The vacation season is coming, which means you need to decide where to go on vacation, and where to go is definitely not worth it, if you are not an inveterate extreme who does not value life and wallet. And here, just in time, Numbeo - the largest site on consumer prices, crime rates, quality of medical care and other statistics on various cities and countries - released its Crime Index. This is an annual rating of the most criminal cities in the world.
The ranking includes 378 cities that are ranked according to the crime index. Cities with a crime rate below 20 are considered very safe, while cities with a crime rate between 60 and 80 are considered very criminogenic. It turned out that the safest city in the world is Abu Dhabi (crime index - 15.51), followed by Munich and Taipei.
Top 10 most criminal cities in the world
10.Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (crime index - 77.87)
In a fun city of carnivals, you can face criminals not only in marginal areas. The most common crimes are street robbery and theft. Therefore, if you are determined to go there, adopt a few simple rules. They will come in handy when visiting other cities from this list.
- Don't walk alone after 10pm. This does not mean that you should not go to restaurants or bars in the evening, or should not enjoy Rio at night, but if it is not carnival week, it is better to stay inside the building (or outside, but with a crowd of people).
- iPhone is easy money in Brazil. Considering the local absurd margins on luxury goods, the price of an iPhone in Brazil starts at $ 1,000. This means that if you are on the street talking on your iPhone, you will most likely lose it. Buy a cheap travel phone or tuck your iPhone in your pocket outdoors.
- Do not take anything to the beach except a swimsuit and a towel. Many criminals, acting in groups, literally comb Brazilian beaches in search of things that unwary tourists leave on their sunbeds when going to swim.
- If possible, move around the city only by taxi, metro, or bus. It's cheap, fast, with a breeze, that is, air conditioning, and English notation.
9. Pretoria, South Africa (77.99)
Although Pretoria is behind Johannesburg in the number of violent crimes, going there on vacation with your family or alone is definitely not worth it. It is very easy to identify a tourist in Pretoria in a crowd of passers-by, and since most of the locals are poor, a rich European is a welcome prey for them. The most common crime in Pretoria is pickpocketing.
8. Recife, Brazil (78.00)
This seaside town is famous for both frequent shark attacks (18 people have died since 1992) and killings. Violence is usually limited to poor areas of the city, but would you like to test it for yourself?
7. Johannesburg, South Africa (78.49)
Petty pickpockets, burglaries and car thefts are what most often lie in wait for tourists in beautiful but dangerous Johannesburg. There have been incidents involving foreigners traveling from Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to their destination by car. They were robbed, often at gunpoint.
6. Durban, South Africa (78.58)
The central and tourist areas of Durban are relatively safe and violent crime is rare. But outside these areas, robberies are commonplace. If you come to this city for work or for fun, take a taxi.
5. Selangor, Malaysia (78.90)
The Malaysian metropolis, where pickpocketing is very common, opens the top 5 most dangerous cities in the world. However, compared to the third number on the list, Selangor is heaven on Earth, because there are not often murders and kidnappings with the subsequent demand for ransom.
4. Fortaleza, Brazil (83.90)
In the most dangerous city in Brazil, you need to always be on the lookout and not put your phone and valuables in your pockets. Unless only in the inner, and even in the pocket of your panties. And it's not a joke. Fortaleza knows how to steal. And the number of murders in the city is 60% per hundred thousand of the population. In addition, abductions for ransom are not uncommon.
3. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (84.23)
The main criminal element is concentrated in local slums (townships) and it is highly discouraged to get into them even during the day. Murders, robberies and violence are not uncommon there. And white tourists are in a special risk zone. Pietermaritzburg has a serious school crime problem and police are conducting raids to seize weapons from black high school students. However, all tourist areas (restaurants, shopping centers, shops, attractions) are protected and you can feel relatively safe there.
2. San Pedro Sula, Honduras (85.59)
In the second largest city of Honduras, drug trafficking, murder and arbitrary rule of the police are flourishing, who often brutally deal not only with gang members, but also with those who passed by. There are 169 murders per 100 thousand people in San Pedro Sula.
1. Caracas, Venezuela (86.61)
The list of the most dangerous cities in the world is headed by the capital of Venezuela, where the city center (still relatively safe in terms of crime) is taken into a ring of poor districts, where an unwary traveler will be robbed, tried to sell drugs or beaten (or all together) with great pleasure and skill. Do not rely on the help of the police, she does not look into dangerous areas. Yes, and near a fashionable hotel a tourist can be trapped by criminals, but not loners, but representatives of gangs. In general, you should not choose Caracas as a city for a relaxing holiday.