US falls again in global peace rankings. See who tops the list.

When going abroad, travelers often consider a country's peacefulness as a measure of safety.

The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) released its Global Peace Index 2026 on June 9, an annual ranking of the peacefulness of 163 countries since 2008. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization used 23 indicators – such as level of violent crime and political instability – to score a country in three domains: societal safety and security, domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization.

This year, the index found that peacefulness was declining globally for the 12th consecutive year – that's 119 countries less peaceful than they were in 2008, mainly driven by conflict.

The countries that ranked highest on the index, which are predominantly across central and western Europe, are often repeat winners.

"The benefits show up clearly in the data. In the ten most peaceful countries, the economic toll of violence averages a mere 2.2 percent of GDP, while it climbs to 23.4 percent in the ten least peaceful nations," Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of IEP, said in a statement to USA TODAY. "For travelers, these systemic strengths translate into minimal homicide rates, a light police footprint and secure public areas, even if no index can guarantee an entirely incident-free visit."

What is the most peaceful country in the world?

For the 19th year in a row, Iceland has earned the title as the most peaceful country in 2026 "by a margin," according to the index. The Land of Fire and Ice can thank its lack of a standing military, extremely low crime rates and "strong social cohesion" for its top ranking.

"These factors are slow-moving and develop gradually over generations, which is why the top of the Index experiences very little annual fluctuation," Killelea said. "For instance, Iceland has retained the number one spot since 2008, and the majority of today’s top ten have remained leading peaceful nations throughout the history of the Index."

Where does the U.S. rank?

The United States is ranked the 134th most peaceful country in the world for 2026, six spots lower than last year's 128th ranking. This fall is largely a result of increased political instability and violent demonstrations. According to the index, 85% of Americans said they believe politically motivated violence is increasing.

The 10 most peaceful countries 2026

1. Iceland
2. New Zealand
3. Switzerland
4. Slovenia
5. Ireland
6. Austria
7. Portugal
8. Singapore
9. Finland
10. Japan