Dangerous places in Africa
PLANNING a trip to Africa? A popular destination for travellers seeking adventure, this beautiful continent is home to many amazing regions and countries. Whether you wish to have a memorable cultural experience or enjoy white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, Africa offers something for every travellers.
However, some countries in Africa are legitimately unsafe for tourists. If you travel to the wrong place, the entire trip might turn into a stressful experience. The truth is that some of these places are considered among the most dangerous in the world. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check the travel warnings and reports from Global Peace Index (GPI) before embarking on your trip to Africa.
If you are not sure about the safety of your chosen destination, this guide to the most dangerous places in Africa might help you decide where (not) to go!
Central African Republic
According to the Human Development Index, the Central African Republic is one of the most dangerous places in Africa. Things like aggravated assaults, robberies, and murder are quite common. It is also known that armed groups who control some parts of the country target civilians for kidnapping. Closing of land and air borders is frequent, which means that tourists can be left stranded without a chance to leave the country.
This African nation gained independence back in 1960. For the next 30 years, the Central African Republic was ruled by a variety of dictators. In 1993, the first multiple-party elections were held and Ange-Felix Patasse was the first democratically elected president. However, General Francois Bozize organized a coup in 2003 and took over the country. Since the beginning of the civil war in 2012, nothing much has changed in the CAR. The Central African Republic is actually not a poor country. It has lots of recourses like gold, uranium, cobalt, and diamonds, and crude oil. Unfortunately, it is one of the most impoverished countries on the planet. The Human Development Index also shows that the CAR is the least healthy nation in the world.
Somalia
If you are planning to visit Somalia, you should know that terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, and piracy are common. High-traffic areas that tourists are likely to frequent such as hotels, seaports, government buildings, restaurants, and airports are often targeted by terrorists. Terrorists are known to plan and enact bombings and kidnappings in these areas. Displaying cash or other valuables around is not a good idea when visiting Somalia. We should also mention that violence against women is a serious issue in the country. For example, spousal violence is legal and there are no laws against it.
Somalia was not always a dangerous place. In the late 1960s, the Somali Democratic Republic was run by the Supreme Revolutionary Council. However, the Somali Civil War in the 1980s ended the peace and caused the majority of towns to go back to traditional laws. Today, Somalia faces ongoing armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, and a lack of state protection according to the 2020’s World Report. Free expression and media freedoms are restricted by federal and regional authorities in this African country.
South Sudan
One of the newest countries in Africa, South Sudan is a dangerous place for tourists.
In 2011, South Sudan broke away from Sudan and gained its independence. Unfortunately, in the last 10 years, the country has experienced ethnic violence and civil war.
Tourists are at risk of being caught in the middle of it all. Crimes like carjacking, robberies, kidnappings, and other shootings are quite common in South Sudan. THE country is especially dangerous for journalists who are often harassed. Some of them have been targeted by local armed groups and even killed in the last 10 years. According to the US State Department, foreign journalists have also been victims of rape and sexual assault in South Sudan.
In 2020, rival leaders, Riek Machar and Salva Kiir finally agreed and together formed a coalition government. Hopefully, this unity compromise will lead to less violence on the streets of South Sudan.
DR Congo
No list of the most dangerous places in Africa would be complete without mentioning the Democratic Republic of Congo. The biggest nation of sub-Saharan Africa, DRC is the 16th highest populated country in the world with 86 million people. The three largest cities are the capital Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Mbuhi-Mayi. With vast natural resources (raw minerals), the Democratic Republic of Congo is actually a rich country. Unfortunately, most of the people living in DRC are dirt poor because of hundreds of years of colonial exploitation, poor infrastructure, corruption, military struggle, and political instability. The eastern region of Kivu is definitely the most dangerous part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Millions of people had immigrated to the neighboring states due to military struggle, brutal murders, kidnapping, and theft. To make things even worse, two million children are at risk of starvation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This short video documentary by a Croatian journalist, Hrvoje Ivancic, pretty much sums up the horrible situation in North Kivu, DRC. — Jtgtravel. l To be contiued next week.