What is the safest country in the world?
SAFETY is a top priority for global citizens, especially in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. A survey recently revealed the safest countries to live in based on perception. Being seen as safe is one of nine equally weighted attributes used to develop the Quality of Life sub-ranking in the 2021 Best Countries report, according to US News. The survey is based on a study that surveyed more than 17,000 global citizens from four regions to assess perceptions of 78 countries on 76 different metrics. The survey left safety open to interpretation among its respondents, therefore the safest country list is based on perception. The results are as follows:  Switzerland Denmark Norway Canada New Zealand Finland Sweden Australia Netherlands Austria  Switzerland is one of the worlds wealthiest countries and has been well-known for centuries for its neutrality. It has a population of 8,574,832 people and a GDP of $703 billion. Switzerland has low unemployment, a skilled labor force, and one of the highest gross domestic products per capita in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. Switzerland's Franklin University attributes the country's safety ranking to the "pragmatic and collaborative nature of our culture." 2 Switzerland, Canton Fribourg, Gruyres Credit: Getty  Politically speaking, the Swiss have defined a position of neutrality, which means there are no intense political showdowns and very little crime. The country's strong economy also contributes to its overall safety. "Switzerland reinvests much of its economic success back into its infrastructure, which translates into dependable and modern transportation, healthcare, communication, and education systems. We have the means to survive crises," Franklin University notes. The United States fails to make the top ten safest countries list, coming in at No. 38. The US dropped six places from 2020. Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans think crime is decreasing although its been on a downward trend for the past 2 decades, according to Safewise. New York is by far the most concerned state, while Vermont, Wyoming, and North Dakota are typically the least concerned states, writes the outlet.