Singapore, Japan and Malaysia are among the world’s most peaceful countries in 2026

Choosing where to travel is usually about food, beaches, hotels, flight prices, and your annual leave balance. But safety and stability matter too – especially in a year when the world, according to the latest Global Peace Index 2026, has become less peaceful for the 12th year in a row.

The annual report by the Institute for Economics & Peace ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness, using 23 indicators across three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation. It’s not a holiday ranking, but it does offer useful context for travellers thinking about the broader stability of destinations.

Which Asian countries ranked highest?

Asia has several strong performers in this year’s ranking. Singapore is the highest-ranked Asian destination, placing 8th globally, followed by Japan at 10th and Malaysia at 12th.

Bhutan also ranks highly at 16th globally, while Mongolia comes in at 34th. Further down the list, Vietnam ranks 41st, Taiwan 42nd, South Korea 57th, Laos 58th, Sri Lanka 67th and Indonesia 69th.

If using the report’s broader Asia-Pacific grouping, New Zealand remains the region’s most peaceful country and ranks 2nd globally, just behind Iceland.

How did Asia-Pacific perform overall?

The Asia-Pacific region remains the second most peaceful region in the world, behind Western and Central Europe. Still, it was not all good news. The region’s average score deteriorated by 0.9 percent, with 12 of its 19 countries becoming less peaceful over the past year. Six improved, while one recorded no change.

The report says the decline was mainly driven by a deterioration in the Ongoing Conflict domain, with a smaller fall in Safety and Security.

Which countries changed the most?

In Asia-Pacific, Japan improved and rose to 10th globally, with the report linking its better score to improvements in the Ongoing Conflict domain. Mongolia also improved, ranking 34th globally.

On the other end, China recorded the largest deterioration in Asia-Pacific, falling to 118th globally, mainly due to changes in the Safety and Security domain. Cambodia also saw a notable deterioration, ranking 96th globally.

What about South Asia?

South Asia had a tougher year. The region recorded the largest deterioration of any region in the 2026 index, with its average score worsening by 2.3 percent. Five of its seven countries deteriorated.

Still, there were bright spots. Bhutan remains the most peaceful country in South Asia, ranking 16th globally, while Sri Lanka improved by 2.3 percent and is now the region’s second most peaceful country, at 67th globally.

For travellers, know that this isn’t a travel advisory, and it should not replace checking official guidance before a trip. But as a broad snapshot of peace and stability, the 2026 index shows Asia moving in two directions at once – with some of the world’s most peaceful destinations sitting alongside regions facing sharper pressure.

The world’s 20 most peaceful countries in 2026, based on overall GPI score:

1. Iceland – 1.161
2. New Zealand – 1.343
3. Switzerland – 1.363
4. Slovenia – 1.369
5. Ireland – 1.371
6. Austria – 1.421
7. Portugal – 1.427
8. Singapore – 1.435
9. Finland – 1.478
10. Japan – 1.489
11. Denmark – 1.504
12. Malaysia – 1.513
13. Czechia – 1.517
14. Canada – 1.525
15. Hungary – 1.538
16. Bhutan – 1.546
17. Netherlands – 1.566
18. Mauritius – 1.586
19. Latvia – 1.589
20. Australia – 1.602

Check out the full list here. 

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