Still, Germany ranks highly in other areas, including cost of living (it’s 27th, sandwiched between Canada and Belgium) and happiness (16th). Norway has been a symbol of peace for decades thanks to Alfred Nobel, inventor of the Nobel Peace Prize, who in 1990 decided that a Norwegian panel would be responsible for selecting the award recipient. Europe is still the most peaceful region in the world, and has been for years. A lot of people say that we must strive towards making our mind the most peaceful place in the world. Copyright © 2020 Big Seven Media |

The bad news?

The country's rising violent-crime rate may cause pause in travelers, but on the whole, this is still a safe, peaceful place to venture to for extraordinary nature and culturally rich cities. New Study Reveals the Best Coffee Cities in America, The Top US Camping Destinations For Fall 2020, 17 Stunning US States To Enjoy Fall Foliage In This Year, The 50 Best Places To Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2020, 7 Great Restaurants in NYC & Brooklyn for Outdoor Dining, Bermuda Is Offering Year-Long Residencies to Remote Workers and Students. Coffeeholic? But pickpocketing and petty theft can be a problem in big cities, so it’s a good idea to be extra vigilant while traveling in places like Prague. There is, however, one caveat to all this positivity: the country’s militarization score, regional rank and overall GPI have all deteriorated a bit since 2017. Venice has also been described as one of the most romantic cities in the world. The U.S. News and World Report ranks Slovenia as 42nd for quality of life, with above average scores for affordability and safety. Global peacefulness has declined for the fourth time in the last five years, according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI) report..

The city enjoys Mediterranean climate, which makes it a popular year round destination. It should come as little surprise that this country known for Buddhism and laws to restrict over-tourism is among the world's 20 most peaceful countries. To this day, it remains a mystery why Nobel asked a Norwegian committee to select the peace prize, when Swedish committees were tasked with selecting the others. The many ashrams of India and Nepal all do different things, and it’s important to do your research to find out which one will be right for you. We’re blessed with being born on a planet that bestows us with wonders whether we look high or low.

Travelers, take note: this country known for its fairytale charm and hygge philosophy on contentment will keep you safe and happy. Only two of the nine regions in the world improved in peacefulness in 2020: North America and Russia and Eurasia.

When announcing that they don’t want to deal with conflict, many people proclaim “I’m Switzerland!”.

Its famous landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge and Chinatown. The 2018 World Happiness Report additionally ranked Iceland as the fourth happiest country based on criteria like life expectancy, freedom and generosity. Australia also has a low incarceration rate (just 172 prisoners per 100,000 residents) — though, like a majority of countries in the world, that rate has risen gradually since 1950. Petty theft can occur in the busy season and in larger cities like Helsinki, but a majority of the country maintains low crime rates. Paris is considered as one of the greenest cities in the world. A nationwide love for sports and outdoor activities accounts for long life expectancy here, and the country ranks high in all aspects of quality of life besides affordability. After that, citizens need to take a three-day class with a passing grade and provide proof of safe gun storage. Overall global peace levels dipped 0.27% from the year before, the fourth year in a row that the world has become less peaceful. Fortunately, this military presence has minimal impact on tourists, who can enjoy a country that’s not only exceptionally safe, but exceptionally (and famously) clean. According to the most recent OECD Economic Survey, the Czech Republic economy “is thriving” with 4.6% growth in 2017. Thanks to these factors, Mauritius is the most peaceful in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, just above Botswana. Photo Courtesy: ChrisYunker, This city, located in New Zealand, has a safe democracy with no active enemies. Belgium compels dreams of romantic Renaissance architecture, medieval castles and, now, peace. Rates of crime are low here, and the political scene is relatively low-key. The biggest increases for peace took place in the Russian and Eurasian region—thanks to a decline in the number of deaths from conflict and terrorism—while Afghanistan was ranked least peaceful, replacing Syria, which sat at the bottom of the list in 2018. What awaits those who travel to this wholly pleasant country? As for the least peaceful place in the world? It is one of the finest places to travel. The World’s Most Peaceful Countries. You also begin to realize the lawlessness of the world on the outside, and to not be swept away but it when you return. Even more impressive, peaceful military levels helped Slovenia remain in the top 30, with a militarization score ranking above more overall-peaceful countries like Austria, Bhutan and Japan. Photo Courtesy: eGuide Travel, The capital city of Netherlands is 4th on this list. The city is known to be among the most charming cities in the world. We strongly recommend travelling as light as you can, and to really take in the gorgeous landscapes and sprawling vistas.

