According the the GPI, there are five major categories of safety:
- Very high
- High
- Medium
- Low
- Very low
- Not included (countries not included in GPI)
I analyzed the 2017 report and made a list of the least safe to the safest countries around the world for travelers. I also listed down 78 visa-free countries for Philippine passport holders and ranked them based on their safety, again, basing it on the 2017 Global Peace Index.
*Please note that this index measures the state of peace for 2017 only and does not automatically determine the safety of previous or succeeding years. The scores can change each year. The scores in the GPI does not reflect my personal opinion of safety in each country.
But first,
CONTINENTS/ REGIONS RANKED FROM SAFEST TO LEAST SAFE
According to the GPI, Europe remains to be the safest continent in the world, with eight countries scoring very high on the GPI. Australia and New Zealand, both part of Oceania, also has a very high state of peace. Canada is the only country in North America to have a very high state of peace. Only one Asian country, Japan, received a very high score on safety.
The United States has medium safety, along with some countries in the Caribbean.
Based on the GPI, Middle East and North Africa remains the least peaceful regions in the world, owing to a rise in the level of perceived criminality in society, high degree of militarization, and low peacekeeping efforts.
14 LEAST PEACEFUL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
According to the GPI, there are 14 countries who fall in to the very low safety category. Here they are, ranked from the least peaceful (regardless if it’s visa-free or not):
1. Syria – least safe
2. Afghanistan
3. Iraq
4. South Sudan
5. Yemen
6. Somalia
7. Libya
8. Sudan
8. Central African (tie with Sudan)
10. Ukraine
11. Democratic Republic of Congo
12. Russia
13. Pakistan
14. North Korea
12 SAFEST COUNTRIES FOR TRAVELERS
The GPI also ranks 12 countries as possessing a very high index on safety and peace. Below are the safest countries in the world. All of them also happen to require visas for Filipinos.
1. Iceland (safest country in the world since 2008)
2. New Zealand
3. Portugal
4. Austria
5. Denmark
6. Czech Republic
7. Slovenia
8. Canada
9. Switzerland
10. Ireland
10. Japan
12. Australia
78 VISA-FREE COUNTRIES FOR FILIPINOS, RANKED ACCORDING TO SAFETY (FROM SAFETY TO LEAST SAFE)
We’ve seen the least safe and safest countries in the world. Now here are 78 visa-free countries for Filipinos, ranked from the safest to lowest. I’ve included the continent they belong to, visa status and requirements (if any), and their safety category based on the GPI.
| RANK* | COUNTRY | CONTINENT/ REGION | VISA STATUS | VISA EFFECTIVITY | VISA FEE/ REQUIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | Asia (ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | RT ticket |
| 2 | Mauritius | Africa | |||
| 3 | Malaysia | Asia (ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | RT ticket |
| 4 | Costa Rica | South America (Central America) | Visa-free | 90 days | RT ticket |
| 5 | Taiwan | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | RT ticket |
| 6 | Zambia | Africa | Pre-approved e-visa | 90 days | $50 + RT ticket |
| 7 | Madagascar | Africa | Visa on arrival | 90 days | RT ticket + $27 for 30 days |
| 8 | Laos | Asia (ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | |
| 9 | Mongolia | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa-free | 21 days | RT ticket |
| 11 | South Korea | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | For Jeju Island only | 30 days | Valid only if arriving and leaving Jeju Island or after Visiting Korea for 4 times with Visa |
| 12 | Indonesia | Asia (ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | |
| 13 | Timor-Leste | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa-free | 30 days | Issued at Dili Airport and seaport |
| 14 | Tanzania | Africa | Visa on arrival | ||
| 15 | Vietnam | Asia (ASEAN) | Visa-free | 21 days | |
| 16 | Senegal | Africa | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Must have invitation letter |
| 17 | Togo | Africa | Visa on arrival | 7 days | Must have yellow fever vaccination |
| 18 | Ecuador | South America | 90 days | ||
| 19 | Peru | South America | 183 Days | ||
| 20 | Nicaragua | South America (Central America) | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| 21 | Morocco | Africa | 90 days | ||
| 22 | Kosovo | Europe | Visa exempted only if you hold a valid Schengen residence permit or multi-entry Schengen visa | ||
| 23 | Mozambique | Africa | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| 24 | Sri Lanka | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | E-visa | 30 days | Must obtain e-visa authorization |
