These Are the Quietest Countries in the World
- Bhutan is officially the quietest country in the world with a Quiet Score of 89.44, far above any other destination.
- Africa dominates the ranking with six countries appearing in the top 10, including Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Gabon, Chad and Central African Republic.
- Venezuela comes in sixth place, and Bolivia in 10th representing South America.
- No European countries enter the top ten list, the highest in the ranking being Estonia in 34th place.
Modern life rarely goes quiet, and for many travelers, the ultimate escape is no longer a busy itinerary but true silence. Research shows noise pollution is a serious health concern, with the WHO ranking it the second-largest environmental cause of health problems after air pollution, making peaceful, low-noise destinations a new form of self-care.
To find the quietest countries in the world, where a metropolitan wanderer or world-weary traveler can go to find peace, Go2Africa put together the Noise-Free Nations Index, finding the places in the world that offer the greatest escape from the noise of modern life.
To do this, the study scored countries across seven indicators, including population density, tourism, natural land, transport, and infrastructure. These scores were combined into an overall Quiet Score to reveal the world’s most peaceful escapes.
Check out the table below to explore the top 10 ranking:
| Ranking | Country | Continent | Quiet Score |
| 1 | Bhutan | Asia | 89.44 |
| 2 | Namibia | Africa | 86.69 |
| 3 | Botswana | Africa | 80.86 |
| 4 | Zambia | Africa | 80.64 |
| 5 | Gabon | Africa | 80.61 |
| 6 | Venezuela | South America | 80.20 |
| 7 | Chad | Africa | 79.82 |
| 8 | Central African Republic | Africa | 78.18 |
| 9 | Mongolia | Asia | 75.53 |
| 10 | Bolivia | South America | 75.40 |
(To explore the data in full, please visit the Go2Africa website).
- Bhutan – Quiet Score: 89.44
Topping the list as the quietest country in the world is Bhutan in South Asia with a Quiet Score of 89.44. The country, sitting in the shadow of the Eastern Himalayas, is well known for being beautifully preserved, with tourists only able to visit through licensed local tour operators and by paying a daily Sustainable Development Fee. The country ranks particularly high for rural land density with 39,041km² of forested mountains, terraced valleys, and sparsely populated highland terrain and an exceedingly high percentage of protected areas.
2. Namibia – Quiet Score: 86.69
Namibia is the second quietest country in the index, the first of many African countries within the top 10 and boasting a Quiet Score of 86.69. The country has one of the lowest population densities of any country on our list with 3.83 locals per kilometer of land and even lower tourism number of 0.67 tourists per kilometer. Combined with minimal infrastructure, the result is a destination where the rumble of cars, trains, and planes is a rare occurrence rather than a constant backdrop.
3. Botswana – Quiet Score: 80.86
Coming in third place is Botswana, just across the border from Namibia, with a Quiet Score of 80.86. Known as one of the most premium safari destinations in the world, visitors can see The Big 5 while experiencing the unrivaled peace of the savanna. While there is much more infrastructure here than some other countries in the top list, the area has a very low population density per square km at just 4.59 people, and while there’s plenty of tourists a year, when compared to the sheer size of the country there are only 2.08 per square kilometer.
4. Zambia – Quiet Score: 80.64
Continuing Africa’s domination and moving into the East of the continent, Zambia is in fourth place with a Quiet Score of 80.64, extremely close to its sister countries in the ranking. Zambia is popular for safari but also straddles Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Zambia stands out for having one of the highest proportions of protected land in the world, with nearly half of its total land area, 48%, officially protected.
5. Gabon – Quiet Score: 80.61
Rounding out the top five quietest countries is Gabon in West Africa, known for its pristine rainforest and rich wildlife, with a Quiet Score of 80.61. Over 85% of Gabon’s land is covered by dense equatorial rainforests. In 2002, the country dedicated over 10% of its landmass to a system of 13 national parks, including the famous Loango National Park, which is known for its “surfing elephants” and hippos that play on the beaches.
6. Venezuela – Quiet Score: 80.20
Venezuela claims the top spot for South America with a Quiet Score of 80.20. Despite being a country of remarkable natural diversity, from the tepui plateaus of the Gran Sabana to the vast Orinoco Delta, it attracts remarkably few visitors, with a tourist density of just 1.4 per square kilometer. Over half of its total land area, 54.1%, is formally protected, and much of the country remains deeply rural, leaving enormous stretches of landscape largely free from the noise and footprint of modern development.
7. Chad – Quiet Score: 79.82
Chad earns its place on the list with a Quiet Score of 79.82, and the data reveals a country that the modern world has largely passed by. With no train lines, a minimal airport presence, and just 28.1 motor vehicles per square kilometer of road, the infrastructure simply doesn’t support the kind of mass movement that brings noise and disruption in its wake. Add to that a small population, very few tourists, and vast stretches of rural land, and Chad emerges as one of the most genuinely untouched destinations on the planet.
8. Central African Republic – Quiet Score: 78.18
The Central African Republic enters the list with a Quiet Score of 78.18, and its credentials as one of the world’s most undisturbed nations are hard to argue with. With a population density of just 9.15 people per square mile and a tourist density so low it barely registers at 0.06 per square mile, this is a country that sees almost no outside footfall. Motor vehicles are similarly scarce, with just 1.56 per square kilometer of road, one of the lowest figures of any country in the world, and there are no train lines to speak of.
9. Mongolia – Quiet Score: 75.53
Ninth on the list and the second country in Asia to feature is Mongolia, famous for its vast, rugged steppes and the Gobi Desert, with a Quiet Score of 75.53. The country has incredibly low infrastructure which means it’s only just becoming popular for tourists who crave true isolation, whether that’s sleeping in a traditional ger under an unpolluted night sky or riding for days without seeing another soul. There are only 10.53 motor vehicles for every kilometer of road, 35 airports serving its 1.5million km land area and just 1,810km of train line covering its huge expanse.
10. Bolivia – Quiet Score: 75.40
Finally, rounding out the top ten is Bolivia in South America with a Quiet Score of 75.40. The country is popular with tourists for its Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flats. It’s no surprise this country ranks as one of the quietest when it has such a huge expanse all to yourself. Within the data, the country has a very spread out population of just 11.77 people per square kilometer, even with the bustling city of La Paz, and still low tourism numbers of 0.9 yearly visitors per square km.
For more industry related news, click here.
