If you decide to spend your vacation unforgettably and in an extreme way, then you still shouldn’t go to those cities that we will talk about now. The level of crime and mortality in them exceeds all conceivable and unimaginable norms. You will not be safe during the day, much less at night.
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
The town of Ciudad Juarez is located on the border between the United States and Mexico. It is an important border city and transport hub. In 2009, Ciudad Juarez was recognized as the most crime-prone city in the world. Last year, drug wars claimed the lives of more than 2 thousand people. There is a military atmosphere in the city as police officers constantly comb the city.
Caracas, Venezuela
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. Its center consists of endless trading stalls with cheap Chinese goods. Children's favorite pastime here is throwing firecrackers into a crowd of people and watching with laughter as adults fall to the ground for fear of getting shot. On the eve of Christmas there are especially many police in Caracas. After all, people have money in their pockets for holiday shopping.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Now this city is considered the most developing in Honduras. But if you visit its slums and remote areas, you can stay there forever. Although San Pedro Sula is considered an attractive tourist area, its residents should not be taken lightly. This city is a haven for drug dealers. Thousands of murders occur here every year.
Guatemala, Guatemala
Every day 5 people are killed in the capital of Guatemala. Isn't it a joke? They also really like to snatch camera bags from unwary tourists. For every 100 thousand people there are 90 murders here. There are police officers everywhere. They don't stand on ceremony with bandits and sometimes shoot up entire buses.
San Salvador, El Salvador
Although San Salvador is the capital, you will find it on any tourist map of the world, it is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The largest gang, Mara, has its connections in the government, so no one is in a hurry to fight it
Cali, Colombia
Colombia is a developing country. Its economy is built on the trade in oil and... drugs. They are transported across the country in tons, and the authorities do nothing. This once again proves its corruption.
New Orleans, USA
New Orleans is prone to frequent natural disasters. That is why it is very dangerous on the city streets. During Hurricane Katrina, everything was strewn with corpses that no one removed; fights, murders and looting were recorded. This situation is associated with the low social level of the population.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town can rightfully be called one of the most beautiful cities in the world. However, its slums compound this claim. Careless tourists who wander here may lose not only valuables, but also their lives. Rape is considered commonplace and is not even recorded in police statistics. But the level of AIDS is simply off the charts.
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Beautiful nature is all that can attract you in this city. Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea. The low standard of living of the population, unemployment, and terrifying mortality statistics amaze visitors. Against this background, there are frequent robberies and murders.
Detroit, USA
Now the main part of the city is destroyed and burned. Due to the fact that the population is almost entirely black, the birth rate has decreased. There is no work, industrial zones have turned into auto-industrial centers. On the night before Halloween, the “Devil's Night” tradition was formed here. This means setting houses on fire and destroying parts of the city.
Are you tired of relaxing in the vastness of your homeland and are you looking for an exotic country to go to? Are you attracted to adventure and unexplored cities? Take your time when choosing a country, ask which are the most dangerous cities in the world and where you should definitely not fly. And we will help with this.
Discovery Channel Investigation
The word "danger" can mean different aspects. Cities can be frightening with their crime rate, environmental situation, seismic activity, prostitution, slave trade and millions of other problems. Of course, you don’t want to get a dose of adrenaline by arriving in such a dangerous area. In 2009, a series of stories was filmed by the Discovery Channel. “The Most Dangerous Cities in the World” is the title of a documentary film based on real events.
A journalist named McIntyre visited all continents in search of places where it was unsafe to be. In his opinion, the ranking of the most dangerous cities in the world includes such resort and famous places as Naples, Miami, Mexico City, Istanbul, Prague, Odessa. Paris was accused of constant racial unrest, the Turkish capital of drug trafficking, and the Ukrainian port of immorality. Donal McIntyre conducted his own investigation. The world's most dangerous cities pose threats to residents and those involved in illegal activities. But ordinary tourists just need to be careful, because, in fact, the problems described by the journalist are present in any country.
What to watch out for
Arriving in any city in the world, you should avoid places where there are a large number of slums or disadvantaged areas. This is where people who are negatively disposed towards society, drug addicts, alcoholics and other socially dangerous individuals usually live.
