There are many factors that go into choosing a travel destination. Weather, prices, activities, food … it’s a personal choice that can be as simple or complicated as you choose to make it.
But safety is a priority for every traveler.
Before any trip, Mike and I review several official sources for legitimate information rather than the sensationalism that can be found in media reports. One of these sources is the U.S. Department of State website, and another is the World Atlas Global Terrorism Index.
We look not only for country information but also for specific details related to the cities and regions we plan to visit. For example, the United States is currently ranked number 32 on the global terrorism index. And the U.S. is currently more dangerous than Tunisia, Kuwait, Uganda, Algeria, and Russia. However, your risk of danger is likely quite different if you’re visiting Hawaii or Alaska than it is if you’re headed to New York City or Washington, D.C. The same thing goes for every country on the planet.
Want to play it safe with your travel? Check out the safest countries in the world as ranked by the 2018 Global Peace Index:
As defined by the 2018 Global Peace Index and the World Atlas Global Terrorism Index, the most dangerous countries are currently the following:
- Syria
- Afghanistan
- South Sudan
- Iraq
- Somalia
- Yemen
- Libya
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Central African Republic
- Russia
- Sudan
- Ukraine
- Pakistan
- North Korea
- Türkiye
- Nigeria
- Lebanon
- Israel
- Colombia
However, as previously stated, several of these countries have regions that are currently safe for tourism. We visited Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye, Lebanon, and Israel in 2018 and encountered no danger whatsoever. In fact, the friendly bear in the first photo is from downtown Kiev, Ukraine.
Bottom line? Do your research, use common sense, and don’t be afraid of the world.
Excellent post! It’s crazy to me that the US is so high on the list, but like you said, it really just depends on where in the country you are.
Most travel planning is about doing your research and using common sense, wouldn’t you agree, Lauren?
[…] stories and the travel warnings that cautioned against all but essential travel to the country. But we had already visited many countries deemed too dangerous for travel on this trip around the world, and we had seen no real cause for alarm. Seriously, the world is far […]