This Is the Most Peaceful Country on Earth

If a mellow first stamp in your passport is the goal, one country keeps topping the charts. Iceland has once again been ranked the world's most peaceful nation, holding the No. 1 position on the 2026 Global Peace Index for the 19th year in a row, reports Travel + Leisure. The index, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, evaluates 163 countries and territories using nearly two dozen metrics gauging safety, conflict, and militarization. Iceland, which was comfortably ahead of No. 2 New Zealand, became about 2% more peaceful over the past year. The report credits the nation's lack of a standing army, low crime rate, and strong social cohesion. As for the United States: It languishes in 134th place, with increases in political instability and violent demonstrations. Here, the top 10 most peaceful nations:

1. Iceland
2. New Zealand
3. Switzerland
4. Slovenia
5. Ireland
6. Austria
7. Portugal
8. Singapore
9. Finland
10. Japan

See where other countries ranked here. (Iceland also does well when it comes to happiness.)