The Global Spectrum

These articles are from various sources that cover unrest and safety concerns to be aware of globally. Many of these articles are from third party sources, and SafeWall does not necessarily recommend or endorse the source organizations as a whole. SafeWall simply uses various materials to help create safety awareness.

GLOBAL INTERESTS

The 10 Most Dangerous Countries in the World in 2025

MIRA SAFETY
These are the world’s top ten most dangerous countries in 2025, according to the Global Peace Index. From Afghanistan’s relentless insurgency and Yemen’s humanitarian collapse to Venezuela’s economic implosion driving violent crime, each nation is gripped by conflict, instability, or lawlessness. Discover the key threats facing civilians, aid workers, and travelers—and learn why understanding these risks is critical for anyone committed to safety and preparedness. ~ Jeff Edwards, MIRA Safety

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THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD BY REGION

Global Guardian
Global Guardian's Intelligence Team puts a spotlight on the most dangerous countries in the world—those where the likelihood and extent of harm to a traveler are highest.

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SOUTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA: THREAT LEVELS BY COUNTRY AND CITY - Global Guardian

SOUTH AMERICA: THREAT LEVELS BY COUNTRY AND CITY The U.S. State Department provides the following country travel safety ratings, on a scale of one through four, for South America:

Argentina: Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Bolivia: Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Brazil: Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Chile: Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Colombia: Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
Ecuador: Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
French Guiana: Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Guyana: Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
Paraguay: Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Peru: Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Suriname: Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)

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DANGEROUS TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR VENEZUELA

Travel Advisory
May 12, 2025Venezuela - Level 4: Do Not Travel
O D K H U T C

Do not travel to or remain in Venezuela due to the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure. All U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents in Venezuela are strongly advised to depart immediately. Read entire Travel Advisory.Team puts a spotlight on the most dangerous countries in the world—those where the likelihood and extent of harm to a traveler are highest.

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NORTH AMERICA

Image from Landgeist

Most Dangerous Cities In North America - World Atlas

For many, North America is a land of opportunity, with its rich natural resources, ecological beauty, and significance as a cultural melting pot. Nonetheless, some of the most dangerous cities on our globe are found in the region, particularly in Mexico, where organized crime and the drug trade have longtime been a problem. These numbers were taken from a study produced by the Igarapé Institute, which is the most comprehensive database of homicide statistics that is available to the public. Although murder rates is also one way to determine how dangerous a city may be, it is often a rate that is indicative of dangerous conditions within a city. St. Louis, the only American city to make it on the list, also struggles with other violent crimes besides murder such as aggravated assault. ~ WorldAtlas.com

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EUROPE

European Crime Rates by Armormax
Crime rates and indices in certain European urban areas pose significant concerns regarding public safety and security. These measures provide valuable insights into the prevalence of crime and the overall safety of a city.One commonly used index is the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks countries and cities based on various indicators, including levels of violence, crime rates, and perceived criminality. According to the GPI 2021 report, some European cities such as Lisbon, Barcelona, and Rome have relatively high crime rates compared to other cities within Europe.Additionally, Eurostat data reveals that certain Eastern European cities like Sofia and Bucharest also experience higher crime rates compared to their Western counterparts.However, it is important to note that while these statistics can provide a broad overview of crime trends in different cities, they should be interpreted with caution as factors like population density, socioeconomic conditions, and cultural dynamics can significantly influence crime rates.

