Iceland stays #1 as U.S. slips to 134th

U.S. ranks – The Institute for Economics and Peace’s 2026 Global Peace Index shows peace declining for the 12th straight year. Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful country, while the United States ranks 134th—down from 128th last year—citing political instability and

On June 9. the Institute for Economics and Peace released the Global Peace Index 2026. an annual ranking that measures how safe and stable 163 countries feel—based on everything from violent crime to political instability. The number that matters most for travelers is also the one that refuses to stay put: the index found global peacefulness is declining for the 12th straight year.

For people planning trips, that drop creates a tougher question than usual—less “Where is the safest place to go?” and more “What is changing, and how fast?” The index’s top tier remains largely concentrated in central and western Europe, where repeat winners have kept their positions for years.

Steve Killelea. founder and executive chairman of IEP. said in a statement that the benefits show up clearly in the data. He pointed to a stark economic contrast: in the ten most peaceful countries. the economic toll of violence averages 2.2% of GDP. while it climbs to 23.4% in the ten least peaceful nations. He also warned that no index can guarantee an entirely incident-free visit. even as the safest places tend to have minimal homicide rates. a light police footprint. and secure public areas.

The study is built on 23 indicators, grouped into three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization. This year’s report also ties the global decline mainly to conflict.

The ordering at the top didn’t require much suspense. Iceland has earned the title as the most peaceful country in the world for the 19th year in a row. according to the index. holding the top spot “by a margin.” Killelea linked the ranking to what the index points to as structural advantages: lack of a standing military. extremely low crime rates. and strong social cohesion.

He argued that these strengths take time to build. Because the underlying factors develop gradually across generations, the top of the Index sees very little annual fluctuation. He added that Iceland has retained number one since 2008. and that the majority of today’s top ten have remained leading peaceful nations throughout the history of the Index.

For the United States, the shift is sharper. The U.S. is ranked 134th most peaceful in 2026, which is six spots lower than last year’s 128th ranking. The report attributes the fall largely to increased political instability and violent demonstrations. It also cites survey results: 85% of Americans said they believe politically motivated violence is increasing.

The sequence is laid out by the index itself—one set of countries shows a low economic toll from violence and stable safety indicators. while the U.S. sits much lower as political instability and demonstrations grow. The ranking doesn’t measure whether any single place feels good on a given day; it measures patterns that persist long enough to shift national scores year after year.

Global Peace Index 2026 Institute for Economics and Peace Iceland most peaceful United States peace ranking political instability violent demonstrations Steve Killelea