Every year, millions of people make decisions to leave their home country for an international destination. Some of the reasons for this mass exodus could be hunger and natural disasters such as earthquakes, mudslides and tornadoes. Some people leave their countries to avoid political, social and economic crises. Today, there is unrest in the Middle East and other parts of the world. The wars between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas are some of the reasons for the international migration of people.
According to statistics, about 4.6 million US citizens left the country in January 2024. All around the world, increased tension such as political crises, kidnapping, civil unrest and terrorism have made mass movements inevitable. Taking all the factors into consideration, the US government has listed countries that are unsafe to travel in 2024. It is important to go through them and change your plans if they’ve been on your list of top countries to visit in 2024.
17 Unsafe Places to Travel in 2024
YEMEN
It is internationally risky to travel to Yemen due to various reasons. Some of these factors include landmines, armed conflict, terrorism, health risks, civil unrest and regular kidnappings. If you’re thinking of traveling to this country, you may need to change your mind. Some private organizations offer tourist attractions for foreigners, but even this program isn’t safe as anything can happen to tourists.
VENEZUELA
Another country to avoid in 2024 is Venezuela. Right now, this country is accused of allowing and even promoting human rights abuses. Even though it is a South American nation, it has been troubled by political problems and the outbreak of a plague since 2014. Many countries, including the United States, have called back their diplomatic personnel due to the many evils ranging from dilapidated health sector, increased crimes, wrong detentions and targeted kidnappings.
UKRAINE
Ukraine was a safe place to visit until the Russian invasion. Right now, the war between these two countries has made it risky to travel to Ukraine. Apart from the ongoing combat, many consequences of war have increased the risks or traveling to Ukraine. Crimes are on the increase, and there are pockets of civil unrest in many places. These have made Ukraine an unsafe place to travel since Christmas Eve 2023 when Ukraine military downed two Russian jet fighters.
SYRIA
Syria’s problems include armed conflicts, kidnappings, unlawful detention, and civil unrest. It has been noted that no part of Syria is free from these risk factors. Cities, towns and villages are no longer safe for citizens and, worse, for foreigners. There has been several reports of kidnapping groups who target US citizens for various reasons. This and many more have made Syria unsafe to travel right now.
SUDAN
After a military coup in 2021 that overthrew the then Prime Minister, Sudan plunged into a conflict between two opposing military generals. Civil unrest has been on the increase, causing the country to close its airspace, and only opening it to allow evacuation and humanitarian aid. Apart from civil unrest, there are cases of kidnapping, terrorist activities, crime and armed conflict. War crimes have been cited also, and millions of Sudanese have fled their homes. Right now, traveling to Sudan isn’t a good idea.
SOUTH SUDAN
In 2011, South Sudan left Sudan to form its own separate country. However, it could not escape the same fate of its mother country, Sudan. Even though South Sudan is the world’s newest country, it has been troubled by armed conflicts, kidnappings and various kinds of criminal activities. Tourists who travel to this country are at the risk of being sexually assaulted or attacked by armed bandits. So South Sudan is not safe to travel right now.
SOMALIA
Somalia has been facing issues with Islamist insurgents wreaking havoc here and there. The 4-year drought in Somalia killed over 42,000 people and escalated the already troubled African country. Serious crimes, pirate activities, health problems, civil unrest and terrorism are some of the biggest challenges in the country. In 2024, a helicopter hired by the United Nations was taken down and the passengers held hostage by fighters belonging to the al-Shabaab militant group in central Somalia. Right now, it is not advisable to travel to this country for any tourist attraction purposes.
RUSSIA
Since the invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions imposed on the country, Russia has become unsafe to travel in 2024. Some of the problems cited are unlawful harassment of citizens from the U.S., kidnapping, civil unrest, health concerns, terrorism and cruel government policies. Russia is currently not safe to travel as a result of its negative international reputation.
NORTH KOREA
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is among the world’s longest dynasty-ruled countries in the world. Currently, no US citizen is allowed in or through North Korea. The government of the country often arrests and detains any person of U.S. origin. A U.S. citizen who had spent 5 years in North Korean prison was released in September 2023. A U.S. soldier, for some reason, fled to North Korea through the border. These and many anti-democratic activities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are not compatible with the safety of foreigners, tourists and international students.
