Global homicide and peace index data reveal that several countries Americans perceive as risky are statistically safer than parts of Europe and the United States.
Perceptions about safety often shape where Americans choose to travel, but those perceptions are not always accurate. According to the Global Peace Index, several countries that many travelers view with caution actually rank among the safest in the world. This is based on measures such as crime rates, political stability, and overall security. These findings highlight a clear gap between reputation and reality.
Much of that disconnect comes from outdated news coverage, stereotypes, or a lack of firsthand experience. In reality, many of these destinations offer welcoming communities, reliable infrastructure, and low levels of violent crime.
Morocco: Headlines of unrest, streets of routine
For many Americans, “Morocco” still conjures instability. UN Office on Drugs and Crime data tell a calmer story. The UNODC-based table compiled by Statbase reports a Moroccan intentional homicide rate of about 1.71 per 100,000 people in 2023. The latest global estimate is 5.61 per 100,000. Morocco sits well below that line.
Tourism numbers reinforce the sense of normalcy. Reuters, citing Morocco’s tourism ministry, reported a record 14.5 million tourist arrivals in 2023. That was a 34 percent increase from 2022.
Half of those arrivals were Moroccans living abroad, voting with their plane tickets about where they feel safe visiting family. A country that is planning for 26 million visitors by 2030 is not quietly falling apart. It is quietly opening more hotel wings.
Oman: A quiet gulf outlier
The Gulf often gets painted with one brush, but Oman’s numbers are striking. UNODC-based data show Oman with an intentional homicide rate of just 0.139 per 100,000 people in 2023. That places it among the lowest in the world. Qatar, for comparison, records 0.069. Both beat many European countries.
Oman’s own data portal reports a homicide rate for 2023 that rounds to roughly 0.31 when measured in raw counts, still extremely low for a population of about 4.7 million. The Global Peace Index 2025 snapshot lists Oman around 42nd, with a peace score of 1.738, better than many Western states. For a visitor used to U.S. rates near 5.8 per 100,000, the streets of Muscat and Salalah are statistically a relief, whatever their reputation back home.
Vietnam: War movies, not current reality
American pop culture froze Vietnam in a single decade. The modern country looks very different on paper. The 2025 Global Peace Index puts Vietnam tied for 38th place worldwide, with a peace score of 1.721. That positions it ahead of several European nations.
Tourism numbers tell their own story of safety by routine. Vietnam’s General Statistics Office reported 12.6 million international tourist arrivals in 2023. The Tourism Information Technology Center noted that this was 3.5 times the 2022 total. Each of the last six months of 2023 brought in over 1 million visitors, with December peaking at 1.37 million.
You do not get that kind of steady flow if word of mouth says “danger.” You get it when the worst thing most visitors face is a scooter jam or a confusing menu.
Jordan: Regional fire, local stillness
Jordan sits in a rough neighborhood, but its internal numbers are calm. TheGlobalEconomy.com, summarizing UNODC data, lists Jordan’s homicide rate at 1.4 per 100,000 people in 2017. The long-term average from 1990 to 2017 is 2.0. The maximum recorded was 4.5 in 1994. The country has trended low and stable for decades.
Global Peace Index tables usually place Jordan in the safer half of nations, far from the bottom. The U.S. State Department often assigns it a travel advisory of Level 2 or even Level 1 in many areas, meaning “exercise normal precautions.”
In practice, that translates into Amman cafes filled late into the evening, families in parks, and long lines at falafel stands. The instability most Americans associate with “the Middle East” often happens across borders, not on these specific streets.
Malaysia: Misfiled under “chaotic Asia”
Malaysia rarely makes U.S. news unless something goes wrong on an airline. The Global Peace Index 2024 list, summarized by the Times of India, places Malaysia as the 10th safest in the world with a peace score of 1.427. It sits just behind Slovenia and Denmark on that list. That is not the profile of a risky destination.
UNODC-based homicide tables put Malaysia’s intentional homicide rate well below the global average. The country’s tourism authorities keep targeting about 27 million visitors annually in their strategic plans, a number they approached regularly before the pandemic.
Kuala Lumpur’s late-night food courts and Penang’s streetscape are the daily evidence that “dangerous” is not the right file folder here. “Noisy, layered, and largely safe” comes closer.
South Korea: Headlines of missiles, streets of routine
When Americans hear “Korea,” they often think of North Korean missile tests. South Korea’s safety metrics belong to another universe. UNODC-based data lists South Korea’s homicide rate at 0.477 per 100,000 people in 2023. That is lower than Norway’s 0.725 and far below the U.S. rate of about 5.76.
