Wanderlust may take you all over the world, but some countries are too dangerous to visit, and knowing which are best avoided in 2023 could keep you safe.
Afghanistan’s persistent state of civil unrest keeps the country at the top of this list for the fifth year. The nation, overtaken by the Taliban in 2021, had suffered more than 100,000 civilian casualties by 2019, illustrating the threat to citizens and tourists.
Yemen’s civil war has devastated entire cities and imperiled millions of civilians, creating a precarious situation. The conflict has triggered a perpetual humanitarian crisis, leading to extreme poverty, disease, and food shortages.
A decade of civil unrest is just the tip of the iceberg for Syrians. Systematic human rights abuses, terrorism, and tensions between international forces operating in Syria led the UN to declare the war the worst man-made disaster since WWII.
Alongside imprisoning journalists and political dissidents, the Russian government has created a hostile position for travelers. In particular, the threat of “hostage diplomacy” has grown following Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
South Sudan has known internal strife since gaining independence in 2011. The CIA states that the political instability has “kill[ed] tens of thousands and creat[ed] a dire humanitarian crisis.”