180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: Highly RecommendedLGBT+ visiting: Highly Recommended
Tallinn's medieval old town is the fairy-tale one, walls and towers intact, but Estonia's real party trick is being the world's most digital country — you can pay for everything, everywhere, and the wifi outruns most capitals. Out of town there are bog trails at Lahemaa and the windmill island of Saaremaa. Safe, free and quietly excellent. The winters are long and dark; the saunas exist for a reason.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Estonia: 1.8
Ranked 57th in the world for the lowest homicide rate.
1.76 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024 — a low rate by world standards.
Lower than 69% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Estonia: 1.6
Ranked 33rd most peaceful country in the world.
More peaceful than 85% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 1.559.
Down 2 places since 2024.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Estonia: 8.8
Ranked 8th freest country in the world.
One of the ten freest countries on Earth — scoring 8.85 out of 10.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 9.63; doing business and owning property, 7.76.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Estonia: 5.8
Ranked 45th most equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Better for LGBT+ equality than 77% of the 197 countries scored — 58 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 73 out of 100, everyday attitudes 44.