180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: Not RecommendedLGBT+ visiting: Not Recommended
Cuba runs on ingenuity, and you'll fall for it even when nothing works. Old Havana crumbling in the best light on earth, the tobacco valley of Viñales, Trinidad's cobbles, classic cars held together by pure stubbornness. It's calm and, surprisingly, one of the region's better places for LGBT+ travellers. Shortages are real, so bring cash, patience and everything you can't do without.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Cuba: 5.0
Ranked 70th in the world for the highest homicide rate.
An estimated 5.01 homicides per 100,000 people — an elevated rate by world standards. The 2021 estimate is the freshest figure that exists.
Higher than 60% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Cuba: 2.1
Ranked 62nd least peaceful country in the world.
More peaceful than 37% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 2.123.
Down 2 places since 2024.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Cuba: 3.9
Ranked 10th least free country in the world.
The Human Freedom Index needs economic data Cuba doesn't publish, so this 3.85 is our own estimate — built with the index's published method: the same 12 categories of personal and economic freedom, equally weighted.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 4.76; doing business and owning property, 2.58. Scored from the index's own underlying sources — V-Dem, Freedom House, UNODC, CPJ and World Bank data.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Cuba: 7.7
Ranked 14th most equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Better for LGBT+ equality than 92% of the 197 countries scored — 77 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 87 out of 100, everyday attitudes 66.