The following list is based on a report on the competitiveness of travel and tourism published by the World Economic Forum. 136 countries were studied and analyzed for the report each year and the report is based primarily on two important factors, the prevalence of terrorism and violence in the countries.
Some of them you might already have been travelled to and made your own impressions of the risks and dangers for tourists in these countries. Feel free to share your experiences with us.
No need to beat about the bush, here are the top 20 most dangerous countries in the world after the WEF-report:
20. Democratic Republic of the Congo
When you travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, you are likely to encounter several armored vehicles, including helicopters and armed forces. The nation’s armed military can be seen regularly patrolling the country. The country is notorious for its numerous armed bandits.
19. Thailand
Not all places in Thailand can be considered safe. The provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla are considered the most dangerous places in the country. In the last decade there have been over 6500 reported deaths in these areas. In fact, there is even active martial law in these areas.
18. Jamaica
You should think twice before planning a trip to Jamaica. The country is often plagued by violence. Violent crime and gunfights occur regularly in the country and the nefarious activities are often concentrated in areas such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Not even the guests staying in luxury resorts have guaranteed security in the country.
17. South Africa
South Africa may be a surprising item on the list, but the statistics speak for themselves. The crime rate in the country is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact, many law-abiding citizens even hire security forces to protect themselves. And acts of violence are widespread in rural settlements.
16. Guatemala
Guatemala has a common border with Mexico and this area generates violence and dangerous activities such as medicament-trading and human trafficking. Here’s a fact for you: Last year, Guatemala had the fifth highest violence rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. The most common crimes occurring in the country are armed robbery, car theft and theft.
15. Chad
If terrible forces such as ISIS, Al-Qaida and Boko Haram are active in a particular country, the country can be classified as dangerous, to put it mildly. These extremist groups had previously focused on attacks against both the civilian population and the security forces. Even foreigners are not completely safe in the country. Chad borders Libya and Sudan and it is already dangerous to get there as there are many minefields in the area.
14. Bangladesh
Bangladesh has experienced a growing number of terrorist attacks in the past decade. In addition to the threat of terrorism, the country is also vulnerable to various natural disasters such as floods, tropical cyclones, earthquakes, etc.
13. Mali
Mali’s capital city Bamako is vulnerable to frequent terrorist attacks. And the attacks are aimed primarily at the tourism industry, including restaurants and hotels. Already in November 2015, a terrorist group took several people hostage in a Radisson Hotel in Bamako and killed them.
12. Lebanon
Lebanon suffers largely from the prevalence of extremist groups in the country. Bomb attacks and other terrible attacks therefore often take place in the country. Small disputes and protests also tend to escalate and become violent in the country, resulting in damage to public property and damage to spectators and bystanders.
11. Philippines
The country recently made headlines about a shooting incident at a casino in Manila. The country is also notorious for kidnappings and many of the kidnappings involve the kidnapping of foreigners. The Sulu archipelago and the southern Sulu Lake are primarily the country’s danger zones.
10. Ukraine
In the regions of Donetsk, Crimea and Luhansk in Ukraine, fights regularly take place between the armed separatists supported by Russia and the Ukrainian armed forces. The civilian population continues to get into the fighting. So if you are planning a visit to Ukraine, you should avoid the places mentioned above.
9. Honduras
It is certainly unfortunate that the country of Honduras has one of the highest violence rates in the world. The department of Gracias a Dios in particular is considered to be the most dangerous place in the country and is regularly affected by crime and medicament trafficking. Worse is the fact that the region hardly sees the presence of police or military personnel.
8. Kenya
Although the city of Nairobi is relatively safe, the areas outside the capital are dangerous, to say the least. Terrorist attacks often take place outside the capital. And some of the common forms of attacks in the country include horrible practices such as kidnapping. Therefore, you may want to exclude Kenya from the list of countries she would like to visit.
7. Egypt
In recent years, the influence of ISIS and other extremist groups has increased in Egypt. Not even the tourist centres are spared by these groups, who largely concentrate their attacks on different modes of transport. You may not even be safe on a camel.
6. Venezuela
In Venezuela, social unrest has increased mainly due to a lack of basic services such as medicine, food, water and electricity. The country has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Some of the crimes that commonly occur in the country are theft, robbery, kidnapping, and car theft etc.
5. Nigeria
The country of Nigeria is plagued by violent extremist groups such as the Islamic state of West Africa and Boko Haram. These extremist groups primarily target densely populated areas such as schools, restaurants, hotels, churches and entertainment facilities. So if you’re planning a visit to the country, it’s best to stay away from densely populated areas.
4. Pakistan
If you like your basic rights too much, it is in your interest to avoid Pakistan. The government in Pakistan is severely restricting freedom of expression. In addition, many foreigners are not allowed to visit several places throughout the country. Pakistan has also been suffering for years from political instability and religious conflicts.
3. El Salvador
El Salvador has one of the highest violence rates in the world and the country is notorious for having seen the rise of numerous gangs. As a result, gang violence in the country is at a record high and these gangs deal with everything from extortion to arms and drug trafficking.
2. Yemen
Yemen is home to numerous rebel and extremist groups. The regular air raids and the presence of landmines in the country make it very difficult for the authorities to provide the citizens with basic needs such as food, water, medical care, etc. The authorities are also unable to provide the people with the necessary information.
1. Colombia
Although Columbia is not as dangerous as it once was, the country is still not safe enough for foreign travelers. The country is still full of armed gangs, especially BACRIM, who regularly commit crimes such as kidnappings, medicament deliveries, robberies, etc. Bombardments and explosions in the country’s capital, Bogota, are also a regular occurrence.
