180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: Not RecommendedLGBT+ visiting: Not Recommended
The Galápagos still deliver the thing nobody quite believes: wildlife that simply doesn't move away from you. Quito's old town was UNESCO's first-ever listing, and the Avenue of Volcanoes runs south from its doorstep. Coastal violence has spiked in recent years, so most travellers now fly straight through Guayaquil or skip it — the highlands and the islands run much calmer.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Ecuador: 39.0
Ranked 5th in the world for the highest homicide rate.
38.95 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024 — a high rate by any standard.
Higher than 96% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Ecuador: 2.5
Ranked 35th least peaceful country in the world.
More peaceful than 21% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 2.459.
Holding steady — unchanged since 2024.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Ecuador: 6.8
Ranked 89th freest country in the world.
Less free than 51% of the 165 countries measured — 6.85 out of 10.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 7.22; doing business and owning property, 6.32.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Ecuador: 6.5
Ranked 38th most equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Better for LGBT+ equality than 80% of the 197 countries scored — 65 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 89 out of 100, everyday attitudes 42.