Various forms of criminal acts and brutality make a city dangerous not only for foreign tourists but also for local citizens. Violence and peace cannot co-exist in any region. Watching crime-related shows may be thrilling to watch on the TV screen but in real life, it is very scary.
One should be aware of the below list of the most dangerous cities in the world. It will caution just in case you happen to be traveling for a business meeting or a family trip to such deadliest cities in the world to be vigilant to prevent something dangerous, unpleasant, or inconvenient from happening.
In this post, we will cover some of the most dangerous cities in the world in a nutshell.
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Below is the list of the 20 most dangerous cities in the world.
1. Tijuana – Mexico
Tijuana is the second-largest city located in Mexico which is the most dangerous city in the world. Almost seven people are murdered every day in Tijuana which roughly translates to about 138 killings per 100 thousand people. This city is known for its heinous crimes like rape, murder, drugs, and kidnapping, etc., and extreme poverty. There are many gangs in this city that are involved in human trafficking and drug dealings. There is abrupt violence erupting frequently between two major gangs i.e. Sinaloa and Tijuana cartels. Tijuana cartel group is from the city of Tijuana and was once described as “the most violent criminal group” in Mexico, whereas Sinaloa is an international drug trafficking cartel that operates in many cities.
2. Acapulco – Mexico
Another dangerous city is from Mexico country which recorded 111 murders per 100k people in Acapulco. The homicide rate in Acapulco is one of the highest in the world which was once upon a time a playground for the Hollywood set. There are many old beach resorts and was a very popular place for foreign tourists but now the scene of drug war very common on the streets. This place is a stronghold for notorious gangs like 221 or Los Locos who are involved in various kidnappings, assassins, stealing cars, and Rape. This violence has decimated the tourism industry because of the terrifying violence. One should travel in a bulletproof vehicle if you are visiting Acapulco for your safety.
3. Caracas – Venezuela
Caracas is the largest city and Capital of Venezuela which has already been named earlier as the most dangerous capital city in the world in the year 2017. It is still on the list of the top three most dangerous places in the world. It recorded 100 homicides per 100,000 citizens which is by far the highest outside a warzone which implies one of the highest per capita murder rates. The solved crime rate is as low as 2% as most murders and other crimes go unsolved. According to polls, crime ranks number one in the list of topics that concern most Venezuelans are worried about the crime rate in the city.
Scenes of protests by rioters burning flags and fighting with local police on the streets of Caracas are very common in the city of Caracas.
4. Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
Another city from Mexico is Ciudad Victoria which has 86 murders per 100k people which is at fourth place in the most dangerous cities of the world. Most of these murders are the result of shootouts happening between different criminal groups among different drug cartels else with the local police.
5. Cuidad Juarez, Mexico
Cuidad Juarez is another city from Mexico which is the worst city for women as it has 86 murders per 100,000 people. It served residents of EI Paso, TX with loud musical entertainment and nightclubs. Once known for its tourism industry which is almost vanished now due to high crime rates. Scenes of playing loud music in nightclubs are now things of the past. Travelers need to be very cautious if they are in this city as carjacking, robbery, burglary, and murder are very common in this place.
6. Irapuato – Mexico
Irapuato is another Mexican city that is relatively small with a population of less than 400,000. However, with a murder rate of 81 in 100,000 people it is one of the dangerous cities in the world. Major violence is caused because of a gang war between two notorious groups, Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, and the Jalisco Cartel New Generation.
Local government authorities have failed to control this violence even though there are numerous videos on social media platforms that display mass shootings in bars and men carrying weapons.
7. Ciudad Guayana – Venezuela
Ciudad Guayana is another deadliest city with 78 homicides in 100,000 people. Serious crimes like rape, murder, and sexual assault are very common in this city which is carried out by the organized gangs here. People of this city face extreme economic hardships.
8. Natal – Brazil
Natal city which is located in northeast Brazil is the topmost city for all crimes which includes both physical and sexual assault, robbery, and car theft, etc. Natal city is still a popular destination for many tourists even though the homicide rate is 75 per 100,000 people. If you are a big soccer fan, then you might have heard of this place from Brazil. Natal hosted the 2014 FIFA world cup. The primary reason for the high crime rate in this city is the violence between gangs and prisoners.
