Global risk map reveals countries deemed ‘extremely’ dangerous including Iran, Yemen and Sudan with Switzerland and Norway among the safest

DAILYMAIL.COM • 20h ago

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER 14:54 07 Oct 2026, updated 15:14 07 Oct 2026

A new map has revealed the most dangerous places in the world.

American security firm Global Guardians has published this year’s Global Risk Map, which assesses the safety of countries around the world.

The firm looks at changes in seven criteria: crime, armed conflict, terrorism, political unrest, healthcare system, infrastructure and natural disasters.

Using these, it then ranks nations based on their level of risk, from low to extreme.

Many of the most dangerous countries in the world lie in the Middle East and North Africa, including Iran, Yemen and Sudan. The whole of Ukraine, as well as the land in Russia bordering the nation, is also at an extreme risk.

Conversely, almost all of the lowest risk countries are dotted around Europe, and include Switzerland, Norway and Denmark.

The UK has been classed as a nation of moderate risk, though the Republic of Ireland was classed as a low-risk nation.

The US, meanwhile, has also been designated a moderate-risk nation, however the Mexican side of the border was classed as a region of extreme risk.

Many of the West’s allies in the Gulf, including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman, are all classed as medium-risk countries.

Global Guardians classified the north of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as an area of extreme risk.

The land bridge that connects North Africa and the Middle East is a key trade corridor, as well as a strategically important security buffer region.

Earlier this week, Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich inflamed relations with Egypt by threatening to take the peninsula if it dared to attack his nation.

The comments were made ahead of the anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur war of 1973, the month-long conflict between Israel and an Egyptian-led coalition of Gulf and North African countries, as well as North Korea.

The conflict resulted in tens of thousands dead between both sides.

Mr Smotrich was responding to comments made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi earlier on Monday, who said his nation’s armed forces remained prepared to defend Egypt ‘at all times and under any circumstance’.

Much of north and central Africa, including Sudan, are also considered extreme-risk areas. Global Guardians said Nigeria was suffering from ‘banditry, jihadism, organised crime, and intercommunal violence’.

Earlier this week, armed gangs stormed an illegal mining site and a village in Nigeria’s Zamfara state, killing 17 people.

Bandits have for years terrorised rural communities in north-west and central Nigeria, raiding villages, abducting residents and looting and burning homes.

Dozens of gang members on motorcycles swept into the mine outside Bindin village in Zamfara’s Maru district on Monday, shooting dead five miners.

They then entered the village and killed 12 soldiers in a shootout, authorities said.

The security firm also cited Ethiopia as a nation of extreme risk, writing that the country has ‘perennial conflicts with both external neighbours as well as with powerful ethnonationalist regional governments that operate their own armed forces and government structures’.

Violence in the nation has resurged in recent weeks, following a devastating civil war between 2020 and 2022. In recent days Eritrean troops have been deployed around a town in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, after around two weeks of internal conflict threatening a wider regional war.

Fighting broke out between the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian federal forces on September 23.

Over the weekend, the Ethiopian army and an allied Tigrayan militia entered the regional capital of Mekelle without a fight after the TPLF pulled out.

A commander with the militia told AFP his troops had reached Wukro town, roughly 30 miles north of the city, and on the main road leading to Eritrea in the north.

Sources said Eritrean troops were in Adigrat, around 25 miles by road south of the Eritrean border, with some headed south towards Mekelle.

Down in South America, pockets of several nations were classed as regions of extreme risk, including the whole of Venezuela, as well as land in Colombia and Brazil that borders the country.

The UK’s foreign office says of Venezuela: ‘There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals.’

It adds: ‘Armed robbery, mugging, carjacking and burglary are common in parts of Venezuela and can be accompanied by extreme violence.’

In June, the country faced devastating earthquakes that resulted in the La Guaira being declared a ‘disaster zone’.

And in January, the US launched a blitz attack that resulted in the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Husband, 45, is charged with murder after GP ‘for the Royal Family’ is found dead ‘while hosting…

The mystery of what actually happened at RAF Fairford that’s straight out of a Hollywood thriller:…

Meghan shares new footage of Lilibet and her American accent in promotional post for As Ever

Royal Family GP ‘murdered by her husband as she hosted children’s sleepover’ was bludgeoned and…

Friend of Prince William left £90,000 in his estate after plunging 100ft to his death from hotel…

Childminder who left 27 children in her home alone and unsupervised pleads guilty to neglect

University student, 19, ‘strangled to death’ by stepfather who drove to her university halls after…

Christa Pike is conscious and still shackled to hospital bed after botched execution, says lawyer

Christa Pike’s recovery after botched execution leaves ‘questions that have never been asked’ as…

Two police officers who Tasered and pepper-sprayed disabled pensioner, 92, in care home are sacked…

Amazing home with labyrinth of underground tunnels hand-dug by previous owner more than 20 years…

Moment bloodied ‘Dexter-obsessed’ killer smirks to camera as he is stopped in street by police after…

Badenoch vows to axe inheritance tax on main family homes and let parents hand down £1m tax-free in…

‘Dexter obsessed’ forensics student pleads guilty to murdering woman in copycat ‘kill room’ he…

October 7 hostage Mia Schem tells the Mail what she thinks of pro-Palestine ‘sheep’ who hate Israel,…

White man filmed yanking black woman by her hair and beating her with belt during terrifying road…

Global risk map reveals countries deemed ‘extremely’ dangerousComments are subject to our House rules and TermsNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}

No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first.

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{#replies.comments}}{{^isLast}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/isLast}}{{#isLast}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/isLast}}{{/replies.comments}}{{/replies.totalCount}}{{^replies.totalCount}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/replies.totalCount}}{{/isComment}}The opinions and views expressed in the comments section are solely those of the individual users and do not represent or reflect the opinions, views, or positions of MailOnline. MailOnline does not endorse, support, or verify the accuracy of any user-generated content.Terms|Privacy|FeedbackOldest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}