The 10 Most Peaceful Countries in the World in 2026
Iceland is the world's most peaceful country for the 19th year in a row, and seven of the top 10 are in Europe. But the 2026 Global Peace Index also records the lowest level of global peace since the index began — with Russia last for the second year in a row.
Quick Answer
Iceland is the world's most peaceful country in 2026, with a Global Peace Index score of 1.161 — its 19th consecutive year at the top. New Zealand is second at 1.343, followed by Switzerland (1.363), Slovenia (1.369) and Ireland (1.371). Seven of the top 10 are in Europe. At the other end of the index, Russia ranks last of 163 countries for the second year in a row.
This ranking uses the Global Peace Index (GPI), produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). The index scores 163 independent states and territories — covering 99.7% of the world's population — across 23 indicators grouped into three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation. Scores run from 1 to 5, and a lower score means a more peaceful country. The 2026 edition is the index's 20th, and its headline finding is grim: global peacefulness has deteriorated for the 12th consecutive year, and 99 countries became less peaceful — the most in a single year since the index began.
The world is getting less peaceful
IEP counts 61 active state-based conflicts, the highest number it has recorded, and puts the global economic impact of violence at US$21.8 trillion in 2025 in purchasing-power terms, equivalent to 10.5% of global GDP. In the ten countries most affected by violence, its economic cost averaged 23.4% of GDP, compared with just 2.2% in the ten least affected.
Global Peace Index 2026 score (lower = more peaceful)
Source: Institute for Economics & Peace, Global Peace Index 2026Tap any country to jump to its full breakdown below.
Ranked #10 to #1
Japan
Score 1.489 · back in the top 10- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.489
- Category:
- Asia
Japan scores 1.489 and takes the final place in the top 10, one of only three non-European countries on this list.
Japan climbed three places from 13th in 2025, driven by a 6.3% improvement in its Ongoing Conflict score, even as its Militarisation score worsened amid a record defence budget.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Finland
Score 1.478 · up one place- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.478
- Category:
- Europe
Finland scores 1.478, rising one place to ninth in the 2026 index.
Finland holds a top-10 spot despite sharing a long land border with Russia — the least peaceful country in the entire index.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Singapore
Score 1.435- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.435
- Category:
- Asia
Singapore scores 1.435 and ranks eighth, the highest-placed Asian country in the index.
Singapore is the only city-state in the top 10, in a ranking otherwise dominated by European countries plus New Zealand and Japan.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Portugal
Score 1.427- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.427
- Category:
- Europe
Portugal scores 1.427 and ranks seventh, continuing its run as one of Europe's most peaceful countries.
Portugal sits just 0.006 points behind Austria — effectively neck and neck for sixth place.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Austria
Score 1.421- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.421
- Category:
- Europe
Austria scores 1.421 and ranks sixth, in the middle of a tightly packed group of European countries.
Ranks 3 to 7 are packed within just 0.064 points of each other — Austria sits in the middle of the tightest stretch of the table.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Ireland
Score 1.371- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.371
- Category:
- Europe
Ireland scores 1.371 and ranks fifth, completing a top five in which four of the five countries are European.
Ireland is part of the tightest cluster in the ranking: ranks 3 to 5 — Switzerland, Slovenia and Ireland — span just 0.008 points combined.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Slovenia
Score 1.369- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.369
- Category:
- Europe
Slovenia scores 1.369 and ranks fourth, ahead of Ireland by the smallest margin in the top 10.
Slovenia edges Ireland by just 0.002 points — the closest gap between any two countries in this top 10.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Switzerland
Score 1.363- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.363
- Category:
- Europe
Switzerland scores 1.363 and takes third place, leading the tightly bunched group behind New Zealand.
Switzerland heads a three-country logjam: just 0.008 points separate third from fifth place.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
New Zealand
Score 1.343 · up one place from 2025- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.343
- Category:
- Oceania
New Zealand scores 1.343 and moves up one place to second, the highest-ranked country outside Europe.
The gap between New Zealand and Iceland (0.182 points) is larger than the gap between New Zealand and 10th-placed Japan (0.146) — Iceland is in a class of its own.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
Iceland
Score 1.161 · #1 for 19 straight years- Global Peace Index score:
- 1.161
- Category:
- Europe
Iceland scores 1.161 and is the world's most peaceful country for the 19th consecutive year, a position it has held since 2008.
Iceland has no standing army, and its score of 1.161 is closer to the best possible score of 1.0 than to any other country in the top 10.
Source: IEP, Global Peace Index 2026
What the numbers tell us
The Global Peace Index covers 163 countries, and Europe is the world's most peaceful region with seven of the top 10. But the global picture is deteriorating: peacefulness has fallen for 12 consecutive years, Russia ranked last (163rd) for the second year in a row, and the United States fell six places to 134th amid rising political unrest and violent protests.
- Data period:
- Global Peace Index 2026; IEP report released June 9, 2026
- Last updated:
- October 21, 2026
- Sources:
- Institute for Economics & Peace, Global Peace Index 2026 report (released June 9, 2026) and Vision of Humanity; reporting by The Spokesman-Review and Ukrainian News on the US and Russia rankings
- Source links:
- IEP: Global Peace Index 2026 report (PDF)
- IEP: Global Peace Index 2026 (interactive map)
- Vision of Humanity: Global Peace Index 2026 country rankings
- The Spokesman-Review: US falls again in global peace rankings while Iceland stays on top
- Ukrainian News: For the second year in a row, Russia named least peaceful country
Countries are ranked by their overall Global Peace Index score: a lower score means a more peaceful country. The index, produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace, scores 163 independent states and territories across 23 indicators grouped into three domains — societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation — on a scale of 1 to 5. The 2026 edition is the index's 20th. This list shows the ten most peaceful countries; the lowest-ranked country in the 2026 index is Russia (163rd), last for the second year in a row. Score differences and gaps quoted in the entries are our own calculations from IEP's published scores.
Figures marked as estimates are based on publicly available information and may vary from other published sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Iceland, with a Global Peace Index score of 1.161 in 2026. It has now been the world's most peaceful country for 19 consecutive years, according to the Institute for Economics & Peace.