9. Fortaleza – Brazil
Police presence in the city of Fortaleza is more important compared to anywhere else in the South American countries because of the extremely high crime rate and drug dealing. Most of the young lads of this city are unemployed and can do nothing good with their lives, and that’s the precise reason why this is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. One can be a victim of murder at some point in their lives with 69 murders per 100,000 citizens. There are many tourist attraction spots like LencoisMaranhenses National Park and Jericoacoara Beach in this city but the crime rate eclipses the beauty of this city. One should be very careful when wandering in this city.
10. Ciudad Bolivar – Venezuela
Ciudad Bolivar, the capital city of Bolivar state of Venezuela is one of the biggest mega-slums where there is rampant violence, drugs. With a crime rate of 69 killings per 100k residents all the positive exposure of the city is overshadowed by the poor law and order situation in the city.
11. St Louis – America
St Louis is the only city from America that is on the list of the most dangerous city in the world with a crime rate of 66 homicides per 100,000 people. St. Louis city has the highest murder rate in America. Most of the violence in this city is concentrated in the northern region. Drug usage in this city is one of the highest in America.
12. Pietermaritzburg – South Africa
One should avoid the usage of both public and private transport in the day and also at night in the city of Pietermaritzburg as it can turn out to be dangerous. During night times violent crimes are at their peak due to the disparity of less number of police officers in this city compared to its high population.
13. Port Moresby – Papua New Guinea
Due to civil unrest and political tensions in the city crime rate is high in this city of Port Moresby. Instances of kidnapping and abduction are very high.
14. San Pedro Sula – Honduras
San Pedro Sula was earlier known to be the murder capital of the world because of the highest murder rate. The number of people living in extreme poverty is very high in this city and scenes of attacks on locale and foreigners and other crimes like armed robbery and sexual assault are very common. There are innumerable reports of petty theft reported in this city by visitors and local citizens as well.
15. Durban – South Africa
Even though Durban city is the third largest and busiest city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape town poverty is very high in this city. The city is known for its serious crimes like rape, murder, and robberies. One of the reasons for the high crime rate is the political instability in this region.
16. Johannesburg – South Africa
Johannesburg which is also known as the “City of Gold” is the largest city in South Africa and one of the most dangerous cities in the world. If one were to display their wealth in this city, then there is a good probability of that person getting kidnapped. Travel in a large group if you happen to visit this place to avoid any untoward instance of crime.
17. Salvador – Brazil
In spite of having beautiful beaches and colorful skyscrapers which can make this city a bright spot for tourist attractions, Salvador is one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of its crime rate. Salvador city, which is the fourth largest city in Brazil is known for its gun violence and street crimes like child pickpockets.
18. Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Yet another most dangerous place in the world specifically for foreign tourists, Rio De Janeiro city is in the complete grip of local gangs who make their examples in public and give a damn to the law of the land. The US Department of State and the UK Foreign Office recommend its citizens traveling to this place to avoid visiting beaches after evening hours.
19. Cape Town – South Africa
Cape Town City, the capital of South Africa is one of the most murderous cities by death toll and also lists in the most dangerous cities in the world. There are 130 different gangs in this city and more than 100 thousand people are associated with these gangs. There is a lot of gang violence and crime related to drugs in this city. One can notice the presence of military personnel in this city due to its highest crime rate.
20. San Juan – Puerto Rico
San Juan is the largest city of Puerto Rico and its capital. It has a crime rate of 42.4 murders per 100,000 residents. Most of the crimes happen in this city due to social unrest and extreme poverty.
Final Word
It’s a general perception that humans love to think that the world is a safe place and would like to explore new places but it is not the case with many cities. These cities mentioned in this article are a little more dangerous compared to other places. However, when it comes to travel it makes sense to choose the destination appropriately and research more about crime and safety precautions to be adhered to by tourists to ensure safety for themselves and others.
So, next time you plan a trip to some new place, keep all these places in mind. Not that you should not visit these places, but we cannot deny the fact that safety always comes first. Hope you liked this article. Check out this space for such interesting articles.
