Mogadishu, Somalia
Terrorism is rife in the area surrounding Mogadishu. Constant military offensives by terrorists coupled with the ever-present uneasiness that a bomb might explode makes for a paranoid existence in the African nation’s capital and largest city. In 2010 for example, an attack responsible for the death of hundreds was launched against the Transitional Federal Government and African Union, whilst in the same year, a roadside bomb explosion was damaged three civilian minibuses and killed nine people.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Despite the best efforts of the United Nations, Haiti’s capital and largest city is thought to remain under the control of criminals. A constant and heavy police presence since 2004 has done little to reduce the amount of violent outbreaks in a city riddled with murders, car-jackings, robbery and drugs.
Maceio, Brazil
The beautiful beaches are bettered only by the bodies that frequent them in a seemingly perfectly picturesque South American city. But it’s what lies just beyond the place where sand meets sea that makes this such a violent place. The homicide rate is sky-high, especially in the city’s favelas which are notorious for violence and drug-related crime.
Flint, US
Flint’s status as one of the poorest cities in the United States surely affects its crime rate. With a murder rate of 64.9 per 100,000 people, it is one of the most deadly cities in the country and also one of the most dangerous in the world. The city’s surrounds is infested with drug dealers and illegal gun users.
St. Louis, US
Officially the most violent city in the United States, St. Louis ranks above Detroit, New Orleans and Camden. The eastern part of the St. Louis is plagued with trouble, and where sixty-five percent of the city’s crime takes place. With a violent crime rate of 2070 per 100,000 people, St. Louis deserves its moniker, often dubbed “America’s Most Dangerous City”.
Karachi, Pakistan
Most of the terrorist attacks that were reported in Pakistan from 2011 to 2012 took place in Karachi. The largest city in Pakistan is known to be wracked with lawlessness and crime as it is overrun by all sorts of violence, including gang shootings and suicide bombings.
Pakistan’s most populous city is a festering heap of lawlessness and crime. Gangs wreak havoc with bullets and bombs. Suicide bombings are not uncommon and most of the terrorist attacks that take place in the country are centred in Karachi.
Birmingham, US
A murder rate on the 30s per 100,000 residents ensures that Birmingham, Alabama remains well entrenched in lists of not only the most dangerous cities in the United States but also the world. Crime rates have been high since the 90s with a high proportion of those being domestic crimes.
New Orleans, US
In 2012 alone, New Orleans, Louisiana had the unenviable figure of 193 reported murders making the city’s murder rate a staggering 53.5 for every 100,000 citizens. A rise in gang activity is believed to be behind increases in violence in New Orleans with unbridled use of illegal firearms a major problem for law enforcement.
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
Juarez sits just south of El Paso, Texas on the United States – Mexico border and has in the past has been suggested to be the most violent zone in the world outside of a declared war zone. Crime rates have dropped quite considerably in the past few years in the hope the city never regains its mantle as the most dangerous city in the world.
Nairobi, Kenya
Poverty and its associated side-effects remains a problem in this African city. Crime rates mirror income disproportionately with the highest crime rates affecting those who can least afford it. Tourists are advised to avoid these low-income areas with terrorist attacks and street crime common in equal measure.
