Top 10 Cleanest Countries in the World

The Top Ten

Norway

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in Northern Europe whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, plus the island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard.... read more

That's correct. Norway is without a doubt one of the cleanest countries in the world. It's very clean everywhere in Norway, from the bustling urban areas to the peaceful rural areas. Its capital, Oslo, is one of the cleanest capital cities in the world. In fact, Norway is so clean even its public transportation is clean.
The buildings and highways in Norway are all so grand and beautiful. A truly and genuinely lovely country.

Of course, Norway is the cleanest country in the world. Norwegians are highly educated people who know how to properly dispose of their trash. They make sure their country stays clean to help protect their environment and to make their country more attractive.
Oslo is one of the cleanest capital cities in the world.
Singapore

Singapore, officially known as the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It is situated approximately one degree of latitude (137 kilometers or 85 miles) north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It borders the Strait of Malacca to... read more

Singapore has some of the toughest regulations regarding littering, sanitation, and environmental concern. I can see why Singapore is quite clean. Even my father, who is Singaporean, is particularly strict about cleanliness, both at home and when we are out.
However, its cleanliness hasn't reached the level of some European cities or even Japan's standard of cleanliness.

Singapore is the cleanest country. If you don't agree, you should read the law book. We watched someone get arrested for throwing gum on the ground and taking durian onto a train!
Sweden

Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe.
It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund. At 450,295 square kilometers (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third-largest... read more

Sweden, the country I live in, is the cleanest. It is surrounded by other great countries that are very clean as well, like Finland, Norway, Switzerland, and Denmark.
By far, this area of the world is the cleanest in terms of trash, crime, and sheer beauty.

America could learn some things from Sweden, Iceland, and Finland. Just saying.
Sweden is a very beautiful place, and I would love to visit there for a long time in the future.

Sweden is the cleanest, and so perhaps are its neighbors. Except Finland, that dirty dump doesn't deserve to be mentioned in this list.
United States

The United States of America, or the U.S.A. for short, is a federal republic composed of 50 states. Forty-eight of them are contiguous states. The other two, Alaska and Hawaii, are located to the northwest and south of the contiguous states, respectively. The United States declared its independence from... read more

The United States has seen significant improvements in environmental quality due to a combination of factors, including strong environmental regulations, technological advancements, and increased public awareness. These efforts have led to cleaner air, water, and land, which contribute to the health and well-being of Americans.

More better roads and streets. Beautiful houses. Whenever I pass by their houses, I can see beautiful gardens and arranged things.
Very clean country too, and intelligent people. I am American and was born in NJ. Everywhere I go, New York City is very clean. The USA is way cleaner than Mexico. I would like to visit European countries. They are clean like Canada and the USA. The USA deserves to be on this list.
Croatia

Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, gained independence in 1991 and is located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and the Mediterranean. Its capital city is Zagreb, and it is a member of the European Union and NATO. Croatia was formerly part of Yugoslavia during the Cold... read more
Canada

Canada is a country in North America that borders the United States, and it is the second-largest country in the world by area (9.985 million km²). The country has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Canada became a dominion on July 1, 1867.... read more

Canada is by far the cleanest country in the world. This is mainly because of the way Canadians think and how much they want to keep their country clean. But of course, if you go into Toronto or Montreal, there will be trash and grime in certain areas. However, you expect that in every major city around the world.

Cleaner than America. I am a Canadian, and I think Canada, Sweden, Germany, and Australia are better than the United States.

I've seen people in Canada stop what they were doing and clean up trash from the floor. It's pretty clean, alright.
India

India, officially known as the Republic of India, is a country located in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area and the most populous country in the world, with over 1.4 billion people. It's also the most populous democracy in the world.... read more

Love my land... Though some efforts are yet to be made... But because of the new revolution in cleanliness, we are expected to reach the top by 2019.

India is a very secular, prosperous, and clean country.

In my view, India is better than the countries ranked below it.
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland (east of China, Korea, and Russia) and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and near Taiwan in the southwest.... read more

I come from Japan but live in Australia. The first time I came here, I said to my mum, "Is this really Australia? It looks more like a junkyard." Well, I got used to Australian culture, and when I go back to Japan, I think, "What is this! It's so clean!"
Literally, I go to have a bath, and when I hop in the bathtub, it goes "squeak!" My grandma probably scrubbed it until it got scratched!

Japan is so clean and comfortable, you don't even have to worry about your possessions getting dirty. Their public toilets are extremely clean, except maybe in tourist sites such as Dotonbori in Osaka, where the public toilet can be a bit smelly and dirty, probably due to the tourists visiting there.
Other than that, the whole country is very, very clean!
Switzerland

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a federal republic in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities.
The country is situated in Western-Central Europe and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the... read more

Every inch of the country is spotless, with even the water being so clean and clear, almost like crystals. The environment looks pristine and flawless. I remember reading an article in a magazine that suggested anyone wanting to improve their body health should vacation in Switzerland.
Numerous researches and reports state that Switzerland is the cleanest country on earth, boasting the best environmental records.

I traveled to Switzerland a while back, and everything was so clean. It was quite a shock for me personally because I knew it would be clean, but not that clean.
Public transport and roads are clean, water is clean, and bathrooms are clean. They have a very good waste removal system for recycling.
Iceland

Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with surrounding municipalities) is home to over 65% of the country's population. Iceland is the only part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge... read more

Why is this 12? This should be number 1. It is the cleanest country in the world and it's so beautiful.
It has a low population and young, beautiful people too!

Iceland is more than beautiful! It has 100% clean water, and almost no one smokes!

The population of Iceland is really low, which contributes to its cleanliness.

