2.06 | 8.0K |
| South Sudan | 3.117 | 13.98 | 1.6K | |
| Israel | 3.108 | 31.7 | 1.63 | 5.9K |
| Mali | 3.061 | 631 | ||
| Myanmar | 3.045 | 51.6 | 2.58 | 2.1K |
| Burkina Faso | 3.016 | 2.2K | ||
| Somalia | 2.983 | 63.2 | 1.2K | |
| Central African Republic | 2.912 | 177 | ||
| North Korea | 2.911 | |||
| Nigeria | 2.869 | 66.1 | 15.75 | 1.4K |
| Iraq | 2.862 | 41.9 | 9.46 | 432 |
| Turkey | 2.852 | 41.4 | 3.23 | 105 |
| Palestine | 2.811 | 43.2 | 0.62 | |
| Pakistan | 2.797 | 42.4 | 4.33 | 890 |
| Niger | 2.759 | 4.42 | 999 | |
| Iran | 2.75 | 50.5 | 2.38 | 4.6K |
| Haiti | 2.731 | 81 | 41.15 | 193 |
| Colombia | 2.695 | 61 | 24.91 | 225 |
| Venezuela | 2.692 | 80.5 | 12.65 | |
| Ethiopia | 2.688 | 50.4 | 8.51 | 2.8K |
| Cameroon | 2.683 | 65.5 | 6.76 | 231 |
| Lebanon | 2.674 | 46.9 | 2.24 | 5.7K |
| Mexico | 2.636 | 53.2 | 24.86 | |
| Chad | 2.593 | 74 | ||
| Burundi | 2.574 | 5.65 | 30 | |
| Eritrea | 2.542 | 15.61 | ||
| Libya | 2.478 | 56.4 | 1.6K | |
| Brazil | 2.472 | 64.2 | 19.28 | |
| Ecuador | 2.459 | 62.6 | 45.72 | |
| United States | 2.443 | 49.2 | 5.76 | |
| Kenya | 2.392 | 55.8 | 4.87 | 1.1K |
| Togo | 2.381 | 46 | ||
| South Africa | 2.347 | 74.6 | 43.72 | |
| Honduras | 2.347 | 71.9 | 31.44 | |
| Bangladesh | 2.318 | 61.5 | 2.34 | 258 |
| Djibouti | 2.276 | |||
| Mozambique | 2.273 | 61 | 3.59 | 151 |
| Lesotho | 2.267 | 38.24 | ||
| Belarus | 2.267 | 49.1 | 2.38 | |
| Guinea | 2.253 | |||
| Gabon | 2.238 | |||
| Papua New Guinea | 2.23 | 80.7 | 9.34 | |
| India | 2.229 | 44.2 | 2.82 | 437 |
| Zimbabwe | 2.223 | 61.2 | 6.76 | |
| Uganda | 2.217 | 54.1 | 8.97 | |
| Benin | 2.211 | 77 | ||
| Nicaragua | 2.207 | 50.8 | 11.35 | |
| Mauritania | 2.204 | 1 | 380 | |
| Georgia | 2.185 | 26 | 2.03 | |
| Guatemala | 2.174 | 57.7 | 23.37 | |
| Egypt | 2.157 | 46.9 | 1.31 | |
| Guyana | 2.149 | 66.4 | 19.12 | |
| Philippines | 2.148 | 43.4 | 4.35 | 176 |
| El Salvador | 2.136 | 56.7 | 7.9 | |
| Republic of the Congo | 2.132 | |||
| Cuba | 2.123 | 35.4 | 4.46 | |
| Guinea Bissau | 2.112 | 1.12 | ||
| Bahrain | 2.099 | 23.8 | 0.2 | |
| Eswatini | 2.094 | 12.51 | ||
| China | 2.093 | 23.5 | 0.5 | |
| Sri Lanka | 2.075 | 42.3 | 3.31 | |
| Peru | 2.073 | 66.7 | 8.6 | |
| Azerbaijan | 2.067 | 31.8 | 2.16 | |
| Ivory Coast | 2.066 | 55.7 | ||
| Jamaica | 2.047 | 67.4 | 49.44 | |
| Algeria | 2.042 | 52.9 | 1.16 | |
| Rwanda | 2.036 | 26.4 | 3.61 | 452 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2.035 | 23.7 | 0.94 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2.02 | 71 | 40.44 | |
| Cambodia | 2.019 | 50.2 | 1.82 | |
| Turkmenistan | 2.019 | 1.01 | ||
| Thailand | 2.017 | 36.8 | 4.79 | 35 |