| 2 | Haiti | North America (Caribbean) | 21 days | ||
| 26 | Bolivia | South America | 90 days | ||
| 27 | Cambodia | Asia (ASEAN) | 21 days | ||
| 28 | Nepal | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 21 days | |
| 29 | Georgia | Europe | E-visa/ 90-day visa on arrival* | 30 days | 90-day VOA (ONLY if you have valid visa or residence permit from EU/EFTA/GCC, Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, UK, US) |
| 30 | Papua New Guinea | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | Visa on arrival | 60 days | |
| 31 | Myanmar | Asia (ASEAN) | 14 days | ||
| 32 | Uganda | Africa | Visa on arrival | 90 days | Issued at Entebbe Airport |
| 33 | Djibouti | Africa | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| 34 | Brazil | South America | 90 days | ||
| 35 | The Gambia | Africa | Visa on arrival | Prior clearance from the immigration | |
| 36 | Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic) | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| 37 | Armenia | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 120 days | |
| 38 | Rwanda | Africa | 90 days | ||
| 39 | Guatemala | South America (Central America) | 90 days | Only if you have valid USA visa | |
| 40 | Tajikistan | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 45 days | |
| 41 | Thailand | Asia (ASEAN) | 30 days | ||
| 42 | Guinea-Bissau | Africa | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| 43 | Kenya | Africa | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| 44 | Iran | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Must arrive only at: Bandar Abbas International Airport, Isfahan International Airport, Kish International Airport, Mashhad International Airport, Qeshm international Airport, Shiraz International Airport, Tabriz International Airport, Imam Khomeini International Airport |
| 45 | India | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | E-visa | 30 days | Apply for an e-Visa |
| 46 | Philippines | Asia (ASEAN) | None | None | none |
| 47 | Israel | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | 90 Days | ||
| 48 | Colombia | South America | 90 days | ||
| 49 | Turkey | Europe | 30 days | Single entry; Must obtain e-visa. Valid only if you have valid visa or residence permit from Schengen Countries, Ireland, UK, and the US. | |
| 50 | Somalia | Africa | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Invitation letter from sponsor must be submitted 2 days before arrival |
| 51 | Brunei Darrusalam | Asia (ASEAN) | 14 days | ||
| 52 | Hongkong | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | 14 days | ||
| 53 | Macau | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | 30 days | ||
| 54 | Maldives | Asia (Non-ASEAN) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Hotel booking + RT tickets |
| 55 | Cape Verde Islands | Africa | 21 days | ||
| 60 | Comoros | Africa | 21 days | ||
| 61 | Mauritania | Africa | Visa on arrival | Only available on Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport | |
| 62 | Saint Helena | Africa | Visa on arrival | ||
| 63 | Seychelles | Africa | 30 days | Sufficient funds for duration of stay and hotel bookings | |
| 64 | Angilla | North America (Caribbean) | 21 days | ||
| 65 | Dominica | North America (Caribbean) | 21 days | ||
| 66 | Saint Vincent and Grenadines | North America (Caribbean) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| 67 | Liechtenstein | Europe | 30 days | Valid with existing Schengen visa; Must go through Switzerland or Austria | |
| 68 | Cook Islands | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 31 days | ||
| 69 | Marshall Islands | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| 70 | Micronesia | 30 days | |||
| 71 | Nauru | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 30 days | ||
| 72 | Niue | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 30 days | ||
| 73 | Palau | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| 74 | Pitcairn Islands | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | Visa on arrival | 14 days | |
| 75 | Samoa | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 60 days | Visitor’s Permit on arrival | |
| 76 | Tuvalu | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 30 days | Visitor’s Permit on arrival | |
| 77 | Vanuatu | Oceania (Pacific Islands) | 30 days | ||
| 78 | Suriname | South America | 90 days | ||
| RANKING* | |||||
| 1 to 14 | High score on safety | ||||
| 15 to 44 | Medium score on safety | ||||
| 45 to 49 | Low score on safety | ||||
| 50 | Very low score on safety | ||||
| 51 to 78 | Not included in GPI; safety undertermined |
