The 20 most dangerous countries in the world

A policeman and residents walk past a shop displaying the pictures of men who were killed in a suicide blast in Pakistan.
Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

The INSIDER Summary:

  • The World Economic Forum recently released their Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, which analyzes the travel and tourism sectors in 136 countries.
  • The report includes a ranking of how safe those 136 countries are for tourists.
  • The ranking is based on the prevalence of violence and terrorism, and not on petty crime.
  • The top five most dangerous countries are Nigeria, Pakistan, El Salvador, Yemen, and Colombia.

Some countries are better suited for tourists than others.



We rounded up the 20 most dangerous countries from the report, based on safety and security.

Keep reading to see which countries you might want to avoid.


20. Democratic Republic of the Congo

People traveling to Congo's capital, Kinshasa.
Goran Tomasevic/REUTERS

The Congolese armed forces, as well as other armed groups and bandits, are active in many parts of the country, and they are pretty violent. Because the Congolese military is in operation throughout the country, travelers are likely to come across troops, armored vehicles, and attack helicopters.


19. Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand, by night.
Jorge Silva/Reuters

The provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla— all of which are in southern Thailand — are the most dangerous in the country. In the last 13 years, more than 6,500 deaths have occurred in these areas due to violence. There's also a martial law in effect in the region.


18. Jamaica

The Jamaican flag.



17. South Africa

A settlement in Soweto, South Africa.
Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters



16. Guatemala

Women march for International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Josue Decavele / Reuters



15. Chad

Refugee children in Chad.
Associated Press




14. Bangladesh

Police offers stand near a homeless mother and her child at the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka.
Andrew Biraj / Reuters

Besides the threat of terrorist attacks, extreme weather also affects Bangladesh, putting the country at risk for a number of natural disasters. The Asian nation experiences tropical cyclones, flooding, and sometimes earthquakes.


13. Mali

A member of the military walks past a mural near the parliament building in Bamako, Mali.
Joe Penney / Reuters

The risk for terrorist attacks is high in Mali's capital, Bamako, as well as other parts of northern and central Mali. Hotels and restaurants are often the targets for these attacks; in November of 2015, a number of people were taken hostage and killed at a Radisson Hotel in Bamako.


12. Lebanon

Woman walks near shattered glass as the word "revolution" is seen on a broken advertising billboard in downtown Beirut.
Thomson Reuters

Because multiple extremist groups are active in Lebanon, terrorist attack such as bombings happen frequently. It's also typical for protests and smaller disputes between neighbors or families to escalate and turn violent, causing harm to bystanders.


11. Philippines

A boy jumps between graves in Barangka public cemetery in Manila, Philippines.
Czar Dancel / Reuters



10. Ukraine

Police stand guard as an activist sprays the word 'Russia' on the barrier around Ukrainian television channel "Inter," which protesters say has an anti-Ukrainian stance, in Kiev, Ukraine September 5, 2016.
REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Fighting between Ukrainian armed forces and Russian-backed armed separatists is common in both the eastern and southeastern regions of the Ukraine, more specifically, the regions of Donetsk oblast, Luhansk oblast, and Crimea. Civilians continue to get caught up in the fighting.


9. Honduras

Residents sit on the roof of a home in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Jorge Cabrera / Reuters

Honduras is home to one of the world's highest murder rates. The department of Gracias a Dios in particular is plagued with crime and drug trafficking, and also lacks police or military presence.

Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba are other dangerous areas; 70% of US citizen homicides in the last seven years happened in these districts.


8. Kenya

A man stands on a hilltop overlooking Korogocho in Nairobi, Kenya.
Thomson Reuters

While many terrorist attacks occur outside of Nairobi, the threat of terrorism is still high in the city. Grenades, shootings, and stabbings are common forms of attacks.


7. Egypt

A boy rides a bike in front of the parliament building in Cairo, Egypt.
Thomson Reuters

ISIS and other extremist groups pose serious threats to public venues throughout Egypt, including tourist sites. The groups have also been known to target various modes of transportation.


6. Venezuela

A woman carrying a baby stands in line outside a pharmacy to try to buy basic food items in Caracas, April 22, 2016.
REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Shortages of basic goods such as water, food, medicine, and electricity have lead to much social unrest and crime throughout Venezuela. The country has one of the highest crime rates in the world; armed robbery, murder, kidnapping, and carjacking are all common forms of violence in much of the country. The U.S. Department of State warns against travel to Venezuela.


5. Nigeria

Nigerian women waiting to cast their vote at a polling station in Daura, the home town of opposition candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, March 28, 2015.
Associated Press/Ben Curtis

Two extremist groups, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa, are responsible for much of the violence that occurs in Nigeria, and commonly target heavily populated areas like churches, schools, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues.

The U.S. Department of State says visitors "should be vigilant at public gatherings and locations frequented by foreigners," and to "exercise extreme caution throughout the country due to the threat of indiscriminate violence."


4. Pakistan

A policeman and residents walk past a shop displaying the pictures of men, who were killed in a suicide blast.
Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

Religious conflict has plagued Pakistan for years, and violence against certain religious groups is still common throughout the country.

Pakistan's government also greatly limits freedom of speech, and forbids foreigners access to numerous places throughout the country.


3. El Salvador

A police officer takes down a yellow police tape at a crime scene in Soyapango, on the outskirts of San Salvador September 26, 2015.
Jose Cabezas/Reuters

Besides having one of the world's highest homicide levels, El Salvador is also known for its many gangs, which are known as maras. Gang violence includes everything from extortion to arms and drug trafficking.


2. Yemen

Boy walks past a house damaged by a Saudi-led air strike in Yemen's capital Sanaa
Thomson Reuters

Rebel groups based in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, continue to both target and detain US citizens. Extremist groups such as Al-Qa'ida are also active in the country, and because of land mines and air strikes, much of Yemen's population lacks basic necessities like food, water, and medical assistance.


1. Colombia

Bogota, Colombia.

While Colombia isn't as dangerous as it once was — Medellin was named South America's best destination last year — visiting the country still poses quite a risk for foreign travelers.

BACRIM, armed gangs, are responsible for kidnappings, drug trafficking, and robberies that occur throughout the country, while acts of terrorism, like explosions, are common in many big cities like Bogota.


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