Despite advances in technology and a gradual decline in poverty, the Earth remains a restless planet. To this day, wars, epidemics of deadly diseases and natural disasters are raging in its various points, and the streets of cities are full of dangerous criminals. Therefore, it is worth finding out where the most dangerous countries for tourists are and what to be prepared for if you decide to travel to one of them.
General information
Summing up the results of 2021, experts from the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) compiled a list of the most dangerous countries based on the statistics of deaths of tourists from Russia.
- In third place in the list was Thailand, where 13 tourists from the Russian Federation were killed last year.
- Turkey took the second place with 19 victims.
- The first line was taken by Russia itself, where 38 tourists died in 2021.
The most common cause of death for Russian tourists in 2021 was car accidents and other road accidents - 13 people died from them over the past year. The second most common cause of death is accidents while swimming in the sea and hiking in the mountains.
If we consider the global situation, the main threats to tourists are as follows:
- epidemic diseases;
- terrorist attacks;
- kidnapping for ransom;
- imprisonment (in countries with strict laws);
- murder;
- service fraud;
- plane crashes, road accidents and other accidents;
- theft.
15 most dangerous countries on the planet
The top of the most dangerous countries in the world will help you plan your travels and stay safe.
| Place in the hazard rating | The name of the country | Typical hazards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somalia | The existence of this country on the world map at the moment is more of a formality, because in reality a bloody civil war has been going on on its territory since 1988 and to this day, which has claimed the lives of more than half a million people. It is here that Mogadishu is located - the most dangerous city in Africa. Bloody terrorist attacks in the capital occur almost every day.-The nation is divided into 5 large self-proclaimed entities (Union of Islamic Courts, Transitional Government, Somaliland, Puntland, Ogaden region), the borders of which regularly change as a result of new battles. In some cities and villages of the country, complete chaos and anarchy reign. |
| 2 | Syria | The civil war that began in 2011 claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and millions were forced to become refugees. Although the Islamists in 2019 are far from the peak of their power, the war in Syria continues. |
| 3 | Libya | The war "all against all" ended back in 2015, but there are still several opposing groups operating in the country, including the official government, several opposition organizations, the warlike Tuareg tribes and the African branch of IS (banned in the Russian Federation). |
| 4 | Afghanistan | Active hostilities here ended in 2015, but terrorist attacks occur almost every day, and many of the country's fertile lands are under the control of drug gangs. |
| 5 | Yemen | This country is another on a long list of war-torn states. Unlike the "cooling" Syria and Libya, the war in Yemen between the Houthis and the coalition led by Saudi Arabia is still very far from over. |
| 6 | CAR | Since 2012, a civil war has continued in the country between predominantly Christian government forces and predominantly Muslim rebel forces. Since then, thousands of people have died in the country, and tens of thousands have become refugees. |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | In contrast to the neighboring “usual” Congo, things in the former Zaire are going very badly - since 1998 and until now, periodically, civil war breaks out. The gradual withdrawal of UN peacekeepers leads to a sharp increase in crime. In addition, it was here that the most massive Ebola virus epidemic was recorded in 2018. Finally, other dangerous diseases, such as AIDS and malaria, are very common in this country. |
| 8 | Sudan and South Sudan | Sudan recently experienced the secession of the southern regions, and the uprising of local separatists in Darfur continues to this day. In addition, since 2018, protests have been taking place in most cities, accompanied by clashes with the police. The secession of South Sudan did not make these lands safer: inter-ethnic civil war periodically flares up in the country, and in 2017 the state experienced a famine that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people. |
| 9 | Venezuela | The country has huge inflation and food shortages. Bloody clashes between protesters and police are regular. |
| 10 | Iraq | The Islamic State (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) was defeated in this country in 2018, but Islamist terrorist attacks continue to this day. |
| 11 | Pakistan | Most of the regions here are relatively calm, but the provinces neighboring Afghanistan are controlled by terrorist groups. Terrorist attacks and riots occur periodically in the country. Finally, the persistent cold war with India makes local authorities very suspicious of foreigners. |
| 12 | Colombia | Officially, a truce was concluded between the government and the FARC guerrillas in 2016, but clashes still occur. In addition, gangs of drug dealers are operating in the forests of the country, and in cities there are frequent cases of kidnapping of tourists. |
| 13 | Brazil | There have been no armed conflicts here for a long time, but the level of crime is growing every day. Particularly dangerous are areas of the favelas - the slums of large cities. |
| 14 | Mexico | The powerful drug mafia, the economic crisis, social inequality, gangs of kidnappers, a huge number of refugees from Central America in transit, the consequences of the grand earthquake of 2017 - this is not a complete list of reasons to think about whether to visit this sunny country. |
| 15 | South Africa | Being the economically most prosperous country in Africa, South Africa still could not solve all the problems with crime and social inequality, therefore robberies and mass protests are not uncommon here, and Cape Town and Johannesburg are considered one of the most dangerous cities for tourists on the continent. epidemiological situation - there are more than 5 million registered HIV carriers in the country, and in 2018 there was an outbreak of listeriosis. |
It is easy to see that African countries are included in the rating of the most dangerous countries in the world more often than representatives of other continents. This is due to a poor level of economic development, a large number of religious, ethnic and political conflicts, as well as specific dangerous diseases.
