Image copyright AFP Image caption Egypt's security forces are battling Islamist militants in Sinai and elsewhere

Egypt has been ranked the safest country in Africa and higher than both the UK and US, according to a new global poll.

The annual Gallup Global Law and Order asked if people felt safe walking at night and whether they had been victims of crime.

The survey placed Egypt 16th out of 135 countries, while the UK was 21st and the US 35th.

Singapore was ranked the safest, with Venezuela was seen as the least.

Egypt got 88 out of 100 in the survey, placing it on the same level as countries like Denmark, Slovenia and China. This was an improvement on 2016, when it got 82.

Gallup's Jon Clifton told the BBC that Egypt's score reflected a trend over recent reports, which have seen Egyptians becoming increasingly trusting of the police.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has led the country since the military removed Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

His government has been battling Islamist militants who last year killed more than 70 people in suicide attacks against churches in the capital Cairo and in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria.

Militants allied to Islamic State have also launched several daring attacks in the Sinai Peninsula, targeting Egyptian troops operating.

Gallup says it interviewed 148,000 adults in 142 countries and areas for its survey.

Its questions revolved around confidence in local police, safety at night, cases of theft and whether participants or a family member had been mugged or assaulted within the past 12 months.

In Afghanistan (46%), Uganda (49%) and South Sudan (50%) residents were more likely than lowest ranked Venezuelan to say they had been the victims of theft in the past year.

Top five safest countries:

Singapore

Norway

Iceland

Finland

Uzbekistan

Five least safe countries:

Venezuela

Afghanistan

South Sudan

Gabon

Liberia

South Sudan was ranked the least safe country in Africa.

The East African nation is followed by Gabon, Liberia and South Africa, one of the continent's most popular tourist destinations.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, just 60% of people polled told Gallup they were confident in the local police force, rising to 68% across North Africa and the Middle East.

Rwanda scored highest on the continent when it came to safety at night, with 88% of people saying they would be happy to walk about after dark.