Every year, publications release lists of the most dangerous countries in the world. Most are based on last year's crime statistics, GDP per capita, or the Global Peace Index — lagging indicators that tell you where problems were, not where they are right now.
This ranking is different. It is built from real-time local-language intelligence monitoring — the same system Region Alert uses to deliver daily security briefings to operations teams, NGOs, mining companies, and logistics providers working in these environments. We monitor Telegram channels, local radio, community forums, and regional news in 100+ languages to detect threats 12–24 hours before they appear on English-language wires.
These rankings are not a "don't go" list. They are an operational assessment. Most of these countries have safe corridors, functional cities, and millions of people living normal lives. The ranking exists to tell you where the risks concentrate, how they manifest, and what intelligence you need before deploying people or assets.
Important Disclaimer
This ranking reflects conditions as of February 2026. Security environments change rapidly. These assessments are for informational purposes and do not replace professional security consultation or official government travel advisories. Always verify current conditions before travel.
The 10 Most Dangerous Countries in 2026
Haiti
CriticalHaiti is the most dangerous country in the Western Hemisphere and arguably the most dangerous operating environment on Earth in 2026. The G9 an Fanmi e Alye and G-Pep gang alliances control approximately 80% of Port-au-Prince, making the capital a no-go zone for anyone without armed escort or humanitarian corridor access.
Kidnapping rates are the highest in the hemisphere. Gangs routinely target aid workers, business travelers, and missionaries. The Haitian National Police are outgunned and understaffed. The UN Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, led by Kenya, has deployed but remains insufficient to reclaim gang-held territory.
Institutional collapse is total. Courts do not function. Hospitals operate at minimal capacity. Roads between cities are controlled by armed groups who impose tolls or block passage entirely. Only humanitarian organizations with established security protocols and armed escorts should consider operations, and only along pre-cleared corridors.
- Primary threats: Kidnapping, armed robbery, gang violence, carjacking
- High-risk zones: Port-au-Prince (entire metro), Route Nationale 1 and 2, Artibonite Valley
- Viable corridors: Cap-Haitien (with precautions), airport-to-compound routes with security escort
Myanmar
CriticalMyanmar has been in active civil war since the February 2021 military coup. The Tatmadaw (military junta) faces coordinated resistance from ethnic armed organizations and the People's Defence Force (PDF) across multiple states simultaneously. Entire regions are active combat zones with airstrikes, artillery, and ground offensives occurring daily.
Sagaing Region, Chin State, Kayah (Karenni) State, and Kayin (Karen) State are the most intense conflict areas. The resistance has made significant territorial gains, but the military responds with indiscriminate air bombardment of civilian areas. Over 2 million people are internally displaced.
No reliable security exists for foreign nationals outside Yangon and Mandalay, and even those cities carry risks including arbitrary detention, surveillance, and the potential for internet blackouts during military operations. Foreign journalists and aid workers have been detained. Commercial flights are limited and routes change without notice.
- Primary threats: Armed conflict, airstrikes, arbitrary detention, landmines, internet blackouts
- High-risk zones: Sagaing, Chin, Kayah, Kayin, northern Shan State
- Lower-risk areas: Yangon (with precautions), Mandalay (with precautions)
Iraq
High-CriticalIraq presents one of the most complex security landscapes in the world. Residual ISIS cells continue to operate in disputed territories between the Kurdistan Region and federal Iraq, conducting ambushes, assassinations, and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — Iranian-backed militias now nominally integrated into Iraq's security forces — operate independently in southern provinces and routinely launch rocket attacks on bases hosting international personnel.
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is significantly safer, with its own security forces (Peshmerga) and a functioning government. Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are viable operating environments for international organizations. But even the KRI is not immune — Turkish cross-border operations against PKK targets in the mountains and occasional Iranian missile strikes create periodic escalation risks.
Baghdad has improved substantially since 2017 but remains a city where kidnapping, carjacking, and militia checkpoints are real operational concerns. The Green Zone provides a secure bubble for diplomatic operations, but movement outside requires planning and local intelligence.
- Primary threats: IEDs, militia rocket attacks, kidnapping, sectarian violence
- High-risk zones: Anbar province, Diyala, Kirkuk (disputed), Sinjar, southern marshlands
- Lower-risk areas: Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok), central Baghdad (with security)
Nigeria
HighNigeria is Africa's most complex security environment. The country faces multiple simultaneous, overlapping threats that make it impossible to assign a single risk rating. Over 40 active armed groups operate across different regions, each with distinct motivations, tactics, and territorial control.