Asian countries can be classified as safer: active hostilities on their territory have mostly ended, but the terrorist threat is still relevant.
In the third place in terms of danger are the countries of South America: there have been no hot conflicts for a long time, but there are still armed groups that are engaged in kidnapping and drug production.
The safest Europe is, the main dangers in which are crime and accidents.
Rules of conduct on dangerous trips
If you nevertheless decide to visit countries where it is better not to travel, it is important to adhere to certain rules in order to have the maximum chances to save life, health and material values:
- If you are going to travel to the countries of Africa and other tropical countries, be sure to get all vaccinations against typical diseases - from the same malaria last year, almost 2 times more people died in the world than as a result of murders.
- Find and write down the addresses and phone numbers of the embassies and consulates of the Russian Federation in the country of your choice - first of all, it is better to apply for help there.
- Be sure to make copies of all important travel documents - foreign passport, entry and exit tickets, medical insurance. When leaving the hotel, be sure to leave copies of your documents in your room. Do not carry large amounts of cash with you, do not wear expensive clothes and jewelry. It is better to divide the money into 2 wallets: take one with you and leave the other at the hotel.
- It is worth finding out exactly where in the country of your choice are the most dangerous places for tourists, and either avoid visiting them, or carefully prepare for it. Be sure to read the local news every day: suddenly a terrorist attack took place in the city of your stay, a curfew was imposed or an evacuation was announced.
- When communicating with locals, consider their mentality: for example, women in Islamic countries should not wear flashy and revealing clothes.
- Avoid places where there are many people at the same time: usually crowded places are chosen for most attacks, moreover, pickpockets are easier to work in a crowd.
To always be aware of the rapidly changing world situation, you should regularly study the list of countries not recommended for visiting on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as well as familiarize yourself with the general recommendations of this department on foreign travel.
If you did not manage to avoid an emergency, you need to remember the following rules:
| What's happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| Loss of passport | Contact the local police and obtain a certificate of loss of your passport. Take 2 photos. Contact the consulate and write an application for the issuance of a temporary certificate for entry into the Russian Federation. |
| Accident | Call the police immediately and, if necessary, an ambulance. Take photographs of the accident site. Take the contacts of another participant in the accident and provide him with yours. Notify your insurance company. Do not touch anything at the scene of the accident until the arrival of the police. |
| Theft | Block all stolen bank cards immediately. Write a statement about theft to the police. Contact the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation. |
| Arrest | Do not resist, do not threaten, do not offer bribes. Don't sign any papers without a consul and a lawyer. Do not touch anything in the area. Contact the consul of the Russian Federation. |
| Earthquake | Stay away from tall buildings. If you are inside the building, leave it. If this is not possible, stay in doorways and corners of rooms. Do not run out of the building until the aftershocks are over. Stay away from power lines. Try to find a radio or go online for evacuation routes. |
Before applying for a visa or buying tickets to another country, we recommend that you check for a ban on leaving the country.
Conclusion
Most of the countries where you should not go on vacation are located in Africa, South America and the Middle East. Even in countries where there is no war, there are chances of becoming a victim of a criminal or a dangerous disease. Therefore, you should carefully prepare for any trip and carefully study all the features of your destination.
