No, what I meant was, I hope countries don't get banned for stupid reasons, remember in 2021 when Sweden was on here for "Covid stuff". If a country like DPRK for example, is actually unsafe, then that's understandable, so are countries that are ravaged by war. But if its for a reason like "Covid stuff" when Covid cases are low, then that's a bad reason to ban a country!
Yeah, the list is bad. Puerto Vallarta is in a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" area. It's a little silly. There are loads of tourists. It's perfectly safe. Much safer than Chicago or New Orleans.
OMG QUIZMASTER REPLIED!!! Yeah Ur right, the USA government is saying "Oh Kiribati is unsafe due to COVID-19!!!" Yet places like New Orleans or Skid Row have tons of violence and crime, yet are considered "Safer"...
Military coups and militant jihadists have destabilized the already poor country. Reports of violence, kidnappings and mass killings are becoming the norm. The US government would very likely be unable to assist any citizens who find themselves in peril, including NGO and aid workers. It's a tragic situation.
That is funny, on the website you habe to "exercice increased caution" in Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Spain, Germany or France, the same level as Eritrea, Congo, Peru or Israel. I didn't realize that I was living in such a dangerous continent :D
Russia is WAY more prone to kidnapping American citizens to use as political leverage than China is. I'm guessing that's a big part of why North Korea is on this list actually.
Russia is not on a level 4 for political reasons. They are on the list for ongoing war in Ukraine, the high risk of wrongful detention of U.S. citizens by security services, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and limited consular support
UPDATE: Aug 2, 2023 / The United States Department of State has raised the travel advisory for the Republic of the Niger to Level 4 due to the rising tensions in the country.
In addition to the countries having a coup currently in Africa, I think Armenia and Azerbaijan will be added due to Nogorno-Karabakh and ethnic cleansing there. Though the conflict is getting minimal attention in the USA.
I've been in Iraq, Burkina Faso, Mali, Russia and Ukraine. I don't consider them to be really risky, just if you avoid to go to the war front. In fact walking around their cities is safer than doing the same in US.
A lot of the status is more a matter of "If something did happen to you, can we as the state department intervene on your behalf and assist to get you out of the mess and/or get assurance that you are treated fairly." Countries where large areas are held by factions that aren't the recognized national government aren't going to be nearly as accommodating. China can and often will be difficult to work with but there is no mistaking who speaks for the people in the Wuhan province. Likewise if there is a entire country ruling regime that repeatedly dismisses the inquiries of the the US government like Russia, they are going to be rated a a higher risk.
I am pretty sure Israel is not on here because Israel are allies with the United States and other NATO members meaning that the Government can do something if you get into trouble in Israel
I feel like everyone should have gotten North Korea and Iran or Afghanistan. I have seen North Korea before from the SOUTH Korean side of the DMZ in June 2023. My watch kept saying be careful in Korean. It was a cool experience but also scary because when the bus was driving to the Dora Observatory there were a bunch of active land mines on the sides of the road. It was scary but cool at the same time. Don't go to North Korea.
The most dangerous part about North Korea is definitely arbitrary detention. A while back, there was that young American man who was framed for taking a North Korean propaganda poster from his hotel as a souvenir. Whether or not he actually took the poster was controversial, but he was tortured and eventually returned to the US in a brain dead state.
Massive governmental instability and various militant groups across the country would make it extremely difficult for the U.S. government to assist any American citizens in the event they need rescuing or aid.
There is conflict between rebel group (mostly islamic to my understanding linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic state) and Malian army (linked to Wagner group), they are fighting for indepence of northern part of Mali. Those fights are pretty large scale and back and fort. Rebel groups kill civilians without anz prior warning, but from what I found Malian army is pretty brutal in their fight aswell.
I think it's because these countries are so big that it depends on where you go. The DRC is poor, but I believe Kinshasa and the western bits are relatively safe. Ditto for Ethiopia; Addis Ababa is fine but you absolutely don't want to be in Tigray. If you look at the actual Travel Advisories for these countries from the State Department, it basically says do not travel to large swathes (probably 50% or more) of both of these countries.
It's safe, but Americans will get arrested by their own government for spending any amount of money there. So you'd think if the entire point of a travel advisory is about your safety and freedom that the U.S. government would warn its citizens of the dangers they themselves impose for going to Cuba.
You don't have to worry about not travelling to any of these countries - you can bring all their traits right home to the USA, home to 1.5 million Haitians, 0.4 million Afghanis, 0.2 million Somalis, 0.1 million Iraqis, etc. for some reason.
"For some reason." Unless you're entirely Native American, you should keep your mouth shut about people immigrating to the United States. They have just as much right to move here as any people from any other country now and throughout history. Don't bring your bigotry here.
I know you're not worth engaging, but for any reasonable people pondering this, keep in mind that a lot of the immigrants we take from countries we're active in, are those who were on our side.
I've known an Afghani family. They're wonderful. They were allowed to immigrate here because their family members risked and lost their own lives helping the US government fight the Taliban. It wasn't safe for the family to stay.
The US government honored their help and returned the favor as best as we could.
There's a lot of talk by people like Rabble up here that we're "importing terrorism" or other such nonsense. We're not. We're bringing in the people who fought the terrorists.
It's like how a so many American Vietnamese are descendants of people who worked against the Viet Cong. We weren't "importing communism" when we let them in.
The reason is because Lebanon has unpredictable security situation, high risk of armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and, in some areas, unexploded landmines
I updated my Canadian list. What I find more interesting is the random European countries assigned Level 2 as opposed to Level 1 in both countries' lists. Denmark is a 2 but Bulgaria and Romania are a 1??
I've wandered all over Europe -- there's no discernible difference between level 1 and 2 countries. To have central Asian countries at Level 1 and the Netherlands at level 2 is bizarre. And Canada has South Africa and Sweden at the same level - very bizarre.
I'd honestly rather go to North Korea than to Chad, which is not on the list. Of course, I'd be a fully guided 100% propaganda tour, but I'd feel a whole lot safer than a country absolutely torn between even worse ones, militias, no basic sanitation, food insecurity, murder and ethnic clashes including. Oh and don't forget about diseases and the absolutely dreadful weather.
Ever heard of Otto Warmbier? He was an American visiting North Korea and was arrested for supposedly taking down a propoganda poster (that was bolted to the wall). He died days after he was returned to the United States.
Covid just made it even stupider.
Turn forever hand in ha-
*gets decapitated via rogue spinning windmill blades*
-nd
Take it all in on your stride, it is ticking falli-
**crashes into another windmill, which then falls
Ազատ անկախ Հայաստան 🇦🇲
Also, the Russia and Ukraine thing is due to the war which can put American lives at risk considering who Russia has been striking.
"Do not travel to Lebanon"
I've been to 4 of these countries :)
1 trillion dollars every 100 days
and wdym for some reason, the reason is quite obvious
I've known an Afghani family. They're wonderful. They were allowed to immigrate here because their family members risked and lost their own lives helping the US government fight the Taliban. It wasn't safe for the family to stay.
The US government honored their help and returned the favor as best as we could.
There's a lot of talk by people like Rabble up here that we're "importing terrorism" or other such nonsense. We're not. We're bringing in the people who fought the terrorists.
It's like how a so many American Vietnamese are descendants of people who worked against the Viet Cong. We weren't "importing communism" when we let them in.
quiz ends with one answer remaining
"central african republic"
naww really
Now I gotta redo the whole quiz ;-;
(Nah its ok, I needed an excuse to play this quiz again anyway lol)