This is the most unsafe country in the world, according to 2025 Safety Index

Haiti recorded a score of just 19.0 out of 100, positioning it at the bottom of the list. (AFP file photo)

In a year marked by mounting global insecurity, the 2025 Numbeo Safety Index has ranked Haiti as the most unsafe country in the world.

Haiti recorded a score of just 19.0 out of 100, positioning it at the bottom of the list. The nation has been grappling with a near-total collapse of governance and public security, as heavily-armed gangs continue to tighten their grip over large parts of the country. Though the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, has become the epicentre of violence, gang activity now continues to spread far beyond, engulfing neighbouring provinces as well.

To be noted, a report by the United Nations Human Rights Office and the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) released July 11 mentions that more than 4,860 people have been killed between October 2024 and June 2025. Over 1,000 of those deaths occurred in areas outside the capital, and over 620 people have been abducted. The UN further warns that the expansion of gang territory poses a significant threat to regional stability and could soon escalate transnational trafficking in arms and people.

Other countries ranked among the bottom 10 include Papua New Guinea (19.3), Venezuela (19.5), Afghanistan (24.8), and South Africa (25.4).

These nations have been combating a mix of challenges, including civil conflict and economic collapse, along with rampant crime and weak law enforcement. South Africa, particularly, continues to struggle with high rates of assault, armed robbery, and homicide.

Meanwhile, Andorra, a small and peaceful state in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, has been named the safest country. Andorra earned the highest safety score of 84.7, thanks to its low crime levels, stable governance, and efficient policing. The principality's consistent investment in public safety has made it a standout performer globally.

The UAE, Qatar, and Oman -- Gulf nations that have ramped up their security through constant surveillance, vigil, infrastructure, clubbed with community policing -- are other countries that rank in the top five.

Notably, the 2025 rankings also reveal a shift in global safety perceptions, with traditional Western powers trailing behind.

The U.S. was ranked 89th (50.8), while the UK came in at 87th (51.7).

India has, in the meantime, shown considerable progress, moving up to 66th place,  score 55.7.

Remarkably, this progress puts India ahead of both the U.S. and UK, and just behind Pakistan (65th, 56.3). China led the region with a ranking of 15th (76.0), followed by Sri Lanka (59th, 57.9).

Bangladesh, however, stands far behind at 126th (38.4).

Stronger urban policing, expanded use of surveillance technology, and increased community involvement in public safety are being considered the primary factors that pushed up India's rankings this year.

The Numbeo Safety Index is a crowdsourced ranking based on perceptions rather than official crime data. It evaluates various indicators, including how safe people feel during the day and night, their concerns about theft, harassment, and violent crime, and their confidence in law enforcement.