World’s most dangerous travel destinations for 2019 revealed

WAR torn Syria along with Libya, Afghanistan and Somalia are among the world’s most dangerous countries, a new map designed for travellers has revealed.

The Travel Risk Map for 2019 also highlights the worst and best places in the world when it comes to driving and health.

The interactive map has been produced by medical and security specialists International SOS and Control Risks.

It shows the danger level in each country and territory based on the current threat posed to travellers by political violence (including terrorism, insurgency, politically motivated unrest and war), social unrest (including sectarian, communal and ethnic violence) and violent and petty crime.

Factors such as the country's transport infrastructure, the state of industrial relations, the effectiveness of the security and emergency services and the country’s susceptibility to natural disasters are also taken into consideration.

The map lists five categories of risk: insignificant, low, medium, high and extreme.

It shows that Finland, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, Switzerland, Slovenia and Iceland have been labelled the safest places in the world, with an “insignificant” risk.

Whereas countries that have been classified in the "extreme travel risk" category include parts of Libya, Central African Republic, Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Countries with a "high travel risk" included parts of Mexico, India and the Middle East, as well as Venezuela and central Africa.

The majority of European countries are deemed low risk, including Ireland, as are Iran, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Uzbekistan in the Middle East.

Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand are all low risk too.

When it comes to health, the countries with a highest risk of medical problems or disease included the African countries South Sudan, Niger, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone.

The medical ratings are given by assessing a range of health risks and mitigating factors, including: infectious diseases, environmental factors, the standard and availability of local emergency medical and dental care, access to quality pharmaceutical supplies, the requirement for medical evacuation and cultural, language or administrative barriers.

Also labelled a high risk counties to travellers’ health are Iraq, Lebanon, Venezuela and North Korea.

In contrast western European countries as well as Turkey, Canada, the US, New Zealand and Japan pose the least risk to your health.

Lowest security risk countries

Luxembourg
Switzerland
Slovenia
Norway (including Svalbard)
Denmark (including the Faroe Islands)
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Seychelles
Cape Verde

Highest security risk countries

Syria
Yemen
Afghanistan
Iraq
Libya
Mali
Central African Republic
South Sudan
Somalia
The Gaza Strip
Part of Egypt
Part of eastern Nigeria
Part of eastern Ukraine

The roads of Africa, including South Africa, are nearly all in the “very high” risk category when it comes to road safety.

So too are those in the popular holiday destination of Thailand as well as countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kazakhstan.

Driving in Russia, India, China and Brazil poses a “high” risk while there is “moderate” risk in the United States.

Italy, Portugal and many eastern European countries as well as Turkey pose a “moderate” risk.

The UK, France, Spain, Canada and Australia all pose a “very low” risk when it comes to driving.