In the northeast, Boko Haram and its Islamic State affiliate ISWAP maintain a persistent insurgency in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. The northwest faces an escalating crisis of banditry and mass kidnapping — hundreds of schoolchildren, travelers, and farmers have been abducted for ransom in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states. The Niger Delta remains volatile with oil bunkering, pipeline sabotage, and militant group activity affecting energy infrastructure. Lagos, Africa's largest city, has high street crime rates including armed robbery and express kidnapping.
Despite all of this, Nigeria is also Africa's largest economy, with substantial international business operations in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Millions of people travel within Nigeria daily. The challenge is not that Nigeria is universally dangerous — it is that the risk profile changes dramatically over short distances and requires current, granular intelligence to navigate.
- Primary threats: Kidnapping, armed banditry, terrorism (northeast), oil infrastructure sabotage, street crime
- High-risk zones: Borno/Yobe/Adamawa (northeast), Zamfara/Katsina/Kaduna (northwest), Niger Delta
- Lower-risk areas: Abuja (with precautions), Lagos Island/Victoria Island (with precautions)
Pakistan
HighPakistan faces a resurgent terrorism threat from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducting attacks primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and the former tribal areas. Balochistan remains an active insurgency zone, with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeting Chinese nationals, military convoys, and infrastructure projects — particularly those connected to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Sectarian violence persists, with attacks on Shia communities, particularly during religious observances. Karachi's crime rate, while improved from its worst years, remains significant with armed robbery, extortion, and targeted killings. The economic crisis and political instability add layers of unpredictability — protests can escalate rapidly and disrupt major transport routes.
Safe corridors exist. Islamabad is a planned city with a significant security presence and is viable for international operations. Lahore, despite periodic attacks, functions as a major commercial hub. Northern areas (Gilgit-Baltistan, Hunza) are popular with tourists but access roads can be disrupted. The key is current intelligence on which routes are clear and which areas are experiencing heightened threat activity.
- Primary threats: TTP attacks, BLA insurgency, sectarian violence, kidnapping, political instability
- High-risk zones: KPK (former tribal areas), Balochistan, interior Sindh
- Lower-risk areas: Islamabad, Lahore (with precautions), Gilgit-Baltistan (access route dependent)
Ethiopia
HighEthiopia's security environment has deteriorated significantly since the Tigray conflict that began in November 2020. While the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in November 2022 ended the worst of the fighting, the aftermath continues to destabilize the country. Tigray itself faces a humanitarian crisis with limited aid access, and disarmament has been incomplete.
The Amhara region has become a new front. Fano militia — ethnic Amhara fighters who were allies of the federal government during the Tigray war — have turned against the federal government over the disarmament of regional forces. Armed confrontations between Fano and Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) units are ongoing in multiple Amhara zones. A state of emergency has been declared repeatedly.
Ethnic violence flares periodically in Oromia (OLA insurgency), Benishangul-Gumuz, and the Southern Nations region. Addis Ababa remains relatively stable and is the headquarters of the African Union, hosting significant international presence. But it is surrounded by conflict zones, and the security situation in Ethiopia can shift rapidly with little warning.
- Primary threats: Armed conflict (Amhara, Tigray aftermath), ethnic violence, OLA insurgency, road ambushes
- High-risk zones: Tigray, Amhara region, western Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz
- Lower-risk areas: Addis Ababa (with precautions), Dire Dawa, Hawassa
Israel
High (Conflict-Dependent)Israel's security environment has been fundamentally altered since October 7, 2023. Ongoing military operations in Gaza, tensions along the Lebanese border with Hezbollah, and periodic escalation with Iran-backed groups have created a volatile security landscape that extends well beyond the immediate conflict zones.
The Gaza border zone and southern Israel face rocket threats and are active military areas. The West Bank has experienced intensified Israeli military operations, settler violence, and movement restrictions that make travel extremely challenging. Northern communities near the Lebanese border were evacuated during Hezbollah rocket exchanges and remain under threat of escalation.
Tel Aviv and central Israel continue to function — Ben Gurion Airport operates, businesses run, and daily life continues. But the Iron Dome system has been tested repeatedly, and the psychological and physical security environment remains elevated. International flights have been disrupted during escalation cycles. Operations planning must account for the possibility of rapid deterioration and potential airport closures with little notice.