Another place in the city where a large concentration of criminal crimes is recorded is on busy highways. There are even some statistics according to which about 1 million people die on roads in the world every year. In Russia alone, this figure is close to 300 thousand.
We’ll talk further about which cities you need to be extremely careful in and where it’s better not to go on weekends.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Topping the list of the most dangerous cities in the world is San Pedro Sula in Honduras. Every year there are 170 murders per 100 thousand people. Almost every day 3 corpses are found. The city is simply mired in corruption, violence, drugs and arms trafficking. It can be unsafe here even on the beach, because in the country the population refuses to recognize any laws.
The most interesting thing is that the city is very attractive for tourists, including Russian ones. It is used as a transit point for travel deep into Latin America. Although the most dangerous cities in the world have various attractions, it is better not to go here.
Acapulco, Mexico
One of the most beautiful resorts, which once attracted Hollywood stars, has now turned into a den for crime. The list of the most dangerous cities in the world (no matter who compiles it) will definitely have Acapulco on its list. In 2014, there were 104 murders per 100 thousand inhabitants. In the city, at every step you can encounter an act of cruelty or violence; more than half of the residents are complete drug addicts.
Even the police are all corrupt to the point of disgrace. Cases of human trafficking are common. It is better for tourists not to walk alone in the city, because you never know who you should be more afraid of: bandits or representatives of the law.
Caracas, Venezuela
It is impossible to compile a list of the most dangerous cities in the world without Caracas - On Earth, this metropolis is known for having the highest level of murders and drug addiction. In a population of 3.5 million, 24 thousand people were killed in 2014. For every 100 thousand inhabitants there are 134 accidents.
Kabul, Afghanistan
The capital of the Islamic Republic was unlucky. Kabul became hostage to constant military battles, and the many years of war naturally affected the lives of the population. In general, the country is experiencing economic instability, poverty, constant threats of kidnapping, murder and other equally terrible crimes. The situation is aggravated by the constant struggle for power and terrorism. The situation is now controlled by the ISIS group, but this has only worsened the instability. It is strictly not recommended to go to Kabul without a compelling reason.
Cape Town, South Africa
In all of Africa, this is most likely the most violent city. There is violence in the air here. The situation is exacerbated by racial inequality. Once upon a time the city was ruled by France, and then there was a clear division between whites and blacks. Whites built beautiful neighborhoods and lived prosperously, taking advantage of the black labor force. After South Africa gained independence, the number of Europeans sharply decreased, there was no work, and life became worse. Local residents blamed the occupiers for all the failures, and this trend continued. You can’t move around the city center without a car, because you can be beaten, raped, robbed, and, even worse, simply take your life.
Mogadishu, Somalia
The city is mired in civil war. After UN representatives left it 20 years ago, a unified government in the country could not be established. Mogadishu is now a completely destroyed capital, from where more than half the population has fled, and the rest are forced to hide in basements and bomb shelters. People die here every day from injuries, disease and poverty. How much is difficult to calculate.
Somalia is probably the last country a tourist would want to go to. Devastation reigns here, war rules.
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
This city is located on the border between Mexico and the United States. It has long been captured by local drug dealers, who still cannot share power and influence on the main routes for transporting prohibited goods. Not only local residents (those who remained, the rest have long since fled) fall under the distribution, but also officials. Over the past few years, 100 government officials have been killed. The police cover for those who pay more and do not care about the well-being and peace of the population.
The most dangerous city in the USA
Sometimes it seems that everything is always fine in the USA. And if something goes wrong, Die Hard will come running and fix everything. But in fact, the most dangerous cities in the world are hidden here too. Tourists should definitely avoid the cities of Flint and Detroit first.
The latter, by the way, is not going through the best of times. If you remember the 1987 film “RoboCop,” the history of the city developed exactly as it scripted. The metropolis has a very high unemployment rate; people do not have the opportunity to get out of the poverty line. Low social status, lack of education, and drugs led to an increase in crime. According to criminologists, in 2014 there were 2,000 beatings and 45 deaths per 100 thousand people.
The most dangerous cities in the world (Russia)
It's time to find out where it is unsafe in your home country. If you look at the statistics, the highest rate of criminal crimes is in Perm. In certain categories, he could be called a leader for robberies, thefts and assaults.
