top ten worse-off countries and their problems

Iraq

You are surprised that Iraq is in the number 1 spot? Venture into the Sunni Triangle and it is like taking your life with your own hands. If you really want to visit Iraq you should go to the north of the country, where Kurds are a little less dicey for the adventurous traveler. I doubt if Iraq will ever leave my number one spot.

Afghanistan

This country is one of the top most dangerous countries, following the promise of good times to come. A few years ago two Japanese teachers were killed after venturing into the wild southern regions. Many parts of Afghanistan are falling back under the sway of extremists and it is very likely that you will experience its own fair share of terror attacks.
Somalia

Remember the movie by Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down? It is a movie that bought the ugly conflict in Somalia for mainstream viewing. It is also good to mention that they have no central government and that has been happening since 1991. Somalia is a nice country but if you are planning to travel there, I suggest that you hire your own heavily armed guards. Daily rates for the guards vary from a couple of hundred bucks or several hundred bucks, depending on whom you hire. Failure to do so, may result in death.

Thailand

When we hear the name Thailand we usually portray a nice exotic country with wonderful beaches, exotic drinks and a good, cheap nightlife. But that is not the case. But don’t take me wrong, it is not dangerous because of mobs and a high criminal rate (yes, you can find some). It is on the list only because of the Tsunami that hit a few years ago. Hundreds of people died and that made future tourists think twice before they plan to visit this exotic place.
Sudan

The ongoing tension with the government and rebels is what makes this country one of the most dangerous. Not to mention the government backed genocide. Murder and rapes are the two most common things that one can face in Sudan especially if you are in the area of Darfur. If you want to travel to the north make sure you get travelling permits.
Indonesia

This country is not dangerous per se, but there are so many elements of danger that it made the top 10 list. A few years ago there was the Bali bombing and also the Tsunami hitting. If you are a journalist you have to be very careful, as usually those are the targeted people.
Chechnya

It does not get many tourists but sometimes journalists are forced to go there and it is a one country that journalists fear the most. A few years ago they captured a school  and held hostages just to show how far they can go.
The Palestinian Territories

Despite efforts to make their country better, this country has been doing nothing but going from bad to worse and therefore it makes it a bad place to travel to. A few years ago two people who were there to educate children were captured and later released.
Uganda

For a lot of years the Lord Resistance Army have made the region a no-go for travelers. The LRA are known for being the most evil, cold blooded murders on the planet. And it is good to mention that they force children to murder their own family members as part of the indoctrination.
Niger

Niger is the world’s second most poor country. It is a famine stricken country and there are hundreds of people dying everyday due to malnutrition. The horror is not of being murdered or raped, but it is seeing all these children being starved to death, unless food aid arrives soon.