Every year, The Institute for Economics and Peace releases its Global Peace Index (GPI) report, which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness. The Global Peace Index is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.
To determine the most dangerous countries in the world, the GPI covers 99.7 percent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace using three thematic domains;
1. The level of Societal Safety and Security;
2. The extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict;
3. And the degree of Militarisation.
Source: The Institute for Economics and Peace GPI 2019
Safety levels of the most dangerous countries in the world
Below are the ten most dangerous countries in the world. The majority of these countries have a Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State. Some of these countries may even prepare citizens for potentially dangerous situation by buying safety equipment like a child gas mask in case they are attacked in the future, but these may not be available for tourists so, if you are going to any of these countries, you may wish to consider whether you will need to pack any equipment of your own.
10. Russia
Russia is the tenth-most dangerous country in the world. According to the report, Russia has one of the highest per-capita rates of weapons exports and is highly militarized, which partially explains its rank on this list. Russia has a Level 2 travel advisory from the U.S Department of State, unlike the other countries on this list.
9. The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The ninth-most dangerous country in the world is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at high risk for severe flooding, contributing to the likelihood of future conflict. Also, they have recently experienced the Ebola outbreak, which has claimed over 2,200 lives, according to the World Health Organization. The ability of health workers to provide care to treat Ebola patients has been hindered by extreme violence.
8. Libya
Rising violence in Libya, coupled with its high risk for flooding, makes that they are on this list. Libya has experienced high levels of crime, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping, and terrorism. ISIS has carried out several attacks that killed both civilians and soldiers. With the end to the war nowhere in sight, Libya is the eighth most dangerous country in the world.
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7. Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is the seventh-most dangerous country in the world. The war between the Seleka rebels and the Anti-Balaka militia is the main reason for its spot on this list. The conflict has displaced 620,000 people in the country and has created 570,000 refugees. Kidnapping, violence, looting, and human rights abuses also occur across the country. Violence in the Central African Republic costs the country about 47% of its GDP.
6. Somalia
Somalia is the sixth-most dangerous country in the world. This country has high kidnapping risks throughout the whole country. Terror attacks occur often at Mogadishu International airport, government buildings, hotels, and restaurants. Foreigners, government officials, and UN workers are likely targets of these terror attacks. The United Nations warned that over 2 million people in Somalia are at risk of starvation.
5. Iraq
Although officially ISIS has been defeated, Iraq is the fifth most dangerous country in the world. Iraq continues to have conflicts and terrorist attacks. ISIS continues to capture and kill civilians and Iraqi armed forces.
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4. Yemen
The fourth-most dangerous country in the world is Yemen. Yemeni Civil War began in 2015 and worsens each day, reports suggest. Yemen has the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, where four years of ongoing war and conflicts have resulted in 4.3 million people leaving their homes and 14 million people are at risk of starvation and outbreaks of deadly diseases. About 80% of the Yemen population (24 million people) is in despairing need of humanitarian assistance. On top of this, it is also one of the world's poorest countries.
3. South Sudan
South Sudan is the third-most dangerous country in the world. The country has an ongoing conflict, civil unrest, and violent crime throughout the country, including robberies, assaults, carjacking, and kidnappings. Many observers say that there is hope that peace might return to the country soon.
2. Syria
Syria is the second-most dangerous country in the world. Syria’s conflicts placed it for many years as the most dangerous country in the world on the list. The Syrian civil war has been the second-deadliest war of the 21st century. An estimated 470,000 people, including 55,000 children, have been killed in the conflicts of Syria. 5.7 million people have fled Syria and over 6 million have been displaced internally over the last years.
1. Afghanistan
Afghanistan is the most dangerous country in the world, according to the 2019 Global Peace Index, supplanting Syria to number two. Violence in Afghanistan cost approximately 47% of its GDP, and the ongoing conflict killed 3,804 people last year, including 927 children – the highest number ever in the country, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Afghanistan experiences deadly attacks from the Taliban throughout the country.
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