Another capital, Kyzyl (Republic of Tuva), is considered the most dangerous in the category of causing physical damage. Deaths due to intentional harm have been recorded here.
It is believed that this situation could have developed due to the fact that the largest number of operating forced labor camps is concentrated in this part of Siberia.
Environmentally hazardous cities in Russia
Danger can lurk not only on the streets in the form of bandits, but also in the air. Moreover, the influence of the latter may not be felt at all. Rosstat has prepared a list of the most dangerous cities in our country in terms of environmental safety. It is headed by Norilsk (2.5 million toxic emissions into the atmosphere), followed by Cherepovets (the highest concentration of chemical enterprises), and in third place is the mining city of Novokuznetsk.
Wherever you decide to go for a weekend or vacation, find out whether the city is safe to move around on the streets and how best to store cash and jewelry.
The holiday season is coming, which means you need to decide where to go on vacation, and where you definitely shouldn’t go unless you are an inveterate extreme sports enthusiast who does not value your life and wallet. And just in time, Numbeo - the largest site on consumer prices, crime rates, quality of medical care and other statistical data about various cities and countries - released its Crime Index. This is annual ranking of the most criminal cities in the world.
The ranking includes 378 cities, which are ranked by crime index. Cities with a crime index below 20 are considered very safe, while cities with a crime rate between 60 and 80 are considered very crime-prone. It turned out that the safest city in the world is Abu Dhabi (crime index - 15.51), followed by Munich and Taipei.
10. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (crime index - 77.87)
In the fun city of carnivals, you can encounter criminals not only in marginal areas. The most common crimes are street robbery and theft. Therefore, if you are determined to go there, take into account a few simple rules. They will also come in handy when visiting other cities on this list.
- Don't walk alone on the street after 10 pm. This doesn't mean you shouldn't visit restaurants or bars in the evenings, or enjoy Rio at night, but unless it's Carnival week, stay inside (or outside, but with the crowds).
- iPhone is easy money in Brazil. Given local absurd markups on luxury goods, the price of an iPhone in Brazil starts at $1,000. This means that if you talk on your iPhone while outside, you are likely to lose it. Buy a cheap phone for travel or stash your iPhone in your pocket when outdoors.
- Do not take anything to the beach other than a swimsuit and towel. Many criminals, acting in groups, literally comb Brazilian beaches in search of things that careless tourists leave on sunbeds when going swimming.
- If possible, travel around the city only by taxi, metro or bus. It's cheap, fast, with a breeze, that is, air conditioning, and signs in English.
9. Pretoria, South Africa (77.99)
Although Pretoria is second to Johannesburg in the number of violent crimes, it is definitely not worth going there on holiday with your family or alone. It is very easy to spot a tourist in Pretoria in a crowd of passers-by, and since the majority of local residents are poor, a rich European is a desirable prey for them. The most common crime in Pretoria is pickpocketing.
8. Recife, Brazil (78.00)
This seaside town is famous for both frequent shark attacks (18 people have died due to them since 1992) and murders. Violence is usually limited to the poorer areas of the city, but are you willing to test it out for yourself?
7. Johannesburg, South Africa (78.49)
Petty pickpocketing, break-ins and car thefts are what most often await tourists in the beautiful but dangerous Johannesburg. There have been incidents involving foreigners traveling from Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to their destination by car. They were robbed, often at gunpoint.
6. Durban, South Africa (78.58)
The central and "tourist" areas of Durban are fairly safe and violent crime is rare there. But outside these areas, robberies are commonplace. If you come to this city for work or pleasure, travel by taxi.
5. Selangor, Malaysia (78.90)
The top 5 most dangerous cities in the world opens with the Malaysian metropolis, where pickpocketing is very common. However, compared to number three on the list, Selangor is a paradise on Earth, because murders and kidnappings with subsequent ransom demands do not occur often there.
4. Fortaleza, Brazil (83.90)
In the most dangerous city in Brazil, you need to always be on guard and not put your phone or valuables in your pockets. Perhaps only in the inner ones, and even in the pocket of panties. And this is not a joke. They know how to steal in Fortaleza. And the number of murders in the city is 60% per hundred thousand population. In addition, kidnappings for ransom are not uncommon.
3. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (84.23)
The main criminal element is concentrated in the local slums (townships) and it is highly not recommended to enter them even during the day. Murders, robberies and violence are not uncommon there. And white tourists are at particular risk. In Pietermaritzburg there is a serious problem of school crime and the police carry out entire raids to confiscate weapons from black high school students. However, all tourist areas (restaurants, shopping centers, shops, attractions) are protected and you can feel relatively safe there.
2. San Pedro Sula, Honduras (85.59)
The second largest city in Honduras is rife with drug trafficking, murder and police brutality, who often brutalize not only gang members, but also those who pass by. There are 169 murders per 100 thousand people in San Pedro Sula.
1. Caracas, Venezuela (86.61)
The list of the most dangerous cities in the world is headed by the capital of Venezuela, where the urban center (still relatively safe in terms of crime) is surrounded by poor areas, where the unwary traveler will be robbed, tried to sell drugs or beaten (or all three) with great pleasure and dexterity. You shouldn’t rely on the police for help; they don’t look into dangerous areas. Yes, and near a fashionable hotel, a tourist can be waylaid by criminals, but not alone, but by representatives of gangs. In general, you should not choose Caracas as a city for a relaxing holiday.
If you are planning to travel around the world, you need to know which cities in the world you should be on the lookout for and which of them are the most dangerous for tourists.
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Although Barquisimeto has just over a million inhabitants, the city experiences murders almost every day.
Peshawar, Pakistan
Peshawar is one of the most dangerous places in the world. The city is unsafe due to constant terrorist attacks.
Sana'a, Yemen
Yemen is particularly politically volatile, and its capital is one of the most dangerous places in the world. The city still remains a high-risk destination for tourists.
Acapulco, Mexico
Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu has had problems with al-Shabab fighters for some time, but the area is now also unsafe for citizens and tourists.
Nairobi, Kenya
Africa is a continent with a long history of violence and warfare. Kenya is a truly beautiful country, but most tourists avoid it because of the violent gangs that operate here at night. Nairobi has suffered greatly in recent years.
Chihuahua, Mexico
Currently, cocaine is routinely smuggled into the United States from Chihuahua. And drug gangsters are not very happy to see tourists here, in addition, they regularly stage shootouts right on the streets.
Cali, Colombia
The most dangerous place on the list of cities in Latin America. About 80 murders occur here every day. Colombia has never had a good reputation and is unlikely to become a tourist destination any time soon.
But, as they say, those who don’t take risks don’t drink champagne. Go for it!
No one can tell where danger will lie in wait for you. In any city and country with very low crime, there are places where an ordinary person, and especially a foreigner, should not go. Meet the ten most dangerous cities in the world, whose residents put themselves in danger every day. Here you can easily find a hitman for a hundred dollars or get hit by a stray bullet from a passing car.
10. Caracas, Venezuela
The capital of Venezuela, Caracas, is a real business center of Central American countries, where a large number of universities, offices of large companies and business centers are concentrated, while the difference in income between different segments of the population is simply huge. On the one hand, rich families are literally swimming in luxury, on the other hand, hundreds of thousands of people are below the poverty line, who simply have nothing to eat. Let's add here high inflation and brutal street gangs, whose leaders the slum residents literally pray to and are ready to turn a blind eye to any, even the most brutal, crimes for small handouts. All this makes Caracas one of the most dangerous cities in the world. For every 100 thousand inhabitants per year, 115 people were killed here; moreover, in 2012, 101 police officers were killed in the line of duty.
9. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town attracts many tourists due to its proximity to nature reserves and the beautiful views that open from the city. However, extreme poverty, social unrest and rampant crime have spread to the once tranquil tourist areas. A night walk through the streets turns into Russian roulette. But even in broad daylight, you won’t feel safe withdrawing money from an ATM. At best, local bandits will simply rob you and take all your cash, and at worst, they will maim or kill you.
