Singapore – one of the safest countries in the world
Why Living Overseas is Better pt 2 – Lower Crime / Higher Safety
Most Americans seem to believe the ‘world out there’ is dangerous- more dangerous than the USA. As far as I can glean, the average American thinks most other countries in the world have higher crime rates, poor sanitation conditions and dodgy living conditions. I suppose the logic goes something like this, “If it’s already somewhat dangerous here in modern, sophisticated, 1st world America, then it must be even more dangerous out there!”
In fact, the opposite is true, with a few note-able exceptions of nations at war, of course. Unbeknownst to most Americans, the USA is actually one of the most dangerous countries to live or travel in, not one of the safest!
In case you don’t believe me, go take a look at this website, NationMaster, which lists statistics for all the countries of the world: statistics on various crime rates, health conditions, geographical information, population figures and many other stats.
In fact, here’s one of their crime stat charts for you to view right now.
The following chart shows statistical comparisons of Total Crime Rates in all the countries of the world:
Total Crime Statistics for all countries of the world – NationMaster
You see how the USA has the highest number of crimes? But not by a narrow margin, by a huge huge margin. The truth is that the USA has farrrrr more crime than any other country in the world!
But look more closely. The 2nd and 3rd most crime-ridden countries in the world have only half the number of crimes as the USA.
Consider the implications. As soon as you leave the USA and enter any other country of the world, including the world’s other most crime-ridden countries, you have already reduced your exposure to crime by at least half. Half! 50% less crime. And that’s if you visit the world’s 2nd and 3rd most crime-ridden countries, England and Germany.
The world’s 4th most crime-ridden country, France, has only 1/3 the crime of the USA. In France you’re exposed to 65% less crime than in the US.
The world’s 5th through 9th most crime-ridden countries have only roughly 1/4th the crime as the USA. You’re exposed to 75% less crime in those five countries.
By the time we reach the world’s 10th most crime-ridden country, India, it has only about 12% the crime rate of the USA. India. I’m willing to bet that you think of India as somewhat dangerous. Right? Facts show that India is actually much less crime-ridden that the USA, not more. In fact, the USA has 700% more crime than India. Think about that for a while.
But thus far we’ve only discussed the world’s 10 most crime-ridden countries.
That means the remaining nearly190 countries of the world have less than 12% the crime as America!
So 95% of the world’s nations have crime rates that are mere fractions, a mere pittance of America’s crime rates.
And that’s just ‘Total Crime’ Stats. Check out a couple more statistical crime charts.
Murders by Firearms – NationMaster
Murders by firearms: USA #4
Ok, here’s one that most people might already realize that the US is going to rank high on. In fact, it’s ranked #4. I have to admit I was surprised the USA wasn’t #1 in this category. Still, this shows that only 3 countries in the world have more murders by firearms than the USA. The remaining 190+ countries of the world have many less firearm murders. As with total crimes, way way less.
By the time we reach #9, Zimbabwe, there’s only roughly 5% the number of firearm murders. Zimbabwe is in Africa. I bet you thought African countries were dangerous, didn’t you?
The remaining countries of the world have the tiniest little fraction of firearm murders. Look at #11,Germany, for instance., with only 269 murders as compared to the USA with 9369. See what I mean here?
Crime Stats- Assaults – nationMaster
Assaults: USA, #7.
Only 6 countries in the world have more assaults than in the USA. That means the remaining 190+ countries of the world have fewer assaults than in the US, much fewer.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Ststs – NationMaster
Death by Motor Vehicles: USA #1 with 15.5+ deaths per 100,000 people.
So, did you come to this blog post believing the USA was a safe country? Did you believe ‘the world out there is dangerous’? Think again.
I have to admit that I didn’t always know this either. Before I left the USA back in 1991, I also suspected that poor and developing countries might be a tad dangerous. I also believed, naturally (as an American), that South America and Mexico were crazy dangerous. We Americans are all intentionally lead to believe those un-truths.
How did it dawn on me that the USA is the more dangerous country, not the reverse?
Well, I didn’t learn about it from statistical charts like these. I realized it all first hand by living overseas.
Me in kimono with sensei. attending a tea ceremony in Kyoto, Japan
I first experienced this eye-opening revelation when I moved to Kyoto, Japan in 1991. Within one month of arriving in Japan, I felt the amazing sensation of stress and worry literally flowing off my body in droves. I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying a long-term, constant dull sensation of worry for my safety… until that moment in my life.
I pondered, “What was all that stress washing off my body, vanishing from my being?” I realized that I actually felt safe as a single woman living solo for the first time in my life! I realized that the vanishing stress was the stress of living in the USA!
Growing up and living in the USA as a young adult woman, I always had a nagging worry – a subconscious awareness – that I could be mugged in a parking lot or along a sidewalk, I could be raped just about anywhere, my apartment could be robbed or burglarized. Any of those acts of violence, anytime at all. I was so accustomed to living that way that I didn’t even realize I felt unsafe or stressed.
me with English School staff in Osaka – Japan
But moving to Japan taught me what it’s like to live daily life feeling safe. Safe! I was safe. What a wonderful feeling, to live in safety!
Here’s an even more eye-opening realization. Refer back to the first chart ‘Total Crimes’. Japan is listed as the 6th most crime-ridden country in the world. Even so, I felt immeasurably safer there than Stateside. And well I should have- even as the world’s 6th most crime-ridden society, Japan has only 20% the crime rate as the US. You can literally feel the difference.
Since leaving Japan in 1997, I have traveled solo through remote the rural areas, towns and cities of 25 countries of the world, mostly in Asia. I’ve traveled solo through modern cities and poor developing countries. I’ve walked city streets alone at night, wandered along empty beaches, camped solo in forests and on mountains, gone out clubbing in some of the biggest cities in the world. And with few exceptions, I’ve always felt safe. I’ve never encountered any threats, mishaps or danger. In 14 years of solo world travels to 25 countries!
Java Volcano Hikes – Java – Indonesia
But don’t just take my word for it. Go ask other travel bloggers and long-term travelers their experiences. Read through their blogs. They’ve also found most countries of the world to be safe: quite safe or exceptionally safe or relatively safe. In fact, I don’t’ know any travelers who have found other countries of the world to be as dangerous or more dangerous than the USA. There’s a reason for that. The world is actually safer out there than in America. Just like the stats show.
If you’re still skeptical, don’t just take all the dozens of travel bloggers’ word for it. Go check out the statistics on NationMaster for some eye-opening perspectives on the world and on the lack of safety in the USA. Then think a little bit. What’s going on?
Lash at ryokan – Japan
One thing I know for myself is this:
After I experienced living daily life in safety way back in 1991, I decided then and there that I was not going to subject myself to living under the threat of danger ever again. Why should I – or anyone else for that matter- have to continuously worry about potentially getting mugged or robbed or raped or burglarized? That’s completely crazy, if you stop to think about it a few minutes.
So many countries of the world offer safe living conditions, that I’ll just stick with those places, thank you very much.
As far as I’m concerned, living life with low crime rates and therefore feeling safe is one of the best reasons why Living Overseas is Better.
See pt 1 of Why Living Overseas is Better – Financial Benefits
Catch the rest of this series Why Living Overseas is Better, coming up soon!
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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