The Newcomers

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Slovakia

Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the southwest, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Its capital and largest city is Bratislava, located along the Danube... read more
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Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, also called Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,871... read more

The Contenders

Austria

Austria was originally inhabited by Celtic tribes, particularly the Hallstatt culture. It later became the Roman province of Noricum. Alaric, who would later sack Rome, is believed to have studied at a monastery near modern-day Vienna.... read more

Vienna is so clean, even though it's a capital. Also, they literally mop or sweep all of the roads. If you litter, you will be attacked by about 100 people.

In my opinion, Austria is the most beautiful and cleanest country in the world.
Finland

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across from Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area... read more

Finland is in the top 5. Over 75% of Finland is forest, and it is growing every year. The country invests heavily in renewables.
In contrast, England's forests have been obliterated, India has serious problems with pollution, and China releases over 3.8 billion tonnes of coal into the atmosphere each year. France has conducted nuclear testing, the oil industry in Canada destroys its forests and natural beauty, and Colombia has massive slums. This list seems like a joke.

I have been there! It's the best. Finland has the kindest people in the world.

This list is a joke. Finland belongs at least in the top ten.
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
It is situated 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington... read more

New Zealand is clean. It's definitely cleaner than France. France is pretty dirty now.
In New Zealand, not many people roam around and smoke. But when I went to France, lots of people were smoking. They didn't even look around to see if there were any children.

I think people are just voting for their own countries. How are countries like China and India above New Zealand?

New Zealand is the greatest and most magnificent country in my experience!
Denmark

Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. European Denmark is the southernmost... read more

Denmark is indeed one of the cleanest countries in the world. Its capital city, Copenhagen, is one of the cleanest capital cities in the world.
Not only are Denmark's cities neat and tidy, but its countryside is also clean. The Danes really work hard to make their country clean. Even its public transportation is really clean.

Danes are among the most disciplined people on the planet. They really make sure Denmark stays clean.
No wonder Denmark is one of the cleanest countries in the world. Its citizens really care for their environment.
Germany

Germany was formally united in 1871 under the initiative of Bismarck, with King Wilhelm of Prussia as emperor. The previous Holy Roman Empire, essentially a continuation of the empire of Charlemagne (Karl der Große), was dissolved in 1806.... read more

I am from Germany and can tell you that the city of Hamburg plans to be car-free by 2020.

Germany is one of the most developed countries, and it is extremely beautiful.

They use more renewable energy than any other country on Earth.
France

France, officially the French Republic, is a sovereign state comprising territory in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European part of France, called metropolitan France, extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to... read more

The less clean areas are Paris and Nice (the two most touristic places, together attracting more than 47 million visitors per year). Paris is not the largest capital city by far, and Nice has only 800,000 inhabitants. However, this is only true for a few quarters.
All the villages, including stunning medieval ones, are clean, and the landscape is also pristine. The numerous hiking trails, castles, churches, and beaches (more than 40,000 km of coast) are well-maintained.

Well, it's really cleaner than we expected, even cleaner than most European countries we have visited, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe. The only place that's a bit dirty is the touristic areas of Paris. But as soon as you leave these areas, it's really clean. The countryside, villages, and ocean coast are without any trash.
Moldova

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised breakaway region of Transnistria lies across the Dniester on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova's capital... read more
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. South Korea claims... read more

Yes, maybe some business people throw cards on the street, but do you see a lot of it? Well, no. The public market is well-organized. We can't ignore the fact that there are many bad people in the world.

Yes, South Korea is very clean, like Japan and North Korea. There is a lady named Ren who was born in South Korea and speaks Korean. She told me that they heat the floors - or was that North Korea?

Korea is very clean. I don't know why Japan has more votes than Korea because I think Japan should be at 0%. Japan is not clean. If you go to Japan and see it, it is dirtier than a dumpster.
Slovenia

Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest. Slovenia is mostly mountainous and forested, covers 20,271 square kilometres... read more

Slovenia seems to be completely overlooked in most of these lists since they are based on people voting (hence India being fourth here at the time I write this).
But any legitimate list will tell you that Slovenia is undoubtedly one of the cleanest countries on the planet.
Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west. The Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south. Ukraine and Belarus to the east. And the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave), and Lithuania to the north. With a population of approximately... read more
Serbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia, is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungary to the north, Romania to the northeast, Bulgaria to the southeast, North Macedonia to the south... read more

Clean and beautiful. I had no words when I first arrived there. Serbia, in my opinion, deserves the nickname Perfectland!
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi), Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania and... read more

Ok, I just have to say that Australia cannot be considered below Japan in this listing. I do have a biased opinion, being Australian, but we are very clean people.
We have amazingly harsh (but great) cigarette laws that have cut smoking rates in half in recent times. We also have almost zero pollution in our cities. The closest thing we had was a dust storm that came through Sydney almost 10 years ago.
We do not have dirty high-rise apartments that destroy our skyline and become homes to trash. Most Aussies live in stand-alone dwellings which invoke a sense of pride and cleanliness. Look at an aerial photo of any Aussie city, and you'll see what I mean.
Cuba

Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is a sovereign state comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos.

We do not know much about it. However, it has an abnormally high life expectancy rate.

Beautiful. I did not once see any garbage here for the week I spent in Cuba.
Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country in Europe by area, covering approximately 600,000 square kilometres (230,000 sq mi), and has a population of around 40 million people.
It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia... read more
Russia

Russia, or the Russian Federation (RF), is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering over 17,125,191 square kilometres (6,612,073 sq mi), and encompassing one-eighth of Earth's inhabitable landmass.... read more