| Morocco | 2.012 | 47.5 | 1.71 | |
| Panama | 2.006 | 42.7 | 11.71 | |
| Bolivia | 2.005 | 64.6 | 4.42 | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2.004 | |||
| Tunisia | 1.998 | 45 | 4.69 | |
| Tajikistan | 1.996 | 0.89 | ||
| Dominican Republic | 1.996 | 60.4 | 10.92 | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1.988 | 52 | ||
| Angola | 1.987 | 66.3 | 4.1 | 13 |
| Nepal | 1.987 | 36.1 | 2.13 | |
| Paraguay | 1.981 | 60.1 | 6.78 | |
| France | 1.967 | 55.6 | 1.34 | |
| Tanzania | 1.965 | 53.4 | 4.59 | |
| Jordan | 1.957 | 39.8 | 0.99 | 110 |
| Malawi | 1.955 | 1.78 | ||
| Liberia | 1.939 | 3.09 | ||
| Senegal | 1.936 | |||
| Cyprus | 1.933 | 32.7 | 0.82 | |
| Uzbekistan | 1.926 | 26.6 | 1.4 | |
| Moldova | 1.918 | 44.7 | 2.54 | |
| Zambia | 1.914 | 45.6 | 5.2 | |
| Serbia | 1.914 | 37.2 | 1.31 | |
| Kosovo | 1.908 | 41.1 | 1.89 | |
| Chile | 1.899 | 60.5 | 6.35 | |
| Ghana | 1.898 | 45.8 | 1.83 | |
| Madagascar | 1.895 | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.895 | 41.2 | 1.22 | |
| Armenia | 1.893 | 22.4 | 2.21 | |
| Sierra Leone | 1.887 | 2.22 | ||
| Kazakhstan | 1.875 | 45.6 | 2.55 | |
| Gambia | 1.855 | |||
| Costa Rica | 1.843 | 53.7 | 17.75 | |
| Albania | 1.812 | 44.2 | 1.39 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 1.812 | 14.8 | 0.69 | |
| North Macedonia | 1.799 | 41.4 | 1.53 | |
| Namibia | 1.789 | 63.6 | 11.21 | |
| Indonesia | 1.786 | 46.1 | 0.3 | 57 |
| Uruguay | 1.784 | 52.3 | 11.25 | |
| Laos | 1.783 | |||
| Argentina | 1.768 | 63.3 | 4.49 | |
| Greece | 1.764 | 46.4 | 0.84 | |
| Timor Leste | 1.758 | 4.07 | ||
| Botswana | 1.743 | 50.9 | 11.37 | |
| Oman | 1.738 | 18.6 | 0.14 | |
| South Korea | 1.736 | 26.9 | 0.48 | |
| Taiwan | 1.73 | 17 | ||
| Romania | 1.721 | 32.6 | 1.11 | |
| Vietnam | 1.721 | 40.4 | 1.54 | |
| Mongolia | 1.719 | 51.7 | 5.92 | |
| Poland | 1.713 | 28.7 | 0.8 | |
| Sweden | 1.709 | 48.1 | 1.15 | |
| Montenegro | 1.685 | 35 | 0.79 | |
| Italy | 1.662 | 47.2 | 0.57 | |
| Norway | 1.644 | 32.8 | 0.72 | |
| Kuwait | 1.642 | 32.7 | 0.25 | |
| United Kingdom | 1.634 | 48.4 | 1.15 | |
| Bulgaria | 1.61 | 35.9 | 1.09 | |
| Slovakia | 1.609 | 31 | 1.12 | |
| Qatar | 1.593 | 15.4 | 0.07 | |
| Mauritius | 1.586 | 49.4 | 2.27 | |
| Spain | 1.578 | 37.2 | 0.69 | |
| Estonia | 1.559 | 23.5 | 1.54 | |
| Latvia | 1.558 | 36.6 | 2.5 | |
| Lithuania | 1.558 | 33 | 2.63 | |
| Bhutan | 1.536 | 2.47 | ||
| Germany | 1.533 | 39.6 | 0.91 | |
| Croatia | 1.519 | 25.4 | 0.67 | |
| Australia | 1.505 | 47.4 | 0.85 | |
| Hungary | 1.5 | 33.7 | 0.72 | |
| Belgium | 1.492 | 49.5 | 1.08 | |
| Canada | 1.491 | 45.8 | 1.98 | |
| Netherlands | 1.491 | 25.8 | 0.69 | |
