By Rell Conley
The United States considers several countries dangerous and unsafe for Americans to travel to, currently listed on a level four “do not travel” list. This list consists of twenty-one countries, mostly ones that are third world, in war conditions, or have high crime rates.
North Korea
North Korea is the first country on this list. North Korea is known to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world. The leader, Kim Jun Un, is a dictator who leaves his citizens impoverished and starved, which is known from the few citizens who have successfully escaped and have shared the horrors of living there. North Korea does not have a good relationship with America, and traveling to North Korea as an American citizen leaves you at a very high risk of being detained wrongfully or even being killed. U.S. passports will not get you into the country unless it goes through the process of being approved by the Senate.
Yemen
Yemen is a country in the Middle East that is currently under attack from Israel and has been in a civil war since around 2014. This war began because Houthi insurgents and Shiite rebels with links to Iran and a history of rising up against the Sunni government took control of Yemen’s capital. Throughout these times, the country has been facing extreme bombings, resulting in many citizens being killed or having their homes destroyed due to the escalation of the war. Yemen is not currently a safe country to travel to, including many other surrounding countries. The war that’s currently going on has no end in sight as of now.
Iran
Iran is in the Middle East and has had conflicts with the U.S. in the past due to the nationalization of oil in Iran, which caused the U.S. and other countries to feel threatened. Iran is extremely dangerous for tourists and leaves them at risk of wrongful detainment, civil unrest, and human trafficking (which is sadly common in Iran).
Russia
Russia is currently at war with Ukraine. This is because of Russia wanting to control Ukraine and “rebuild the Soviet Union”. The conditions of the country are extremely unsafe. This conflict began in February of 2022 and has been escalating since, with a very weak chance of it ending soon. (Ukraine is also considered an unsafe country to travel to due to this conflict.)
These are just a few of the countries on the “Do Not Travel List” made by the United States. Some of the other countries include Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Iraq, Ukraine, Venezuela, Haiti, Libya, Belarus, Afghanistan, Burma, Mali, and Somalia. Over half of the countries on this list are in the Middle East, and many of these countries have serious problems with human trafficking or ongoing war, which is the main reason that American citizens are advised not to travel there. The last, perhaps most important reminder, is to do your research when you travel to new countries because there are many laws that do not apply in the U.S. that may put you in danger. Be informed so you limit your chance of running into legal trouble when you travel.
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