Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Jacob from GA. Jacob Wonders, “What is the most dangerous place in the world” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Jacob!
What comes to mind when you hear the words home sweet home? Hopefully, you think of a warm and inviting location that's filled with friends and family members. Ideally, it's a special place with fond memories where you always feel safe.
Eventually, we all grow up and make a new home for ourselves. What will you look for in a place to live one day? Your future career will likely play a large role in where you choose to call home.
No matter what career you choose, though, you're likely to avoid certain areas. When browsing through real estate listings or city guides, you'll probably stay away from places associated with certain words and phrases, such as dangerous, crime-ridden, disaster-prone, or high murder rate.
Just by following the world news, you've probably already come to the conclusion that the world can be a dangerous place. Of course, some areas of the world are more dangerous than others. But where exactly is the most dangerous place in the world?
Danger comes in many forms. Some areas may be dangerous because they have a lot of crime, including high murder rates. Other areas may be dangerous because of the possibility of a horrific natural disaster. Some areas may be dangerous because of ongoing warfare.
For example, in 2017, the Global Peace Index (GPI) report from the Institute for Economics and Peace lists Syria as the most dangerous country in the world due to its ongoing civil war and terrorist activity. Afghanistan and Iraq, other war-torn countries plagued by terrorist activity, are second and third behind Syria.
On the other end of the scale, Europe is considered the most peaceful region in the world. It boasts four of the five most peaceful countries in the world: Iceland, Portugal, Austria, and Denmark.
When it comes to individual cities, certain areas of the world are more concerning than others. According to the Citizens' Council for Public Security's annual ranking of the world's most violent cities, Latin America contains 43 of the 50 cities on the list. That includes 19 cities in Brazil, eight in Mexico, and eight in Venezuela.
Experts believe the violence across much of Latin America is due to a deadly mix of drug-related violence, gang wars, political instability, and extreme poverty. The top three most violent cities, based upon their murder rates, are Caracas, Venezuela; Acapulco, Mexico; and San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Latin America isn't the only area with dangerous cities, though. The United States had four cities in the top 50: St. Louis, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Detroit, Michigan; and New Orleans, Louisiana. The violence in these cities is similarly linked to drugs, gangs, and high poverty levels.
While you're avoiding war-torn countries and high-crime cities, you might also want to avoid certain areas based upon the probability of natural disasters. Due to frequent hurricanes, Miami, Florida is considered by some experts to be the most at-risk city for natural disasters in the U.S.
You might also want to reconsider Java and Sumatra, two of the most disaster-prone islands in Indonesia. The people of these islands face threats on several fronts, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, landslides, floods, and droughts.