The following list is based on the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness report published by The World Economic Forum in 2017. 136 countries were scrutinized and analyzed for the report and the report is primarily based on two important factors—the prevalence of terrorism and violence in the countries. Without beating around the bush any further, here are the top 20 most dangerous countries of the world.
20. The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
If you travel to the Democratic Republic Of The Congo, you are very likely to come across several armored vehicles including helicopters and armed forces. The armed military of the nation can be regularly seen patrolling throughout the country. The country is notorious for having numerous armed bandits.
19. Thailand
Not all the places in Thailand can be regarded safe. The provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla are regarded as the most dangerous places in the country. There have been over 6500 reported deaths in the aforementioned areas in the last decade. In fact, there is even a martial law in effect in the areas.
18. Jamaica
You should think twice before planning a trip to Jamaica. The country is often plagued with violence. Violent crime and shooting incidents occur in the country on a regular basis and the nefarious activities are often concentrated in areas such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Not even the guests living in luxury resorts are guaranteed safety in the country.
17. South Africa
South Africa may be a surprise inclusion in the list, but the statistics simply don´t lie. The crime rate in the country is only increasing at an alarming pace. In fact, many law-abiding citizens even hire security forces to protect themselves. And, in the rural settlements, rape and murder are pretty common.
16. Guatemala
Guatemala shares a border with Mexico and that area breeds violence and dangerous activities such as drug and alien smuggling. Here´s a fact for you! In the previous year, Guatemala had the fifth highest homicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. The crimes that occur the most in the country include armed robbery, carjacking, and theft etc.
15. Chad
When terrorist forces such as ISIS, Al-Qaida, and Boko Haram are active in a particular country, the country can be deemed dangerous, to say the least. The aforementioned extremist groups have previously targeted attacks on both the civilians and security forces. Even foreigners aren´t completely safe in the country. Chad shares a border with Libya and Sudan and getting across to those places are dangerous too, owing to the numerous minefields in the areas.
14. Bangladesh
Bangladesh has seen a growing number of terrorist attacks in the previous decade. In addition to the threat of terrorism, the country is also prone to several natural calamities including flooding, tropical cyclones, and earthquakes etc.
13. Mali
Mali´s capital, Bamako, is prone to frequent terrorist attacks. And, the attacks are largely targeted towards the tourism industry including restaurants and hotels. Back in November 2015, a terrorist group took several people hostage at a Radisson Hotel in Bamako and killed them.
12. Lebanon
Lebanon largely suffers from the prevalence of extremist groups in the country. Hence, bombings and other terrorist attacks occur frequently in the country. Small disputes and protests also tend to escalate and turn violent in the country, causing damage to the public property and harm to the onlookers and bystanders.
11. Philippines
The country recently made headlines owing to a shooting incident at a Casino in Manila. Besides that, the country is also notorious for kidnapping cases and plenty of the kidnapping cases include the abduction of foreigners. The Sulu Archipelago and the southern Sulu Sea are primarily the danger zones in the country.
10. Ukraine
The regions of Donetsk Oblast, Crimea, and Luhansk, in Ukraine, regularly witness fights between the Russian-backed armed separatists and the Ukrainian armed forces. The civilians continue to get caught up in the fighting. Therefore, if you are planning a visit to Ukraine, you must avoid the aforementioned places at all costs.
9. Honduras
It´s certainly unfortunate that the country of Honduras boasts of one of the world´s highest murder rates. The department of Gracias a Dios, in particular, is considered as the most dangerous place in the country and it is regularly plagued with crime and drug trafficking. What´s worse is the fact that the department barely 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 occur frequently outside of the capital. And, some of the common forms of attacks in the country include shootings, grenades, and stabbings etc. Hence, you might want to exclude Kenya from the list of countries you´d want to visit.
7. Egypt
In the recent years, Egypt has witnessed the increase of the influence of ISIS and other extremist groups. Not even the tourist hubs are spared by the terrorists who largely focus their attacks on various modes of transportation.
6. Venezuela
The country of Venezuela has seen the rise of social unrest largely owing to the lack of basic supplies such as medicine, food, water, and electricity. Hence, the country has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Some of the crimes that occur frequently in the country include murder, robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking etc.
5. Nigeria
The country of Nigeria is plagued by the presence of violent extremist groups such as Islamic State West Africa and Boko Haram. These extremist groups primarily target populated areas such as schools, restaurants, hotels, churches, and entertainment venues. Therefore, if you are planning a visit to the country, it is best for you to stay away from heavily populated areas.
4. Pakistan
If you like your First Amendment too much, it is in your best interest to steer clear of Pakistan. The government in Pakistan greatly limits freedom of speech. In addition to that, many foreigners are barred from visiting several places throughout the country. Pakistan has also been plagued with political instability and religious conflict for years now.
3. El Salvador
El Salvador has one of the world´s highest homicide levels and the country is notorious for birthing the rise of numerous gangs. Therefore, gang violence in the country is at an all-time high in the country and these gangs deal with everything from extortion to arms and drug trafficking.
2. Yemen
There is a large presence of several rebel and extremist groups in the country of Yemen. The regular air strikes and presence of landmines in the country make it very difficult for the authorities to provide basic necessities such as food, water, and medical supplies etc. to the citizens.
1. Columbia
Although Columbia isn´t as dangerous as it once was, the country is still not safe enough for foreign travelers. The country is still filled with armed gangs notably BACRIM, that regularly commit crimes such as kidnapping, drug supply, and robberies etc. Bombings and explosions in the capital of the country, Bogota, is also a regular occurrence.