Information from TheGlobalEconomy.com

Kidnappings per 100,000 people, 2017: The average for 2017 based on 30 countries was 1.6 kidnappings per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Belgium: 10.3 kidnappings per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Bosnia and Herzegovina: 0 kidnappings per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2003 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available. Measure: kidnappings per 100,000 people; Source: The UN office on drugs and crime Download data from our database Countries Kidnapping rate, 2017 Global rank Available data Belgium 10.3 1 2003 - 2017 Luxembourg 7.7 2 2006 - 2017 UK 7.3 3 2003 - 2017 Germany 5.6 4 2004 - 2017 Cyprus 3.1 5 2003 - 2017 Portugal 2.8 6 2004 - 2017 Netherlands 2.1 7 2005 - 2017 Slovakia 1.7 8 2005 - 2017 Ireland 1.6 9 2003 - 2017 Romania 1.6 10 2003 - 2017 Bulgaria 1.4 11 2003 - 2017 Ukraine 1.2 12 2003 - 2017 Greece 0.7 13 2004 - 2017 Italy 0.3 14 2003 - 2017 North Macedonia 0.3 15 2005 - 2017 Czechia 0.2 16 2003 - 2017 Latvia 0.2 17 2003 - 2017 Russia 0.2 18 2004 - 2017 Serbia 0.2 19 2005 - 2017 Albania 0.1 20 2006 - 2017 Spain 0.1 21 2005 - 2017 Bosnia & Herz. 0 22 2005 - 2017 Croatia 0 23 2004 - 2017 Estonia 0 24 2003 - 2017 Finland 0 25 2003 - 2017 Hungary 0 26 2003 - 2017 Lithuania 0 27 2003 - 2017 Montenegro 0 28 2006 - 2017 Slovenia 0 29 2003 - 2017 Switzerland 0 30 2003 - 2017

Both images taken from The Global Economy: Kidnapping Rate - Country rankings

AFRICA

Image from Landgeist

The Global Peace Index (GPI) is an annual assessment of the level of peace in each of the world’s countries, taking into account external factors such as wars and terrorist attacks, internal factors such as civil unrest or revolutions, and the duration of ongoing conflicts. Higher GPI scores indicate increased danger.

This above map statistic is taken from World Population Review.

The Most Dangerous Countries in Africa 2025

The majority of countries in Europe, North America, and Asia have been considered very safe. In contrast, many countries in Africa and South America are often considered dangerous. It is unnecessary to categorize the entire continent as Africa being unsafe, but which countries in Africa are safe and peaceful and which are dangerous? Does the answer correspond to wealth, with the richest and most developed African countries proving safer than Africa’s poorest countries?

How Is Country Danger Measured?
Even though plenty of measures are available that can categorize the safety or danger of a specific country, the most common metric is the GPI. This stands for the Global Peace Index, a comparative metric that looks at the crime rates across the board. Even though the numbers can rise and fall from year to year, some countries in Africa are persistently unsafe. Therefore, it is critical to use extra caution when traveling to these countries, but it might be better off to stay away from them entirely. There are ten separate indicators in the GPI that are used to assess the safety and security levels of a specific society. These include stable politics, lower crime rates, acts of terrorism, violent crimes, relationships with neighboring countries, and the percentage of its citizens that are displaced.

Is Somalia a Dangerous Country?
Without a doubt, one of the most dangerous countries on Earth is Somalia. Somalia is one of the most homogeneous countries in the world, but this also means that ethnic minorities are consistently suppressed. Ever since European ruling powers left Somalia, it has been a dangerous place. It is not unusual for terrorist attacks to take place on hotels, which is where a lot of travelers tend to stay. For more than two decades, the capital of Mogadishu has been rocked by violence. Therefore, the vast majority of developed countries recommend that people stay as far away from Somalia as possible.

Is the South Sudan a Safe Place To Visit?
Another one of the most dangerous countries in Africa is called South Sudan. South Sudan broke away from the rest of Sudan in 2011, but this doesn’t mean that it is now a stable place. The country’s capital is Juba, one of the most dangerous countries on the continent. The nation continues to be plagued by ethnic violence, and a civil war rocked the country from 2013 to 2020. Even though multiple ceasefires have been brokered since then, the country still experiences a fair amount of violence.

Can US Citizens Visit the Congo?
Even though US citizens can visit the Congo, this is generally not recommended. This is another country that has a lot of shootings, stabbings, and terrorist attacks. The government is highly unstable, and it is not unusual for battles, skirmishes, and even full-blown civil wars to break out from time to time. Furthermore, foreign nationals can be kidnapped and held as bargaining chips by different terrorist organizations.

World Population Review

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