What is the most dangerous place you have been to? A wild river? Maybe a tropical rainforest full of dangerous animals? In fact, there are many places on our planet that are extremely dangerous to be around, for numerous reasons. From deadly hurricane-prone locations and war-torn countries to cities with extremely high crime rates and areas with lethal levels of radioactivity, make sure to avoid these 25 Most Dangerous Places On Earth.
Sahel, North Africa
Source: livescience.com
The Sahel is a region bordering the Sahara Desert in Africa. Human exploitation of the area’s limited water has caused massive desertification and greatly increased the risk of drought and famine. During just 12 years, between 1972 and 1984, more than 100,000 people died in this area because of drought.24
Snake Island, Brazil
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Danakil Desert, East Africa
Source: planetdolan.com
Located in northeast Ethiopia, southern Eritrea, and northwestern Djibouti, the Danakil Desert is known as one of the most hostile and dangerous places in the world. The area is known for volcanoes and geysers that spit toxic gases and extreme heat, with daytime temperatures surpassing 50 °C (122 °F). Moreover, conflicts in Eritrea increase the risk of getting kidnapped.22
Oymyakon, Russia
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Located deep in the heart of Siberia, thousands of miles east of Moscow, the Russian village of Oymyakon has the lowest recorded temperature for any permanently inhabited location: -71.2 °C (-96.2 °F). One of the coldest places in the world, the village is home to about 500 people. Mobile phones usually don’t work in the freezing weather, and no crops can be grown here.21
Syria
Source: express.co.uk
Due to ongoing violent conflicts, Syria has been consistently ranked among the world’s deadliest countries over the past years. The inhabitants of this war-torn country have experienced bombardment of residential areas, food and medical care deprivation, lengthy sieges, and reportedly even chemical weapons attacks.
Guatemala
Source: livescience.com
Guatemala is well-known for a high crime rate, but this is not the only reason this Central American country made it to our list. Its location and topography makes Guatemala prone to at least three types of devastating natural disasters: earthquakes, hurricanes, and mudslides. In 1976, for example, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake killed 23,000 people here.14
Lake Natron, Tanzania
Source: smithsonianmag.com
Located at the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron is undoubtedly one of the deadliest bodies of water in the world. The water is over-saturated with salt, can reach temperatures of up to 60 °C (140 °F), and has a pH between 9 and 10.5—so corrosive that it can calcify dead bodies, strip ink off printed materials, and burn the skin and eyes of unadapted animals and humans.13
Sanaa, Yemen
Source: scoopwhoop.com
The capital of Yemen, Sanna is famous for many things, such as being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Or for being one of the highest capital cities in the world with an elevation of 2,300 m (7,500 ft). Unfortunately, Sanna is also one of the most dangerous places on Earth due to the constant bombings, assassinations, and random acts of terrorism.12
Naples, Italy
Source: independent.co.uk
One of the largest Italian cities, Naples is famous for stunning architecture and delicious cuisine; unfortunately, the city is also referred to as one of the world’s largest deathtraps. The reason is simple – the whole city sits on the gigantic supervolcano Campi Flegrei. Scientists have found that any eruption of the volcano could kill millions of people living in the area.11
Mailu Suu, Kyrgyzstan
Source: exploredia.com
Home to about 23,000 people, Mailu Suu is a uranium mining town in Southern Kyrgyzstan. A site where 10,000 tons of uranium was processed for Soviet nuclear programs, the town is one of the most radioactive places in the world. Landslides, earthquakes, and flood are common in this region, which only increases the risk of radioactive contamination here.
Manaus, Brazil
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Home to 2 million people, Manaus doesn’t have as high a crime rate as some other Brazilian metropolises, but there is another reason why this city is on the list. Located right in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, Manaus lies on the bank of the Amazon River, which is home to a number of dangerous creatures. A swim or paddle in the river means you are sharing the water with piranhas, anacondas, electric eels, and other deadly animals.9
Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic
Source: livescience.com
One of the most feared areas in the world, the Bermuda Triangle is a vaguely defined expanse of the Atlantic Ocean triangulated between Puerto Rico, Florida and Bermuda. For decades, the area has been associated with a number of allegedly mysterious disappearances that have been credited to everything from magnetic force to aliens. While most of these cases have been explained rationally, some of them remain unexplained.8
Dallol, Ethiopia
Source: businessinsider.com
A ghost town found in Northern Ethiopia, Dallol is one of the most remote, lowest, and hottest places on Earth. With an average annual temperature of 34.6 °C (94.3 °F), the town was once the hottest inhabited location in the world. Underground water is extremely salty and acidic; there are also geysers that spout toxic gases.7
North Sentinel Island, India
Source: dailynewsdig.com
The North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands that politically belong to India. The island is known for picturesque pristine beaches and stunning nature…but the natives are extremely hostile and violent toward any outsiders. They reject any contact with other people and have been even known to kill several intruders.
6
Lake Nyos, Cameroon
Source: bbc.com
Situated in Northwestern Cameroon, Lake Nyos sits on area of volcanic activity where carbon dioxide leaks from beneath the ground. During a “limnic eruption,” the carbon dioxide bursts out from the bottom of the lake to form a deadly cloud. Because the gas is heavier than air, it descends, pushing oxygen away and suffocating any life in the area. Two eruptions in the 1980’s killed over 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock in the area.
Haiti
Source: bbc.com
The third largest country in the Caribbean (behind Cuba and the Dominican Republic), Haiti is one of the most hurricane-prone countries in the world. Not only does it lie in a hurricane highway, but the poverty-stricken country lacks resilience. Settlements are built on floodplains, natural defenses like forests have been degraded, and the economy is not stable enough to fund flood defenses or warning systems. Consequently, hurricanes are usually deadly in this country.4
Burkina Faso
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Burkina Faso is a small, landlocked country in West Africa. What makes this place dangerous is the high threat of terrorism and kidnap attacks. Many attacks have been mounted on hotels, cafes, restaurants, and other places where people tend to gather. Some of the attacks were even conducted by terrorist groups from neighboring countries such as Mali and Niger.3
Death Valley, California
Source: learningenglish.voanews.com
Located near the border of California and Nevada in the Great Basin, Death Valley got its terrifying name for a reason. The area is extremely hot in summer (reaching temperatures of up to 56.7 °C (134 °F)). Surprisingly, it can also be dangerously cold during the winter months if visitors are not prepared. Moreover, storms in the surrounding mountains can produce sudden flooding on the floor of the valley.2
Fukushima, Japan
Source: theguardian.com
In March 2011, the Fukushima Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu became the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in human history. A power plant exploded here, following a devastating earthquake and tsunami. Even today, six years after the incident, very high levels of radiation are recorded in the area, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world.1
Fraser Island, Australia
Source: orangesmile.com
Despite numerous beautiful beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters, Fraser Island is an extremely dangerous place to be around. The deserted beaches are home to deadly spiders and aggressive wild dingo dogs, while the sea is infested with sharks and venomous jellyfish.