![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HUFKBL3ETABSKG4NYIUQQHT7OU.jpg?smart=true&auth=573a01f69cc8fd75bd2fcddd75cde83863b3a896103bba00aa7e2e0765f67887&width=400&height=225)
No.1, ABU DHABI, UAE. A chilly January morning on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Ranked the world's safest city for a fifth year, violent or petty crime is virtually unheard of in the Emirati capital, and it scored highest for high personal safety and high employment. Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMPBHJVW6GXQJY5C22BTDG7YQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ae33853eeb87ed43ee5538b5b71f0865691e557dc4bb4b4dad6da22a638dc6eb&width=400&height=225)
No.10, MUSCAT, OMAN. Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O4ZJ72UF3Z43XCKEVPB5V7MFZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fb2c7bab379911b0933fb75cd2e733b7a2cc09683b0064dbe316dc998f3284a&width=400&height=225)
No.9, CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA. Sunrise over Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Cluj-Napoca has a very low rate of violent crime. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KNZ5P4BKYS7266GDPCZFLAV4M4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f151f400e3360ac2157485898ff8030a18a9436c6b02af2a869e4e53aea6b109&width=400&height=225)
No. 8, MUNICH, GERMANY. One of Europe's wealthiest and safest cities, it benefits from low unemployment and high economic opportunity. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SBVKETC3BPPTNSO2MJQ35LJUU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9442ee7f3a5f5f250285a96d939d0252b2b2a6e204e1413ebad1aca2d55ce963&width=400&height=225)
No. 7, DUBAI, UAE. Dubai is one of the safest large cities in the world. Personal safety is high, with assaults and petty crime extremely low in comparison to other cities. Reem Mohammed / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FYL34E7QTQSLS3G5VB6B3JSLY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=e15256bc7d805d6b59ca576700a95b94dce7cf4a1f52d5c4270f5090a05c34ec&width=400&height=225)
No. 6, SHARJAH, UAE. The sun sets over Khalid Lake, with Sharjah city visible. The city has become a major cultural draw for tourists, boasting libraries, architecture and popular visitor attractions. Reem Mohammed / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYJRPP6HICYESPIMACG53R5C74.jpg?smart=true&auth=a27bf177028e1f58829e2a48dbc5ba4d77a2fa5f9a79c79f77504130a959f7cc&width=400&height=225)
No. 5, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. The snow-covered Grossmuenster church. The capital of German-speaking Switzerland is a major financial hub - and one of the world's most expensive cities. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z2RS5PJ5IBDFWP7LHDVVUSKX4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=4fe810bc28ff3c77349c1d920111e222db73b934af7c960f8ad7bb76127ead6a&width=400&height=225)
No. 4, MONTREAL, CANADA. People enjoy the New Moon sound-and-light installation at the Quartier des Spectacles. The capital of French-speaking Quebec is consistently one of the world's most livable cities. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J5QLYQX6WWW5VNYPRRPV7OXRKA.jpg?smart=true&auth=65d63d72da3afb87d0e2b79b5c03b26b29733a68a23752d24327a866b397f2df&width=400&height=225)
No.3, TAIPEI, TAIWAN. This high-tech city thrives, even as its culture and tradition is protected and celebrated. High personal safety and high employment make the city and the island one of the safest places you could ever visit. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CS7RN5TYHBXVZOOCWXU6Z75FFU.jpg?smart=true&auth=03e8503fd44bab8366af637f7e379725ef6644ffc8a18907f7873d788f9cfa18&width=400&height=225)
No.2, DOHA, QATAR. As with many of the Gulf metropolises, petty or violent crime are extremely rare. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HUFKBL3ETABSKG4NYIUQQHT7OU.jpg?smart=true&auth=573a01f69cc8fd75bd2fcddd75cde83863b3a896103bba00aa7e2e0765f67887&width=400&height=225)
No.1, ABU DHABI, UAE. A chilly January morning on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Ranked the world's safest city for a fifth year, violent or petty crime is virtually unheard of in the Emirati capital, and it scored highest for high personal safety and high employment. Victor Besa / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMPBHJVW6GXQJY5C22BTDG7YQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ae33853eeb87ed43ee5538b5b71f0865691e557dc4bb4b4dad6da22a638dc6eb&width=400&height=225)
