🇵🇱 Republic of Poland (Polska)
Visiting: Reasonable
Poland is a safe country to visit. Violent crime is close to non-existent, the 18th-lowest homicide rate, and road deaths are low, at 39th. Where it lags, though, is conflict: there is some exposure, placed 98th. Freedom is well protected, women's safety is good and LGBT rights are solid, all ranking between 47th and 60th.
Homicide
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Poland: 0.7
Ranked 18th in the world for the lowest homicide rate.
Why this rank?
Under one killing per 100,000 people a year is inside the line that marks the safest countries.
Is it safe to visit?
Fine for a visitor. One of Europe's lowest rates.
Road Fatalities
Road-traffic deaths per 100,000 people per year — lower is better.
Poland: 6.5
Ranked 39th in the world for the safest roads.
Why this rank?
Six and a half deaths per 100,000 people a year is low but close to seven and a half, which is half the world average.
Is it safe to visit?
Safe by world standards.
Conflict
Conflict deaths inside the country in the last twelve months, as recorded by the Uppsala conflict database, civilians killed on purpose, and any UN sanctions or court order over a war. The worst of those sets the colour. Lower is better.
Poland: 1.85
Ranked 83rd most conflict-affected country in the world.
Why this rank?
No conflict death is recorded in Poland in the year to July 2026. The last was in November 2022, inside the last five years.
Is it safe to visit?
Reasonable. The only conflict death on record is from November 2022, when a stray missile from the war in Ukraine landed on a village near the border. Nothing since.
Freedom
Six freedoms rated 0–4 by Freedom House — protest, speech, press, religion, movement and due process. The weakest rating sets the colour, and the total places the country inside it — higher is better.
Poland: 8.10
Ranked 47th freest country in the world.
Why this rank?
In Poland 4 of the six freedoms are rated 3 and the rest higher. Total 20 of 24.
Is it safe to visit?
The 2023 change of government has been repairing the independence of state institutions. Five freedoms are one step from the top, and civil liberties are generally upheld.
LGBT Rights
LGBT equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Poland: 5.1
Ranked 60th most equal in the world for LGBT people.
Why this rank?
Never criminalised under Polish law, but no partnership recognition, and the last LGBT-free zones were rescinded only under EU pressure. The law index sits at 59, public opinion at 43.
Is it safe to visit?
Fine, with discretion. The climate is thawing after the 2023 change of government, Warsaw Pride is huge and young opinion is shifting fast.
Women's Safety
Women's safety — feeling safe out at night, political violence against women, a fair hearing in court, and how normal violence at home is, with the night figure setting a floor on the colour — higher is better.
Poland: 8.05
Ranked 49th safest country in the world for women.
Why this rank?
Violence at home is rare and sixty percent of women feel safe out alone at night. The courts rate only fairly for women, and that is what holds it back.
Is it safe to visit?
Poland is a safe country for a woman travelling alone.