MEXICO
Mexico is in a special category in terms of travel-risk ranking. Among the 32 states in Mexico, six have been identified as highly risky to live or work in. The six states are Zacatecas, Michoacan, Colima, Tamaulipas, Guerrero and Sinaloa. There have been serious cases of continuous and increasing kidnappings and crimes in these Mexican states. So far, over 100,000 people have been reported missing and the number keeps increasing daily.
MALI
The Mali coups of 2020 and 2021 created serious social and political problems such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism. These and many other vices have made the West African country unsafe and risky for travelers and tourists. Due to increased terrorist activities, officials of the US in Mali were called back home in July 2022. August 2023 saw military cooperation between Mali’s security forces and men belonging to Russia’s Wagner mercenaries. There has been widespread panic, violence against women, and abuses of human rights. Right now, it is unsafe to travel to Mali.
LIBYA
After the end of dictatorship in Libya ten years ago, the country has been torn to pieces by internal crises. There are fighting among armed groups and serious cases of terrorism, crime, civil unrest and kidnapping. Most terrorists target airports and big hotels and kidnap tourists for ransom. Apart from these negative factors, thousands of people were killed by floods due to climate change in September 2023. Right now, there are clashes between rival armed groups in Benghazi and Tripoli, the capital city. Libya is clearly an unsafe place to travel in 2024.
IRAQ
Iraq is on the list of unsafe countries to travel in 2024. This is because of civil unrest, armed conflict, kidnapping and terrorism going on in this Arab country. Currently, it is dangerous to pass along the northern borders of Iraq and the border it shares with Syria. Iraq military bases have been under attack since the war between Israel and its neighbors started. As a result of these dangers and risks, the US government called home its citizens in October 2023.
IRAN
It is unsafe to travel to Iran due to its many dangers. Travelers face risks of kidnapping, terrorism and civil unrest in Iran. Even US citizens are not left out, as they are likely to be arrested on sight. Iran’s government has been picking up students, business travelers and journalists and accusing them of spying on the country. Many people were publicly executed, especially between 2021 and 2022. About 580 executions were recorded in 2023 alone, making Iran a country to study away from in 2024.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan is located in Central Asia and had been riddled with kidnapping, crime, terrorism and unlawful detention of citizens and foreigners. Public flogging, executions and violations of women’s rights are some of the terrible things happening in Afghanistan. Since the day the once dreaded Taliban group took control of the country, making things have gone wrong. Afghanistan is no longer eligible for foreign aid, and the US embassy no longer operates there. In 2023, the country witnessed one of its deadliest earthquakes in history that took the lives of over 2,000 Afghans. In addition, Afghan has been experiencing prolonged years of drought.
BURKINA FASO
This West African country has become more unsafe to travel in recent times. Like Mali, Burkina Faso is experiencing cases of kidnapping, crime and terrorism. There have been unceasing attacks on schools, restaurants and hotels in the Sahel and Eastern regions of the country. The clashes between rebels and state security forces have been on the increase with no end in sight. Over 2 million people have been driven out of their homes due to the continuous violent clashes between the al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) group. It is no longer safe to travel to Burkina Faso in 2024.
GAZA
Much of the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas, a foreign terrorist group. In October 2023, some Hamas fighters killed many Israeli civilians. The Israeli government responded with an equal force three days later. Since then, the Gaza Strip has become a war zone and one of the most dangerous places to live. Tourists and travelers are advised not to travel to Gaza or any country close to it, due to the possible negative effects of war.
Final Note
As there are the worst countries, there are the best countries in the world to travel. It is important that you stay informed of happenings around the world so you don’t make mistakes. There are many safe countries to travel abroad in 2024, and they are more in number than unsafe countries. So don’t let these few countries dampen your desire to live, work, study or take a vacation abroad.
Good luck to you!
See also 10 Best Countries to Travel for Study Abroad
Top 3 Countries that Offer Generous Scholarships