Normally, when choosing a vacation destination we take into account factors such as prices, artistic and cultural heritage, natural landscapes, beaches, museums … However, on many occasions we forget a fundamental factor: security . And, while it is true that we can face dangerous situations in any corner of the world, there are some countries that are more violent than others and that, therefore, we should avoid as much as possible.
So that you can have more useful information when organizing your trips, today in Vuela Viajes we will talk about the most violent countries of 2015. To do this, we are going to base ourselves on the Global Peace Index 2015 , a document that informs about which are the most peaceful and dangerous countries on the planet. Would you like to join us?
1. Syria
How could it be otherwise, the most violent country in the world at the moment is Syria, which has been in a civil war since 2011. We recall that the Islamic State (IS) is trying to build a state in some Middle Eastern countries, although it could be said that the situation is even more serious in Syria, from where many refugees have departed.
2. Iraq
Although the war in Iraq officially ended in 2011 (we recall that in 2003 the United States and the United Kingdom invaded this Middle Eastern country), the climate of insecurity has only grown. The kidnapping of foreigners, the risk of attacks or violence against civilians are some of the reasons why Iraq is ranked number 2 on the list.
3. Afghanistan
Nor could Afghanistan be absent from this list, which, for many years now, has been considered an extremely dangerous country. As you may have imagined, the terrorist threat from Islamic groups and the kidnapping of foreigners are some of the biggest threats in the country.
4. South Sudan
Although it has been four years since they achieved independence, South Sudan has been immersed in a civil war for more than two years that has killed 50,000 people. In addition, it is one of the countries with the largest number of displaced persons and refugees in the world.
5. Central African Republic
Since the Central African Republic was founded in 1958, the country has suffered several coups. Although the country has a new government in 2014, armed conflicts continue, destroying communities across the country. In fact, according to UNICEF figures, at least one child was killed or maimed every day in 2014 and more than 10,000 were recruited by armed groups.
6. Somalia
Another African country on this list is Somalia, which has been in a civil war since 1991, when insurrections broke out against the Mohamed Siad Barre regime. In addition to violence, one of the country’s main problems is famine.
7. Sudan
Before we have talked to you about South Sudan, but the Republic of Sudan is also present on the list, specifically at number 7. This country is considered an authoritarian system in which human rights are conspicuous by their absence.
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo
In eighth place we find the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which in 2011 was also considered the poorest country on the planet. Armed conflicts have dominated the scene since the country became independent in 1960, leaving millions of people dead.
9. Pakistan
We return to the Middle East to tell you about Pakistan, where in 2004 an armed conflict broke out between religious groups and the country’s military. Today, violent religious groups remain the main threat in the country where attacks are the daily bread.
10. North Korea
The tenth place on the list goes to North Korea, which has entered the list, among other things on the merits of the country’s leader, the dictator Kim Jong-un , who has scared a large part of the population. We must not forget his war with South Korea and the nuclear threats pouring in from this Asian country.