Foreign Office names 24 places 'too dangerous' for UK tourists
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has expanded its list of destinations deemed 'too dangerous' for UK tourists to visit, with eight new locations added this year.
The total number of 'banned' countries and regions now stands at 24. The Foreign Office provides travel advice for every country worldwide, aiming to ensure the safety of UK citizens when abroad.
This guidance covers a range of potential risks, including crime, war, terrorism, disease, weather conditions, natural disasters, and other threats to visitor safety. The most recent update advises UK citizens to avoid 24 specific countries or regions entirely.
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New additions to the list this year include Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Israel, Belarus, and the Palestinian territories. These destinations are currently involved in significant conflicts that could pose a serious risk to visitors.
The blacklist now encompasses Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. In terms of landmass, the listed locations constitute a fifth of the world.
Alongside the blacklist, there is also a red list of places where travel should be avoided 'unless absolutely essential', reports Wales Online.
The list of countries includes all or parts of:
Algeria
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Benin
Burundi
Cameroon
Colombia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Ecuador
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Ivory Coast
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo
Laos
Malaysia
Mauritania
Mexico
Moldova
Mozambique
Myanmar(Burma)
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Saudi Arabia
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Western Sahara