The World's Most Dangerous Countries

Somalia was named the world’s most dangerous country in 2009. The warzone in Afghanistan came in second and unstable Iraq third. A list of the world’s most dangerous countries was put together by a risk assessment group that rated crime, police protection, the risk of terrorism and stability in the world’s nations.

Somalia was number one on the list for many reasons. The biggest danger is piracy. Modern pirates have captured over 40 ships in the past year; however, the country itself is also deep in chaos. Warlords and paramilitary groups rule a state, in which there is no real government.

Afghanistan is a war-torn country in which the Taliban still have much power. Many political experts believe that it is still a main base for Al Qaeda terrorists. Iraq still has an unstable government. Nobody knows what will happen when the Americans leave Iraq.

Other countries at the top of the danger list are African nations like Congo and Sudan. Mexico is thought to be the most dangerous area in Central America because of crime and drug trafficking in the northern part of the country.

The most dangerous states in the world have one thing in common. They have never been functioning democracies. They have always been ruled by dictators or foreign countries that left nothing behind.

The safest countries in the world are in Europe. Small, rich nations like Liechtenstein or Luxembourg have almost no crime.