| Malaysia | 1.469 | 48.6 | 0.73 | |
| Japan | 1.44 | 22.7 | 0.23 | |
| Czech Republic | 1.435 | 26.6 | 0.77 | |
| Finland | 1.42 | 26.5 | 0.98 | |
| Slovenia | 1.409 | 24.4 | 0.57 | |
| Denmark | 1.393 | 26 | 0.84 | |
| Portugal | 1.371 | 32.4 | 0.72 | |
| Singapore | 1.357 | 22.6 | 0.07 | |
| Switzerland | 1.294 | 26.7 | 0.6 | |
| Austria | 1.294 | 28.3 | 0.88 | |
| New Zealand | 1.282 | 48.5 | 1.46 | |
| Ireland | 1.26 | 48.6 | 0.65 | |
| Iceland | 1.095 | 25.8 | 1.29 |
10 Most Dangerous Countries
According to the Global Peace Index, Afghanistan tops the list of the most dangerous countries, scoring a worrying 3.55, which reflects the severe instability and conflict in the region. Yemen, with a GPI score of 3.39, comes in second, underlining the significant impact of the ongoing armed conflict in the country's safety rating. The third spot on this unnerving list is occupied by Syria, with a score of 3.36, largely due to its decade-old civil war. The fourth place is taken up by Russia with a score of 3.28. Various factors contribute to this, including political instability, militarization, and geopolitical tensions. South Sudan follows closely in the fifth spot with a GPI score of 3.18, which encompasses the strife and human rights issues the country has been grappling with. Additionally, the Democratic Republic of Congo also exhibits a high level of danger, securing the sixth position with a GPI score of 3.17, which reflects the country's internal conflict and unstable security situation. Iraq also continues to face significant challenges with regards to safety and security, reflected by their GPI score of 3.16. Rounding up the final places in the top 10 most dangerous countries are Somalia (GPI score 3.13), Central African Republic (GPI score 3.02), and Sudan (GPI score 3.01). These nations continue to struggle with a myriad of issues, including armed conflict, instability, displacements, and violence. 10 Most Dangerous Countries:
- Afghanistan - 3.55
- Yemen - 3.39
- Syria - 3.36
- Russia - 3.28
- South Sudan - 3.18
- DR Congo - 3.17
- Iraq - 3.16
- Somalia - 3.13
- Central African Republic - 3.02
- Sudan - 3.01
Sources & Notes
Measure of peace and safety conditions where lower values indicate greater peacefulness.
Reflects perceived levels of crime, based on types and frequency of crimes.
Rate per 100,000 people.
Editorial Note: Due to variations in international reporting infrastructure, this dataset reflects the most recent reporting year available for each respective country provided by the UNODC.
Total number of military personnel killed or wounded in armed conflicts.







