180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: Recommend CautionLGBT+ visiting: Recommend Caution
Minsk keeps a monumental Soviet stage-set you won't see anywhere else, and Białowieża's primeval forest shelters Europe's last wild bison. Street crime is genuinely rare. But Belarus is a hard-line autocracy pressed up against a war, so a visit takes preparation, full respect for the rules, and a close eye on the situation. LGBT+ travellers should be very discreet. Not one for casual plans right now.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Belarus: 1.5
Ranked 53rd in the world for the lowest homicide rate.
1.53 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024 — a low rate by world standards.
Lower than 71% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Belarus: 2.3
Ranked 45th least peaceful country in the world.
More peaceful than 27% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 2.267.
Down 2 places since 2024.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Belarus: 5.2
Ranked 39th least free country in the world.
Less free than 84% of the 165 countries measured — 5.20 out of 10.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 4.69; doing business and owning property, 5.92.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Belarus: 2.7
Ranked 69th least equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Ranks behind 64% of the 197 countries scored for LGBT+ equality — 27 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 38 out of 100, everyday attitudes 16.