Various factors, including crime rates, political instability, socioeconomic conditions, and environmental risks, determine the most dangerous cities in the world. Cities are ranked based on crime rates per capita. Additionally, factors like organized crime, drug trafficking, and gang violence are also considered in determining a city’s safety.
Here is a list of 12 of the most dangerous cities in the world.
CELAYA, MEXICO
Celaya, Mexico’s third most populous city, is the “Most Dangerous City in the World.” It has the highest number of murders per 100,000 in the world, 190.39. Celaya is facing a brutal turf war between rival drug cartels, Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, who are fighting for control of the strategic position for transporting drugs into the United States.
TIJUANA, MEXICO
Tijuana is the second most dangerous city in the world, with 105.15 homicides per 100,000 people. The city is named the “Murder capital of the world” and is also prone to other crimes such as sexual violence, assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, etc. Many attribute these crimes to the extreme poverty and the gang violence perpetuated by rival cartels, the Tijuana Cartel and the Sinaloa cartel.
The city has the most visited border, the 24-km San Diego–Tijuana international border.
CIUDAD JUÁREZ, MEXICO
Ciudad Juárez, once a famous getaway for residents of El Paso, Texas, due to its dazzling nightlife, is today one of the most dangerous cities in the world and is considered the worst city for women to live due to the high numbers of femicide, violence against women and blatant misogyny. The murder rate in Ciudad Juárez is 103.61 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The city’s violence is primarily driven by turf wars between rival drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Juárez Cartel, who are fighting for control of drug trafficking routes into the United States.
CIUDAD OBREGÓN, MEXICO
Ciudad Obregón, one of the most populous cities in Sonora, Mexico, was ranked “Second most Violent city in the world.” The murder rate in the city is 101.13 per 100000 inhabitants. According to a survey, 92.2% of Obregon’s residents feel unsafe in the city.
The primary reasons for the high crime rate in the city are gang wars, drug cartels, poverty, inequality, and high levels of corruption.
IRAPUATO, MEXICO
Irapuato is a Mexican city between the Silao River and the Guanajuato River. It is a beautiful city with a decent tourist population; despite this, it is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The homicide rate in Irapuato is 94.99 per 100,000 inhabitants. Assaults, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and armed robberies are common in the city.
One of the main reasons for the high crime rate in Irapuato is the turf war between rival drug cartels, the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
ENSENADA, MEXICO
Ensenada is a coastal city in Baja, Mexico. The city is a popular tourist destination and one of the world’s most dangerous cities. The homicide rate
in Ensenada is 90.58 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Despite staying away from drug and turf wars, Ensenada has finally been pulled in, and one of the primary reasons for the high crime rate in the city is the turf wars between drug cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel, the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, and the Arellano Felix Organization.
St. LOUIS, UNITED STATES
St. Louis is infamously known as the “Murder Capital of the United States” and is the third most dangerous city in the U.S. The city has a murder rate of 87.83 per 100,000 inhabitants and has the highest drug usage in the U.S.
Experts cite gun violence, easy access to firearms, and drug usage as the major reasons for the high crime rate and the city becoming more and more unsafe.
URUAPAN, MEXICO
Uruapan is part of the Michoacan state in Mexico and is one of the most dangerous places in the state; it is also the eighth-most dangerous city in the world.
The homicide rate in Uruapan is 72.59 per 100,000 inhabitants. The primary reason for the high crime rate in the city is the turf wars and clashes between local criminal groups and the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel, known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, for control over drug trafficking routes.
FEIRA DE SANTANA, BRAZIL
Feira de Santana is the most “Violent city in Brazil,” with a murder rate of 67.46 per 100,000 inhabitants. It is part of Bahia, a state in Brazil, and is best avoided. The city is situated on the ocean, making it easy to commit a crime and get away with it.
Drug trafficking, assault, and homicide are common in Feira de Santana.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town, South Africa, is considered one of the most dangerous cities globally; the city has a homicide rate of 64 per 100,000 inhabitants. Cape Town has 90 to 130 gangs, where 100,000 are involved.
The primary reason for the high crime rate in the city is extreme poverty; many people in Cape Town are still poor, and there is a massive amount of income inequality; corruption is another major reason; all these push people into crime and gangs, causing the city to become unsafe for everyone.
FORTALEZA BRAZIL
Fortaleza, Brazil, is one of the most dangerous cities in the world despite scenic coastlines and tourist spots. The city has a murder rate of 62.28 per 100,000 inhabitants. Fortaleza is one of the most violent cities in Brazil. There have been instances where members of rival gangs tried to kill each other in places of high population density and income inequality.
The primary reasons for the high crime rate include poverty, income inequality, drug trafficking, and gang violence.
CARACAS, VENEZUELA
Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, has consistently been ranked the “Most dangerous city in the world”; it is also one of the most dangerous capital cities in the world.
The city has a homicide rate of 52.82 per 100,000 inhabitants. The city is known for being one of the most violent cities in the world, so much so that embassies of numerous countries warn against traveling to this city.
The primary reasons for such violence in Caracas are poverty, corruption, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and armed gangs. 94.5% of Venezuela’s population lives below the poverty line, further increasing the crime rates in the country and its cities.