World’s safest countries revealed amid WW3 fears as RAF base hit by Iran

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The 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI), covers 99.7% of the world’s population and is calculated “using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources”.

The index measures the state of peace across three areas; the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarisation.

Iceland came out in first place in the most recent rankings, with the country having never taken part in a full-scale war or invasion and is geographically remote, one potential advantage in conflict.

The country has no military but is a member of NATO, meaning it comes under the alliance’s Article 5 collective defence clause - an attack on one, is an attack on all.

Ireland came second in the 2025 GPI rankings. The country maintains a policy of military neutrality but does have a small defence force.

New Zealand ranks third, being one of the world’s most remote nations in the south-western Pacific. While it does have a military, it is generally considered very safe.

It would be a safer haven in the event of a Third World War, with fighting probably to be concentrated elsewhere, due to its physical isolation from the rest of the world.

Other countries that make the top 10 of the 2025 GPI list include Austria, Singapore, Finland, Denmark and Switzerland.