Traveling is a great way to spend your vacation. In fact, it is now a lot easier to visit distant locations around the world with so many flights available in a day. You get to visit different places, try different cuisines, meet different people and learn about their customs and culture. While there are many beautiful and historically rich places in the world, a few places must be avoided due to dangerous conditions.
For the past two decades, the world has seen different types of violence carried out in the world. There are also many places susceptible to natural calamities. Trouble may also come in the form of drugs, gangs, and random street violence. Here is a list of ten of the most dangerous places in the world that you must avoid visiting.
1. Verkhoyansk, Russia:
Verkhoyansk in Russia is one of the most dangerous places in the world. It is located around 3000 miles east of Moscow. The city is famed for being the coldest city in the world. The Yana River in Verkhoyansk remains frozen solid for nine months of the year. In winter, the temperature falls between minus 60 and minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The place is usually preferred as an exile destination. Even the country Russia is not very safe to visit. The country is the crime-ridden, having more gangsters than police. It is said that one Russian is assassinated every 18 minutes. This means that an average of 84 murders happens every day in a nation with a population of 143 million. Extortions, prostitution and drug trafficking, are also common in Russia. Hence, this place is best avoided.
2. Antarctica:
Murder, robbery, and rape may not be a huge problem in this part of the world, but the hostile weather conditions certainly are. Antarctica has extreme weather conditions, with temperature dropping regularly below 60 degrees Celsius. The winds at Antarctica travel at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. A person can die if exposed to this weather for more than half an hour. In addition, Antarctica has no proper restaurants or hospitals. Therefore, God forbid, if you get lost, then there is no hope. Even if you are willing to travel to Antarctica, then stay with the tour groups. There is also a McDonald at the Scott Base only if you manage to find it. It will help you greatly.
3. Afghanistan:
Afghanistan was once one of the world’s most strategically important territories, but is currently one of the poorest and most undeveloped countries in the world. It was during the Soviet invasion when the Red Army planted more than 12 million landmines in Afghanistan, which killed thousands of people. After the Soviet came the Talibanis, who prevented women from working and studying. In 2001, the United States invasion left the nation in an unstable condition. Even today, suicide bombings are a constant threat in Afghanistan. Also, Afghanistan is the world’s largest supplier of opium and hashish. Do I need to give you any more reasons to not visit Afghanistan?
4. Somalia:
Somalia’s capital Mogadishu is one of the world’s most dangerous cities in the world. This failed state is known for its corruption, anarchy, starvation and lack of proper governance. Travelers are warned against not only entering Somalia, but also sailing near the Horn of Africa. It is said that the pirates capture the waterways, armed with AK-47s. Also, inter-clan fighting has claimed thousands of lives in the north of Somalia.
5. Sudan:
If you are a beach lover and are considering visiting Sudan, then take a while and read this. Terrorism is a mainstay in Sudan, which is mostly controlled by Islamic militants. It is one of the hungriest nations in the world, with most of the population living in abysmal conditions. Most of the citizens in Sudan live on less than $1.23 a day. Slavery and ethnic strife are very common in Sudan. The worst part is that the government of Sudan retains power through human rights violation. Since 1984, millions of Sudanese people have died due to famine and civil war. Robbery, rape, killings, recruitment of child soldier and systematic tortures are very common in Sudan. It also has bleak desert conditions.
6. Mount Merapi, Indonesia:
Mount Merapi, also called the Fire Mountain, is an active volcano situated on the border between Yogyakarta and Central Java. It is designated as one of the Decade Volcanoes because of its proximity to Yogyakarta. It is an active volcano and has erupted 68 times since 1548. You can see smoke emerging from the mountaintop at least 300 days a year. Several eruptions have caused fatalities in the surrounding areas. It is reported that a Pyroclastic flow from Mount Merapi killed around 30 people. An eruption in 1994 set forth a cloud of lethal hot gas, burning more than 60 people to death. Despite its dangerous history, more than 200,000 villagers still reside within 5 miles of the volcano.
7. Gonaives, Haiti:
Gonaives is the place most susceptible to tropical storms. This coastal city of the Haiti’s is on the receiving end of the devastating tropical cyclones. Much of the city is buried under mud or is submerged in filthy water. In 2004, the city took a severe beating from the Hurricane Jeanne. Around three thousand of Haitians died in this mishap. Do you know why Gonaives is so prone to destruction by hurricane? It is because the city rests on a flood plain that is prone to washing out when inland rivers swell. In addition, the natives of this city rely on wood to make charcoal. This has led to massive deforestations of the hillsides. Hence, when the heavy rains come, the hill of the Gonaives melts that leads to landslides.
8. Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo:
Lake Kivu is another dangerous place that you must avoid visiting. It is one of the African Great Lakes lying on the border between ‘Rwanda’ and the ‘Democratic Republic of the Congo’. The water of this lake is heavy with gas. The lake contains around 256 cubic kilometers of carbon dioxide and 65 cubic kilometers of methane trapped under the pressure of the earth and water. Also, it is a highly volcanic area, which results in much of the carbon dioxide entering the lake from the volcanic rock beneath it. The bacteria in the late then convert the carbon dioxide into methane.
9. Grand Cayman:
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands in George Town. This British territory is located 150 miles south of Cuba. Besides being renowned for its pristine beaches and excellent diving, Grand Cayman is also reputed as the “hurricane capital of the world”. According to its official website, the Grand Cayman is brushed once every 2.16 years by a hurricane, much more than any other locale in the Atlantic basic. The low-lying limestone formation of the Grand Cayman has been battered 64 times, leading to catastrophic results.
10. Minqin County, China:
Minqin County is a fertile oasis trapped between two deserts. The desert sands are swallowing up the farmland and towns at a rapid pace. The government of China describes the place as an “ecological disaster area”. Despite the warnings, the eco-refugees have resettled here because their homes are no longer fit for habitation.
Keep your eyes open and make good decisions. If you decide to visit these places despite the warnings, then you should at least be aware of the risks and the repercussions. Hope you liked the article. Leave the feedback in the comment section.