- Primary threats: Rocket attacks, military conflict zones, terrorist attacks, rapid escalation risk
- High-risk zones: Gaza border communities, West Bank, northern border communities
- Lower-risk areas: Tel Aviv, central Israel, Haifa (with rocket shelter awareness)
Colombia
High-ModerateColombia's security situation is defined by an incomplete peace process and the persistence of armed groups that profit from the cocaine trade. The ELN (National Liberation Army) remains active, conducting attacks, kidnappings, and enforcing armed strikes (paros armados) that shut down entire regions. FARC dissident groups — factions that rejected the 2016 peace agreement — control territory in Cauca, Narino, Putumayo, and Catatumbo, often fighting each other and the ELN for control of drug trafficking routes.
Drug trafficking corridors, particularly in Choco (Pacific coast) and Norte de Santander (Venezuelan border), are extremely dangerous. The Clan del Golfo (AGC) operates as a paramilitary-narco hybrid across multiple departments. Forced displacement, landmines, and targeted killings of social leaders and environmental activists continue at alarming rates.
The contrast with Colombia's major cities is striking. Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali are functional urban environments with international hotels, airports, and business infrastructure. Millions of tourists visit annually. The danger in Colombia is concentrated in rural areas, border zones, and drug trafficking corridors — making it a country where intelligence about specific routes and regions is essential.
- Primary threats: ELN/FARC dissident attacks, drug trafficking violence, kidnapping, armed strikes
- High-risk zones: Choco, Cauca, Norte de Santander, Catatumbo, Arauca, Putumayo
- Lower-risk areas: Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, San Andres (with standard precautions)
El Salvador
Moderate-HighEl Salvador has undergone the most dramatic security transformation of any country on this list. President Bukele's state of emergency, declared in March 2022, has resulted in the detention of over 80,000 suspected gang members. The homicide rate has dropped from one of the world's highest (106 per 100,000 in 2015) to levels comparable to Costa Rica.
However, the security improvement comes with significant caveats. The state of emergency suspends constitutional rights including due process, and human rights organizations have documented mass arbitrary detention, prison overcrowding, and deaths in custody. The crackdown has pushed some gang activity underground rather than eliminating it. Rural areas, particularly along the Honduran and Guatemalan borders, still experience gang presence and extortion.
For operational teams, El Salvador is considerably safer than it was five years ago. San Salvador's urban areas, Pacific coast tourism zones, and the international airport corridor are functional. But the underlying conditions that created MS-13 and Barrio 18 — poverty, lack of opportunity, deportation pipelines — have not been addressed. The sustainability of the security gains depends entirely on political will and the state of emergency framework, which creates a fragile foundation.
- Primary threats: Residual gang activity, extortion, arbitrary detention risk, political instability
- High-risk zones: Rural border areas, former gang-controlled neighborhoods (Soyapango, Ilopango)
- Lower-risk areas: San Salvador (commercial districts), Pacific coast, Santa Ana
Cameroon
HighCameroon faces three distinct security crises simultaneously. The Anglophone crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions has been ongoing since 2017, with separatist armed groups (Ambazonia Defence Forces and splinter factions) fighting the Cameroonian military. Entire towns have been burned, over 700,000 people displaced, and education systems destroyed. Ghost towns — weekly lockdowns enforced by separatists — shut down economic activity.
In the Far North region, Boko Haram and its factions conduct cross-border attacks from Nigeria, targeting villages, markets, and military installations. The region has been under a de facto military administration for years. Suicide bombings, kidnappings, and raids on communities continue, though at lower frequency than the peak years of 2014–2016.
The political succession question adds a third layer of risk. President Biya, in power since 1982, is over 90 years old and rarely seen in public. The absence of a clear succession plan creates uncertainty that could destabilize the country during a transition. Douala and Yaounde — the economic and political capitals respectively — are moderate risk, with street crime and periodic protests but generally functional for international operations.
- Primary threats: Anglophone separatist conflict, Boko Haram (Far North), political succession uncertainty, kidnapping
- High-risk zones: Northwest Region, Southwest Region, Far North (Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanaga)
- Lower-risk areas: Douala (with precautions), Yaounde (with precautions), Littoral Region
How We Rank the Most Dangerous Countries
Most "dangerous countries" lists rely on the Global Peace Index, World Bank governance indicators, or annual crime statistics. These are useful for academic analysis but inadequate for operational decision-making. A country's homicide rate from 2024 does not tell you whether the road from the airport to your compound is safe today.
