7. El Salvador
- Advisory level: Level 3: reconsider travel
- Last updated: Jan. 29, 2019
- 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.