What are the safest countries to travel to in 2024? A new report from International SOS, a travel security and medical risk services company, offers invaluable information for travelers.
International SOS recently published its annual report Risk map 2024, which predicts the world's safest countries, riskiest countries, and biggest problems travelers will face in the coming year. In a time of many travel uncertainties, from global security to geopolitical tensions, knowing the safest places to visit is more crucial than ever.
The International SOS risk map examines several areas of risk, including security risks, medical risks and mental health risks. This year, International SOS also added climate-related risks, due to rising global temperatures. Countries are divided into five risk levels, ranging from insignificant to extreme, depending on the category.
Iceland is the safest country in the world, according to a recent report from International SOS.
The safest countries in the world
So, where are the safest places to travel in 2024? International SOS security notes are based on various factors, including political violence, social unrest, as well as violent and petty crime. Other factors include transport infrastructure, industrial relations, the effectiveness of security and emergency services, and vulnerability to natural disasters.
The risk map reveals that Scandinavian countries, known for their stability and effective governance, continue to be among the safest travel destinations. According to International SOS, Iceland tops the list of safest places in the world to visit. The country ranks first for a number of reasons, including low rates of violent crime, a lack of political violence, and low levels of violence against foreigners.
Coming in second on the list is Luxembourg, which poses minimal threats to the safety of travelers. Norway, Switzerland and Denmark complete the list of the five safest countries. The security of these large countries is attributed to their stable political climate, strong law enforcement, and low rates of crime and violence.
Other countries with insignificant levels of security risk include Slovenia, Finland and Greenland.
When it comes to travel security, the United States is listed as low risk, but not the lowest. This is the second of five categories.
In some regions, the risk rating has decreased. Most notably, International SOS's risk ratings for El Salvador and parts of Nepal have been lowered following sustained downward trends due to a number of factors.
The stability of the safest countries contrasts sharply with the situation of the most risky countries, which are plagued by political unrest and minimal government control. According to International SOS, the country most at risk in the world is South Sudan, followed by Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Somalia.
Countries like Australia are low on International SOS's list of medical risks.
Medical risks
Having access to healthcare while traveling is a major concern and according to International SOS, 60% of travelers say the possibility of experiencing a medical emergency while traveling is the biggest risk factor. take out travel insurance. International SOS bases its ranking on a series of location-specific factors.
In terms of medical safety, International SOS recognizes countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and most countries in Europe and the United Kingdom for their low risks, largely due to their advanced medical infrastructure and services.
According to International SOS, some of the countries with the highest medical risk include North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, to name a few.
According to International SOS, New Zealand is one of the least risky countries when it comes to … (+)
Climate risks
The addition of climate change considerations to the risk map highlights the growing importance of environmental factors in travel planning. Rankings are based on data from INFORM Climate Change Risk Index.
“Extreme heat events this year, with the first heatwave ever named hitting Europe, could become commonplace. In addition to the physical impacts of extreme heat, there can be significant negative effects on mental health,” Dr. Irene Lai, global medical director of International SOS, said in a statement.
According to International SOS, some of the countries least likely to face climate risks include the Scandinavian countries (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark), as well as countries like Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand. Zeeland.
When it comes to climate change, International SOS ranks the United States as low risk – second best out of five categories.
When it comes to the highest levels of climate risk, many Central African countries rank highly, according to International SOS, including Mali, Chad, Ethiopia and Mozambique. Elsewhere, countries likely to face elevated risks from the impacts of climate change include the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and India.
According to International SOS, Vietnam is one of the least at-risk countries in terms of mental health. … (+)
Mental health risks
International SOS also ranks countries based on mental health risks, looking at the share of the population suffering from mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia. These estimates use data compiled by the Institute for Health Measurement and Evaluation.
According to International SOS, Vietnam is listed as one of the countries least likely to have mental health risks.
International SOS ranks the United States in the highest category for mental health problems: it is the fourth highest risk level out of five categories.
According to International SOS, some of the countries most at risk for mental health problems include Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Iran.