8. Karachi, Pakistan
Political instability, lawlessness and high crime rates make the former capital of Pakistan one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Here all problems are solved with the help of money and weapons. For a relatively small amount of money, you can hire mercenaries who are ready to eliminate any competitor, from politicians, businessmen to police officers. There are about 600 human traffickers hiding in Karachi, and religious fanatics can open fire at any time on a crowd of people from a moving car. Continuous terrorist attacks, street gang shootouts in broad daylight, clashes over religion and the resolution of political differences through violence certainly do not make the city a better place. The most popular crimes in recent years have been arson, car theft and armed robbery.
7. Mogadishu, Somalia
For more than 20 years, there has been a continuous civil war in the city, from where half the population has already fled. Bombings are heard here almost every day, street shootings and kidnappings occur, hospitals are overcrowded with the wounded who are provided only with first aid. The city is divided into two parts, with the southern half considered safer. To get from the northern to the southern part, you need to overcome the dividing zone, through which only people on foot are allowed to pass, after a thorough search.
There are practically no intact buildings left in Mogadishu. People are huddled in ruins or refugee camps in former ministries, schools and universities. No one can tell the exact number of people killed, but this figure is simply huge.
6. Maceio, Brazil
From the outside, Maceio looks like a paradise on earth, which should attract people with its bright sun, palm trees, blue water and white sand beaches. However, statistics say the opposite; this is one of the most dangerous cities on earth, where there are 135 murders per 100 thousand inhabitants annually. There is simply a huge difference in income between the rich and poor residents of the city. The only thing that pleases the local authorities is that the victims of the crime are local residents, not tourists.
5. Tegucigalpa, Honduras
The rich business districts of Tegucigalpa are run by gangs who collect taxes from homeowners and set curfews during which any ordinary person on the street risks their life. Special measures are taken against people who do not want to pay, mainly blackmail and torture, but more often it comes to murder.
Crime in the city increased following the deportation of MS-13 gang members from the United States (following severe cuts in prison funding) to Honduras. The bandits who returned to their homeland try to show their status by committing very cruel, and sometimes senseless, crimes. Most of the police forces are devoted to solving serious crimes, no longer paying attention to minor offenses such as robberies. There are 102 murders per 100 thousand city residents per year.
4. Baghdad, Iraq
The city's golden years are long gone. From the American occupation of the city in 2003 to the present day, the streets of Baghdad have become a virtual war zone with constant exchanges of fire between government troops and rebels, car bombings and suicide bombers. This does not include rocket and mortar fire on residential areas. Most of the city is in disrepair and littered with garbage, and electricity and water are supplied on an hourly basis.
3. Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
The city on the border of Mexico and the United States has recently become one of the most dangerous places on earth, turning into a war zone between gangs and cartels fighting for control of drug trafficking routes. In recent years, 100 officials have been killed in the city, and corrupt police continue to cover up cartel cases. Residents of Ciudad Juarez are simply fleeing the city to safer places,
There are 130 murders per 100 thousand people per year. Local residents prefer not to go out on the streets at night, however, even during the day the streets of the city cannot be called safe; here at any moment you can get shot or be kidnapped.
2. Acapulco, Mexico
Acapulco ranks second in the ranking of the most dangerous cities in the world. The city, glorified by musicians and featured in many films, known throughout the world for its white sand beaches, is increasingly becoming deadly for people. Now Acapulco is increasingly appearing in news feeds in the crime section with descriptions of mutilated or dismembered bodies found on the streets and beaches of the city.
After the death of the head of the local drug cartel, Beltran Leyva, a real war broke out for control of drug transit routes to the United States. Large businessmen who have long lived off tourism have recently become increasingly involved in the affairs of cartels and local gangs. There are 140 murders per 100 thousand inhabitants per year.
1. San Pedro Sula, Honduras
We meet the most dangerous city in the world, where no one can vouch for your life, where lawlessness and violence reign, here there are 160 murders per 100 thousand people per year. San Pedro Sula, one of the largest industrial centers of Honduras, bears the unofficial title of one of the world's drug capitals, having become a transshipment point for the transit of cocaine to the United States, where the powder is purified and packaged before being sent to North America.
Extreme poverty of people, drug addiction and corruption have made the streets of the city extremely dangerous not only for local residents, but also for tourists. It has already reached the point that an English traveler was killed by local bandits behind his camera, and the Peace Corps evacuated all its personnel.