The Global Peace Index 2025 ranks South Korea 41st, with a peace score of 1.736. It has been edging upward in the rankings, not downward. The U.S. State Department typically rates South Korea as Level 1, its safest category for travel.
Millions of tourists wander Seoul’s neon districts every year with more risk from scooter traffic and high sodium diets than from geopolitics. The nightly news and the nightly subway commute do not tell the same story.
Taiwan: Tension on maps, calm on pavement
Taiwan often appears in U.S. conversations as a flashpoint, yet its domestic safety is robust. The Global Peace Index 2025 places Taiwan 40th with a peace score of 1.730. That keeps it firmly in the more peaceful third of ranked countries.
UNODC homicide tables show East Asian peers with low rates. South Korea sits at 0.477 per 100,000. Japan is similarly low. Taiwan’s detailed homicide rate is not in the truncated snippet, but regional patterns and local crime statistics place it far below global averages. For visitors in Taipei’s night markets, the largest visible risk is getting lost in an alley of food stalls and underestimating how late the trains run.
Botswana: An African exception Americans rarely see
For many Americans, “Africa” is a single, dangerous place in their minds. Botswana’s data undercut that mental shortcut. The Global Peace Index 2025 ranks Botswana 43rd, with a peace score of 1.743. That places it ahead of many larger countries that inspire far less fear in U.S. travelers.
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UNODC linked homicide data list Botswana with a rate far below regional hotspots, and closer to some Latin American middle performers. The country’s political stability and relatively low corruption have made it a long-term case study in African governance classrooms.
Safari operators rely heavily on repeat visitors, who are not in the habit of coming back to places where they genuinely feel unsafe. The idea that Botswana is “dangerous” says more about Western ignorance than about Gaborone after dark.
Romania: Horror tropes, not current stats
Romania’s global brand still fights with vampire stories and images from the 1990s. The Global Peace Index 2025 lists Romania tied for 38th place, with a peace score of 1.721. That is the same score as Vietnam’s and better than several Western countries.
UNODC-based homicide data put Romania’s intentional homicide rate in 2023 at around 2.54 per 100,000. That is below the global rate and far below many American cities. The European Union’s free movement rules have made it normal for Romanians to live and work across the continent.
They have also made it common for tourists to treat Bucharest city breaks like trips to Prague or Budapest. The danger most Americans imagine belongs to old movies, not to the contemporary crime tables.
Croatia: War footage that never updated
For older Americans, Croatia is still mentally filed under “Balkan war.” The current metrics say “Adriatic holiday.” UNODC linked data show Croatia’s homicide rate at 0.667 per 100,000 people in 2023. That is lower than the rates recorded for the United States, many Latin American countries, and even some Western European states.
The Global Peace Index often ranks Croatia in the safer tier of European nations. Tourism statistics, though not detailed in the snippet, have recorded tens of millions of overnight stays in recent years. Coastal towns like Dubrovnik and Split now handle cruise ship waves as a matter of routine. A destination that can host that many visitors without constant incident reports is not secretly dangerous. It is simply crowded in July.
Egypt: Fear of the region, not the Numbers
Egypt’s image in the U.S. has been shaped by revolution footage and security warnings. UNODC-based homicide data list Egypt with an intentional homicide rate of 1.31 per 100,000 as of 2017. That is less than a quarter of the current global average. It is also lower than rates in several Latin American tourist favorites.
Safety around demonstrations and specific regions still matters. But for the typical traveler walking through Giza, Luxor, or Aswan on a guided tour, the everyday risk of violent crime is not what the Western imagination suggests.
The U.S. State Department’s own advisory system distinguishes between high-risk areas and tourism corridors, often rating the latter at levels that boil down to “pay attention,” not “do not go.” The pyramids sit under heavy security. The danger many Americans feel is more psychic than statistical.
Key takeaway
Many perceptions about safety are shaped more by headlines and outdated narratives than by current realities. A key takeaway is that travelers who rely on verified data, local insights, and recent reports often discover that several countries with “dangerous” reputations are, in fact, stable, welcoming, and safe for visitors. Challenging these assumptions can open the door to richer cultural experiences and more informed global awareness.
Ultimately, the gap between perception and reality highlights the importance of critical thinking when it comes to international travel. By questioning stereotypes and doing a bit of research, Americans can avoid missing out on destinations that offer both security and unique experiences. Reputation does not always reflect the present-day truth.
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Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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