TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan has cemented its reputation as a haven of safety and security, claiming the prestigious fourth position in Numbeo's 2025 global safety index published in mid-March. The comprehensive assessment, which scrutinized 146 countries and territories worldwide, particularly praised Taiwan's remarkably low incidence of violent crime and theft. This outstanding ranking reinforces Taiwan's status as one of the world's safest destinations for both residents and international visitors amid growing global security concerns.
The diminutive European principality of Andorra captured the top position with an impressive safety score of 84.7, setting the gold standard for global security. Taiwan's exemplary safety record is underscored by its 2018 statistics, which revealed just 1,207 criminal incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. Even more striking, homicides accounted for only 2.3 of these cases — a figure substantially lower than international averages. These statistics illustrate the exceptional effectiveness of Taiwan's law enforcement and social cohesion in maintaining public safety.
The methodology behind Numbeo's influential safety index incorporated a multifaceted evaluation of both objective crime rates and subjective perceptions of security. Researchers analyzed how safe residents and tourists felt walking alone during daylight hours and after dark — crucial metrics of public confidence in local security. The comprehensive assessment examined a spectrum of criminal activities including homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, personal attacks, harassment, discrimination, and property crimes. The index employed a 100-point scale, with higher scores reflecting superior safety conditions.
Three Middle Eastern nations — the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman — secured positions immediately following Taiwan in the prestigious top five. The findings painted a starkly different picture for several Western powers, with the United Kingdom languishing at 87th place with a safety score of 51.7, while the United States performed marginally worse at 89th position, scoring 50.8. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Venezuela occupied the unenviable position of least safe nation globally, ranking 146th with a dismal safety rating of just 19.3 — highlighting the profound disparity in security conditions worldwide.
