How safe is Croatia? Above average, says a Gallup global report, but with some surprising countries ahead of it.
Although published last September, the Gallup Global Law and Order Index 2015 started doing the rounds on Croatian social media circles on January 22, 2016, as Croatia’s position in the top half of the 141 countries included in the study was analysed.
Sitting in 54th place just below Burkino Faso, on a par with Sudan, Nepal and Bhutan, and just ahead of the likes of Serbia and Senegal, Croatia’s ranking was the result of 142,000 interviews with adults in those 141 countries in 2014, with rankings based on people’s feelings to three questions:
• In the city or area where you live, do you have confidence in the local police force?
• Do you feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live?
• Within the last 12 months, have you had money or property stolen from you or another household member?
According to the report, which can be downloaded here (registration required):
“Gallup sees strong relationships between people’s answers to these questions and external measures related to economic and social development, reinforcing how high crime rates can suppress social cohesion and negatively affect economic performance. Indicators such as these are important to monitor, particularly given that the United Nations is targeting promoting “just, peaceful and inclusive societies” as one of its new Sustainable Development Goals for the world.”
The top five counties were Singapore, followed by Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Norway.
The worst countries were Liberia, followed by Venezuela, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Paraguay.
Regionally, Slovenia was deemed the safest (19th), followed by Kosovo (23th), Montenegro (39th), Bosnia and Hercegovina (46th), Macedonia (47th), Croatia and Serbia (60th).
