Canada has once again been ranked among the world’s most peaceful countries. In the new 2026 Global Peace Index, the country ranked 14th out of 163 countries and territories.
Compared to the 2025 rankings, Canada moved up one spot—from 15th to 14th place. This is not a dramatic leap, but against the backdrop of a general deterioration in the global situation, even a small rise in the ranking stands out.
At the same time, it would not be entirely accurate to call this a “return to the top.” Canada has previously been among the top 20 most peaceful countries in the world and remains the undisputed regional leader.
What Is the Global Peace Index
The Global Peace Index is compiled annually by the Institute for Economics & Peace—an independent think tank that researches security, conflicts, and the economic consequences of violence.
The ranking is not limited to crime rates alone. The authors analyze 23 different indicators, grouped into three broad categories:
- the level of security in society;
- a country’s involvement in domestic and international conflicts;
- the level of militarization.
In particular, the analysis takes into account the number of homicides, perceptions of crime, political instability, violent demonstrations, terrorist threats, military spending, access to weapons, and a country’s involvement in conflicts.
Therefore, the Global Peace Index is not just a list of countries where it is safe to walk at night. It paints a broader picture: how stable a country is, whether it is involved in wars, how many resources it allocates to the military, and how safe its residents feel.
Where Did Canada Rank?
In the 2026 ranking, Canada ranked 14th with an overall score of 1.525. In the Global Peace Index, a lower score indicates a higher level of peacefulness.
Canada also remains the most peaceful country in its region. Its score contrasts sharply with that of the United States, which ranked significantly lower this year.
However, the ranking itself does not mean that there are no issues with public safety, crime, or political tension within Canada. The national ranking aggregates a large number of indicators and does not reflect the situation in each city or province individually.
For example, crime rates and perceptions of safety can vary significantly between a major urban center, the suburbs, and a small community. Therefore, the 14th-place ranking should be viewed as an overall assessment of the country’s stability, rather than a guarantee of uniform safety everywhere.
Who Topped the Ranking
Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful country for the 19th consecutive year.
The top five countries in the 2026 ranking also include:
- Iceland;
- New Zealand;
- Switzerland;
- Slovenia;
- Ireland.
Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan also ranked among the leaders.
Most countries at the top of the ranking have low levels of internal conflict, stable state institutions, relatively low rates of violent crime, and a predictable political system.
Canada and the U.S.: The Gap Remains Wide
The difference between Canada and its closest neighbor is particularly striking.
In 2026, the United States fell to 134th place—the country’s lowest ranking in the history of the Global Peace Index.
According to the report’s authors, the U.S. score declined by approximately 4%. Among the main reasons cited are rising political instability, violent protests, social tensions, and the impact of terrorist threats.
Thus, there is a gap of more than 100 positions between Canada and the U.S. in the ranking. This clearly demonstrates that geographical proximity does not necessarily imply the same level of stability and public safety.
The World Is Becoming Less Peaceful
Canada’s strong performance stands out particularly against the backdrop of the overall situation.
In 2026, the global average peacefulness score declined by 0.7%. This marks the twelfth consecutive year that the global index has trended downward.
Over the past year, a decline was recorded in 99 countries—the highest number in the index’s twenty-year history. In total, 119 countries are less peaceful today than they were when the first ranking was published in 2007.
The number of active state conflicts has reached 61—the highest level since the end of World War II.
The study’s authors also assess the global economic consequences of violence. In 2025, these consequences amounted to approximately 21.8 trillion U.S. dollars, or 10.5% of global gross domestic product.
Which Countries Ended Up at the Bottom of the List
For the first time, Russia became the least peaceful country in the world in 2026.
Further down the ranking were:
- Sudan;
- Democratic Republic of the Congo;
- Ukraine;
- Israel.
These countries’ rankings are directly influenced by wars, the number of deaths and displaced people, military spending, political instability, and protracted internal or international conflicts.
It is precisely the increase in the number and scale of wars that remains the main cause of the decline in global peacefulness.
What the Results Mean for Canadians
For people who already live in Canada or are considering moving there, the 14th-place ranking confirms the country’s overall reputation as stable and relatively safe.
Canada has strong government institutions, is not embroiled in internal armed conflict, and demonstrates significantly better peacefulness indicators than most countries in the world.
However, a single international ranking cannot fully capture everyday life. The sense of safety is also influenced by housing affordability, the economic situation, the state of the healthcare system, homelessness, addiction, local crime, and the quality of municipal services.
Therefore, the Global Peace Index result should be viewed as an important—but not the only—indicator of quality of life and safety.
Canada Maintains a Strong Position
The main conclusion of the new report is that Canada remains among the world’s most peaceful countries and has moved up one spot in the international ranking.
Against the backdrop of a record number of conflicts, rising military spending, and a general deterioration in global security, 14th place is a strong result.
At the same time, this is no reason to ignore domestic issues. A high ranking reflects the country’s overall stability, but maintaining this status depends on how successfully the country addresses public safety, political stability, and social challenges.