Region Alert's rankings are built from real-time local-language intelligence monitoring. Our system ingests signals from local news media, Telegram channels, community forums, radio broadcasts, and social media in over 100 languages. This produces a threat picture that is granular (city and region level, not country level), current (updated daily, not annually), and operationally relevant (focused on the security environment for foreign nationals and international organizations).
The factors we assess include:
- Violent crime frequency and severity — homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, carjacking rates with geographic concentration analysis
- Active armed conflict — insurgencies, civil wars, inter-ethnic violence, territory held by non-state armed groups
- Terrorism threat level — active cells, attack frequency, target selection patterns, capability assessment
- Institutional stability — police capability, judicial function, government control of territory, corruption levels
- Infrastructure resilience — road quality, communications reliability, power grid stability, airport operations
- Healthcare access — medical evacuation capability, hospital capacity, distance to trauma care
- Kidnapping and ransom risk — frequency, targeting patterns (foreign nationals specifically), ransom outcomes
- Security environment for foreign nationals — surveillance risk, arbitrary detention, visa and movement restrictions, anti-foreign sentiment
Regional Variation Is the Rule, Not the Exception
Every country on this list has regions that are significantly safer than others. Iraq's Kurdistan Region operates like a different country from Anbar province. Colombia's Medellin is a different world from Catatumbo. Treating any country as uniformly dangerous is an intelligence failure that leads to either unnecessary risk avoidance or inadequate preparation. Region-specific assessment is essential.
Countries That Are Safer Than You Think
Reputation and reality diverge for many countries. Several nations that appear frequently on "dangerous" lists are, in practice, moderate-to-low risk for prepared travelers and operations teams:
- Georgia — Despite political protests and Russian influence concerns, Tbilisi is one of the safest capitals in the region. Street crime is low, infrastructure is solid, and the country receives over 7 million visitors annually. The occupied territories (South Ossetia, Abkhazia) are the exception, not the rule.
- Morocco — Often grouped with "North Africa" risk assessments, Morocco has invested heavily in security infrastructure. Major cities (Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat) are well-policed. The terrorism threat exists but is managed. Over 14 million tourists visit annually, making it one of Africa's safest destinations.
- Belize — Frequently flagged for high per-capita homicide rates, but violence is concentrated in Belize City's Southside gang territories. Tourist areas (Ambergris Caye, Cayo District, Placencia) have low crime rates comparable to popular Caribbean destinations.
- Armenia — Post-Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia is often perceived as unstable. In reality, Yerevan is remarkably safe with very low violent crime. The border areas with Azerbaijan require monitoring, but the rest of the country is one of the safest in the South Caucasus.
Using This Ranking for Operations Planning
This is not a "don't go" list. It is a "go prepared" list. Every country ranked here has international organizations operating in it right now — NGOs, mining companies, energy firms, logistics providers, diplomatic missions. They operate safely because they have current, granular intelligence about their specific areas of operation.
Intelligence turns a dangerous country into a manageable operating environment. The difference between a team that gets ambushed on a road in northeast Nigeria and a team that arrives safely at its destination is not luck — it is knowing which roads are clear, which checkpoints are active, and which areas experienced an incident in the last 24 hours. That is what operational intelligence provides.
If your organization operates in or plans to deploy to any of these countries, the minimum standard of preparation includes: a current security assessment for your specific region (not just the country), a communications plan with check-in protocols, medical evacuation arrangements, and a daily intelligence feed that covers local-language sources. Anything less is accepting unnecessary risk.
Coverage Note
This ranking focuses on countries where Region Alert provides active intelligence coverage. For a complete risk overview of all 20 monitored countries including risk level classifications, see our Travel Warning Map 2026.
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- Travel Warning Map 2026 — color-coded risk ratings for all 20 monitored countries
- Safest Countries to Visit 2026 — low-risk destinations and what makes them safe
- Travel Risk Management Companies Compared — vendor comparison for operations teams
- Duty of Care for NGOs 2026 — legal obligations and practical security frameworks
- ISO 31030 Compliance Guide — meeting the global travel risk management standard