29 Countries the US Government Doesn't Want You to Go To

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6. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
> Last updated: Feb. 28
> Population: 78.7 million
> GDP per capita: $460

The U.S. government says some areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have an increased level of risk. Americans are urged not to travel to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the three Kasai provinces because of violence. Armed robbery, home invasion, and assault are among the crimes that often occur in the DRC. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, assailants have been known to impersonate police or security agents. Police in the DRC lack the resources to combat violent crime. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also grappling with a worsening Ebola outbreak.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to Americans outside of the capital Kinshasa because of inadequate infrastructure and security.

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7. El Salvador
> Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
> Last updated: July 13
> Population: 6.3 million
> GDP per capita: $3,930

Crime, not terrorism, is the biggest concern in El Salvador. Violent crime — murder, assault, rape, and armed robbery — occurs frequently in the Central American country. The capital city of San Salvador has been in the top 20 most dangerous cities in the world since 2014, reaching No. 3 two years ago. Extortion and narcotics and arms trafficking are widespread and the police do not have the resources to fight crime. The U.S. government advises those who travel to El Salvador to avoid walking or driving at night, not to resist a robbery attempt, and to be observant when visiting banks or ATMs.

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8. Guinea-Bissau
> Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
> Last updated: Aug. 2
> Population: 1.8 million
> GDP per capita: $640

The U.S. government wants American citizens to reconsider travelling to Guinea-Bissau because of crime and civil unrest. In Guinea-Bissau, criminals target foreigners at the country’s airport and at the market in the center of the capital of Bissau. The State Department says local police resources are inadequate to respond effectively to criminal incidents.

Guinea-Bissau, once a Portuguese colony and a transshipment point for the slave trade, has been plagued by political instability for decades. There is no U.S. embassy in the nation, which is located on Africa’s Atlantic coast.

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9. Haiti
> Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
> Last updated: July 27
> Population: 10.8 million
> GDP per capita: $790

Crime and civil unrest are the reasons why the U.S. government is advising Americans to reconsider travel to Haiti. The nation that was devastated by an earthquake in 2010 now reels from violent crime such as armed robbery. Travelers are sometimes targeted and robbed after they arrive at the airport in Port-au-Prince. The U.S. embassy requires its employees to use official transportation to and from the airport. They are discouraged from going to establishments after dark that do not have secure parking, visiting banks and using ATMs, driving outside of Port-au-Prince at night, or using public transportation or taxis.

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10. Honduras
> Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
> Last updated: Jan. 10
> Population: 9.1 million
> GDP per capita: $2,160

Honduras is another Central American country the U.S. government advises Americans to reconsider traveling to because of crime such as extortion, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking. Since 2010, Honduras has had one of the highest murder rates in the world. Violent crime remains an issue. Bandits have been known to attack vehicles bringing tourists to hotels from the airport. Americans are advised not to travel to the region of Gracias a Dios, where danger is elevated because of the lack of emergency services.