No.10, MUSCAT, OMAN. Bikers drive down a street in the Omani capital Muscat, as part of the 50th National Day celebrations. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O4ZJ72UF3Z43XCKEVPB5V7MFZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fb2c7bab379911b0933fb75cd2e733b7a2cc09683b0064dbe316dc998f3284a&width=400&height=225)
No.9, CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA. Sunrise over Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Cluj-Napoca has a very low rate of violent crime. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KNZ5P4BKYS7266GDPCZFLAV4M4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f151f400e3360ac2157485898ff8030a18a9436c6b02af2a869e4e53aea6b109&width=400&height=225)
No. 8, MUNICH, GERMANY. One of Europe's wealthiest and safest cities, it benefits from low unemployment and high economic opportunity. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SBVKETC3BPPTNSO2MJQ35LJUU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9442ee7f3a5f5f250285a96d939d0252b2b2a6e204e1413ebad1aca2d55ce963&width=400&height=225)
No. 7, DUBAI, UAE. Dubai is one of the safest large cities in the world. Personal safety is high, with assaults and petty crime extremely low in comparison to other cities. Reem Mohammed / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FYL34E7QTQSLS3G5VB6B3JSLY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=e15256bc7d805d6b59ca576700a95b94dce7cf4a1f52d5c4270f5090a05c34ec&width=400&height=225)
No. 6, SHARJAH, UAE. The sun sets over Khalid Lake, with Sharjah city visible. The city has become a major cultural draw for tourists, boasting libraries, architecture and popular visitor attractions. Reem Mohammed / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYJRPP6HICYESPIMACG53R5C74.jpg?smart=true&auth=a27bf177028e1f58829e2a48dbc5ba4d77a2fa5f9a79c79f77504130a959f7cc&width=400&height=225)
No. 5, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. The snow-covered Grossmuenster church. The capital of German-speaking Switzerland is a major financial hub - and one of the world's most expensive cities. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z2RS5PJ5IBDFWP7LHDVVUSKX4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=4fe810bc28ff3c77349c1d920111e222db73b934af7c960f8ad7bb76127ead6a&width=400&height=225)
No. 4, MONTREAL, CANADA. People enjoy the New Moon sound-and-light installation at the Quartier des Spectacles. The capital of French-speaking Quebec is consistently one of the world's most livable cities. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J5QLYQX6WWW5VNYPRRPV7OXRKA.jpg?smart=true&auth=65d63d72da3afb87d0e2b79b5c03b26b29733a68a23752d24327a866b397f2df&width=400&height=225)
No.3, TAIPEI, TAIWAN. This high-tech city thrives, even as its culture and tradition is protected and celebrated. High personal safety and high employment make the city and the island one of the safest places you could ever visit. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CS7RN5TYHBXVZOOCWXU6Z75FFU.jpg?smart=true&auth=03e8503fd44bab8366af637f7e379725ef6644ffc8a18907f7873d788f9cfa18&width=400&height=225)
No.2, DOHA, QATAR. As with many of the Gulf metropolises, petty or violent crime are extremely rare. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HUFKBL3ETABSKG4NYIUQQHT7OU.jpg?smart=true&auth=573a01f69cc8fd75bd2fcddd75cde83863b3a896103bba00aa7e2e0765f67887&width=400&height=225)
No.1, ABU DHABI, UAE. A chilly January morning on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Ranked the world's safest city for a fifth year, violent or petty crime is virtually unheard of in the Emirati capital, and it scored highest for high personal safety and high employment. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi named world's safest city in 2021 safety index
Dubai and Sharjah also in the world’s 10 safest cities for 2021, while South Africa and Brazil languish at the bottom of Numbeo's latest crime index
![Georgia Tolley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Ff3e42095-3d71-479b-b708-654b900f94c6.png?smart=true&auth=50c0ed1113bbbca774e9d8de315ef2ec7ac1fef3cc5951aebad68d12b7fb1054&width=70&height=70)
Georgia Tolley
16 March, 2021
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