Canada ranks as one of the most peaceful countries as U.S. lags far behind

Canadians have it pretty good as the country has been ranked as one of the most peaceful countries to live in, according to a new report.

The 19th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), published by the Institute for Economics & Peace, rates Canada among the 20 most peaceful countries in the world, far outpacing the U.S.

This year, the report ranked 163 countries, and the results have been pretty grim: there are 59 active state-based conflicts, and 17 countries have recorded over 1,000 conflict-related deaths.

“The 2025 GPI finds that global peacefulness continues to decline and that many of the leading factors that precede major conflicts are higher than they have been since the end of WWII,” reads the report.

The GPI tracks changes in global safety using 23 indicators, including violent crime rates, homicide rates, and weapons imports. These indicators are then used to measure the state of peace in each country across three categories: the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization.

Most peaceful countries: Where does Canada rank?

Vadim Rodnev/Shutterstock

Canada dropped multiple spots in the recent ranking. In the 2024 GPI report, Canada was ranked as the 11th most peaceful country, with its state of peace rated as “very high.” This year, the country fell to number 14 with a state of peace rated “high.”

At the 14th spot, Canada ties with the Netherlands and is just behind Malaysia and ahead of Belgium. In comparison, the U.S. ranks 128th, behind Kenya and ahead of Ecuador.

Iceland and Ireland remain the top two countries with a state of peace that’s considered “very high.” Below are the top 20 safest countries in the world, according to the GPI:

Canada may have lost points this year, but in Central and North America, it remains the most peaceful country, followed by Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic; the U.S. ranks in 12th spot in the region.

But Canada certainly has its problems.

Political tension between Canada and the U.S. has risen as both countries are embroiled in a trade war. An increase in violent crime, such as extortion, robbery and assaults involving weapons or bodily harm, means that peace levels in Canada dropped by 5.8 per cent. Despite this, Canada is still one of the most peaceful places to live.

“However, despite these deteriorations, Canada remains one of the more peaceful countries in the world, with some of the highest levels of peacefulness on both the militarisation and ongoing conflict domains,” reads the report.

While Canada certainly isn’t without its challenges, it remains globally recognized as one of the most peaceful places to live.

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