180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: RecommendedLGBT+ visiting: Recommend Caution
Kazakhstan is the easy way into Central Asia: Almaty is a leafy, mountain-backed city where the skiing and hiking start at the tram line, and out east there's Charyn Canyon and the singing dunes of Altyn-Emel. Travel is straightforward and safety solid. Politics is managed from the top, so it's wise to stay off that topic, and LGBT+ travellers will want some discretion.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Kazakhstan: 2.5
Ranked 78th in the world for the lowest homicide rate.
2.55 homicides per 100,000 people in 2022 — a low rate by world standards.
Lower than 57% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Kazakhstan: 1.9
Ranked 73rd most peaceful country in the world.
More peaceful than 66% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 1.875.
Up 5 places since 2024.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Kazakhstan: 6.3
Ranked 70th least free country in the world.
Less free than 63% of the 165 countries measured — 6.38 out of 10.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 6.06; doing business and owning property, 6.84.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Kazakhstan: 2.2
Ranked 64th least equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Ranks behind 71% of the 197 countries scored for LGBT+ equality — 22 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 33 out of 100, everyday attitudes 11.