There is no fear of crime here. The government website for New Zealand immigration credits this status to the country’s low amount of violent crime and lack of community issues. It’s important to know that feelings are grounded in places as much as they are in people; being in the right place at the right time can unlock emotions you weren’t in touch with for a long time. According to the GPI report, other countries within the Asia-Pacific region are following suit. Plus it boasts a low crime rate — good news for travelers looking to take in the natural assets of this European beauty. After a troubled past (it was once one of the poorest countries in the world and was one of the hardest affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic), the country has risen to become the second most peaceful nation in the Sub-Saharan African region. Most people experience this feeling at least once in their lifetimes, and many more search for it again for the rest of their lives. In the 21st century where people are getting busy, one would love to go on a holiday to some exotic yet peaceful location. Norway went down a few pegs from 14th most peaceful in 2017 to 16th in 2018. Ashrams are for people of all faiths, including Christians. 5 Things You Can Do Everyday To Stay Happy, 5 Influential Persons In History Whose Life Will Motivate You, 10 Easy Ways to Enjoy Every Moment of Life. New Zealand ranked number one for peacefulness in the Asia-Pacific region, beating out both Singapore and Japan. Corruption within governments can dramatically impact the levels of peacefulness in a country, as the government is mostly responsible for the three main criteria that make a country peaceful (militarization, societal safety and security, and ongoing domestic and international conflict). Even though Norway is positioned at the low end of the list for Nordic countries, behind Denmark (5), Finland (15) and Sweden (14), it still comes in as the 16th most peaceful country in the world. The 2020 Olympics to be held in Tokyo have the potential to boost Japan’s economy (not to mention its tourism infrastructure) even more, so now's an especially good time to visit. Traveling around New Zealand is easy. The Institute for Economics and Peace recently released its findings for the 2018 Global Peace Index (GPI), the world’s leading measurement on global peacefulness. Better still, the location allows for a unique preservation of culture and landscape. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is still  a peaceful place on the whole, touting few internal conflicts and low levels of political instability. Photo Courtesy: Mike_fleming, The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is famous for its contemporary culture that is still alive, making its mark in modern Europe. Due to high levels of work-life balance, income equality, health care and good education (its literacy rate is 100%! Photo Courtesy: World Economic Forum, This city of California holds the 10th spot in the list of the most peaceful places in the world.

Famous for the SkyWalk and picturesque landscapes, it ranks 3rd on the list. Slovakia recorded improvements in safety and security, as well as a decline in external conflict.

Why? Photo Courtesy: wlappe, Situated in Central Hungary, on the banks of River Danube, this city is also called "capital of freedom". They’ll help you connect with yourself, and the people in your lives. It makes up for this by being one of only four countries that can boast of zero tensions with neighboring countries, and no recent involvement in any domestic or international conflicts. People are always safe. To start off with, there are the hundreds of temples made around Mount Koya. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, with a total country population of under 1 million, Bhutan houses monasteries and shrines devoted to one of the most peaceful religions in the world. According to the GPI report, Belgium has low amounts of internal conflict, political terror and deaths from external conflicts. Here are 10 peaceful places where you will surely find happiness. It’s no surprise to discover this tranquil Northern European country made the cut. The Netherlands ranks 6th in the world for happiness (with Germany as 15th), thanks largely to the country’s acceptance of foreign-born citizens and a high life expectancy.

Perhaps it’s the quiet peacefulness of Reykjavik juxtaposed with the grandiosity of the Northern Lights. The country also has relatively low levels of crime, especially compared to the United States, where crime levels are roughly four times as high. It would be an experience of a lifetime for us to visit any of these places, away from our busy monotonous lives. Photo Courtesy: photographerglen The second is the Las Lajas Sanctuary in Colombia. No charge. In other words, there's a lot to recommend this peaceful country.

What’s more, the country also has nuclear weapons capability, which affects the GPI score in terms of future warfare impacts. The biggest thing holding the country back from a higher spot is its militarization; Singapore remains one of the most heavily militarized countries in the world, and as it faces regional tensions and increased military spending by neighbors, this doesn’t look likely to change anytime soon.