Traveling to unexplored lands is often the best form of recreation, to learn about new cultures and history, eat authentic food, and meet new people. But there are a few places on Earth that might not be an ideal travel destination. The Global Peace Index study is made available by the Institute for Economics and Peace every year. This report is the only one of its type that evaluates a country’s level of risk or safety using 23 distinct variables, such as political terror, internal conflict fatalities, and murder rates.
Over 99.7% of the world’s population, or 163 countries, are evaluated in the GPI study. The report’s factors are divided into three categories: safety and security, ongoing conflict, and militarization. The frequency of violent internal and external conflicts, level of mistrust, political instability, likelihood of terrorist attacks, number of homicides, and military spending as a percentage of GDP are among the criteria taken into account when compiling this report.
Here’s a list of the countries that should be avoided when you are making your future travel plans:
Afghanistan
Afghanistan is still the nation with the highest risk in the world for the fifth year in a row, with a 2022 score of 3.554 (although marginally safer than 2021’s 3.631). Afghanistan is the country with the most deaths from terrorism and war than any other in the world, despite the fact that Russia and Ukraine were actually at war for many months during the time the data was being gathered. Afghanistan is a war-torn nation that has been plagued by war, revolution, and civil unrest for decades.
Yemen
The United Nations claims that Yemen is currently experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis ever. A military battle that has lasted longer than five years has driven 4.3 million people to leave their homelands and left 14 million others in danger of famine and fatal diseases. 24 million people, or around 80% of Yemen’s population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Syria
The second deadliest war of the twenty-first century, the Syrian civil war has ravaged the nation since March 2011. Over 6 million people were internally displaced as of March 2019, while 5.7 million people have evacuated Syria. The continuous conflict, broad civil unrest, and a high rate of violent crime, such as robberies, assaults, carjackings, and kidnappings, are to blame for Syria’s 2022 GPI of 3.356. Outside of the country’s capital of Juba, there is little to no rule of law or order and most armed fighting is between the government and opposition organisations.
Russia
Despite the fact that the majority of the combat in the Russo-Ukrainian War is occurring in Ukraine, Russia was deemed to be the more hazardous of the two nations. This is mainly owing to pre-existing economic strains and an authoritarian regime that frequently displays noticeably antagonistic behaviour towards its own public, as well as the fact that Russian army losses in Ukraine count towards Russia’s level of danger. Russia’s economy and food trade have also been hampered by trade restrictions and other international embargoes, which has made life even harder for the Russian people.It is also important to remember that the 2022 GPI study only addressed the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War. It’s feasible that the assessment from 2023 may show Ukraine to be the more perilous of the two nations.
South Sudan
A high degree of internal strife makes South Sudan the least peaceful nation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The country has seen an overall increase in safety from the 2021 GPI to the 2022 GPI, despite the fact that it is still highly dangerous. Internal conflict deaths have significantly decreased (by 15%), and the country’s total homicide rate has reached its lowest level since 2011.
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second-most hazardous nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, and it ranks in the top three countries for “deaths from external conflict” alongside Russia and Iraq. Political turmoil and poverty are commonplace, and armed forces and insurgents freely roam some areas. Crimes like homicide, rape, kidnapping, carjacking, break-ins, muggings, and robberies on the highway are extremely frequent. Even natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, and even volcanic eruptions are a worry.
Iraq
Both internal and external issues, including potential terrorist threats, are still present in Iraq. ISIS is still kidnapping and killing civilians as well as Iraqi military personnel. There have also been ongoing abuses of other human rights, such as the ability to assemble freely and the rights of women. American visitors to Iraq are particularly vulnerable to murder and kidnapping because they are coveted targets for anti-American sectarian groups all around Iraq.
Apart from these countries like Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela which are considered to be beautiful and quite famous among tourists are not really safe.
Mexico receives millions of visitors each year, but the country is now a riskier place to come because of the country’s deadly organised crime. Ciudad Juarez is one of Mexico’s most violent cities, and drug trafficking is one of the country’s major problems. Given that police are frequently hired by or bought off by drug cartels, police corruption is a serious issue and results in many crimes going unpunished.
The world’s most dangerous city to visit is unquestionably Caracas, as per various reports. Because of the unfavourable political and economic climate for inhabitants, violence is still on the rise in Venezuela’s capital city. The majority of tourists avoid this area due to the high frequency of street crimes such as theft, as well as murder with a firearm, and kidnappings. The country continues to draw backpackers because of its stunning landscapes and affordable travel costs. While the capital city of Venezuela also has extremely high crime rates, it is also one of the top on the list of the world’s most dangerous cities to travel to due to its second-highest murder rate.
Before you make your travel plans make sure you know about the place you are headed to and avoid these!
