The world is beautiful but still made up of the bad, ugly, and dangerous. We’ve rounded up 12 of the most dangerous places in the world. While many of these places listed are off-limits, a few others are welcome for thrill seekers to explore. Do you dare?
1. Death Road (Bolivia)
The Death Road, also known as the North Yungas Road, is a stretch of road in Bolivia with a tragic reputation due to the high number of deaths yearly. 200-300 people die annually on it, according to estimates. After an alternate route was built in 2006 and the North Yungas road was closed to large buses and trucks in 2007, the annual mortality toll along the Yungas road has dropped to around 30–40.
Its switchback spans 43 miles (69 kilometers). It is dangerous for drivers because of fog, landslides, cascades, and cliffs that drop off about 6,000 feet (1,900 meters) at every turn. Many crosses, none of which are much taller than 10 feet (3 meters), dot the route, adding to its tragic history.
2. Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Ukraine)
The area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is highly radioactive. Inhalation of even trace amounts of radionuclides found in the earth in the Chernobyl exclusion zone can be harmful.
A meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power station on April 26, 1986, resulted in two massive explosions that ripped the lid off of one of the plant’s reactors, showering the area with debris from the reactor and its toxic fuel. The explosion released 400 times more radiation into the atmosphere than the atomic bomb detonated at Hiroshima.
3. North Sentinel Island (India)
This place is inhabited by an isolated tribe known to be hostile to outsiders. The North Sentinel Islands of the Andaman Sea are the homeland of the Sentinelese people. The island’s inhabitants have yet to be exposed to or exposed themselves to any form of contemporary technology or knowledge.
When people try to visit the island, they frequently become hostile and start fighting them. The Indian government prohibits visits to this island and attempts to communicate with its residents, so much so that It’s against the law to come within three miles of the island.
4. Mount Everest (Nepal/Tibet)
As the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest straddles the international boundary between Nepal and Tibet. While the usual route up Everest doesn’t involve any formidable technical climbing obstacles, there are still risks to be aware of, such as altitude sickness, weather, wind, and avalanches in the Khumbu Icefall.
Some people begin to experience the effects of altitude sickness (2,440 m) due to oxygen deficiency, which leads to tiredness at an altitude of around 8,000 feet. Most climbers who don’t return from Everest succumb to exhaustion or injuries.
5. Mariana Trench (Pacific Ocean)
In the western Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world’s oceans. It is a trench in the shape of a crescent that goes as deep as anyone knows, which is about 36,000 feet (10,994 meters).
Fish bodies that sink into the trench release poisonous mercury into the water. Because of its depth and pressure, the trench is unsafe for people to go to. Due to the high pressure, scientists think that fish can only live at a depth of about 8500 feet (28,000 feet).
6. The Darien Gap (Panama/Colombia)
The Darien Gap is widely recognized as the riskiest migration route. Those who venture through the Darién Gap put themselves in danger from both natural hazards and violent criminal groups. In addition, since there are no official border controls, it is a popular route for illegal immigrants and various unlawful activities.
7. Snake Island (Brazil)
Even snake lovers would avoid this destination. The golden lancehead pit viper, one of the world’s deadliest snakes, has a substantial population on the island—between 2,000 and 4,000. They can reach lengths of nearly a foot and a half.
They are so venomous that a person could die if bitten by one of these vipers within an hour. The Brazilian government has made it illegal for anybody to visit Snake Island, which is why there have been no reported occurrences of snake bite deaths in recent years.
8. Danakil Depression (Ethiopia)
This location is hazardous due to the extreme weather. The Danakil Desert is approximately 131 degrees Fahrenheit. It is one of the world’s hottest places. This location experiences such high temperatures due in part to underground heat sources associated with the volcanic activity in the region. This also explains why there are reservoirs of poisonous gasses and acids.
9. The Cave of Swallows (Mexico)
Base jumping in this cave is a popular yet dangerous pastime. It’s the largest cave shaft and possibly the 11th deepest pit. Because of the extreme depth of the cave, rappelling can take up to an hour, during which time the rope and equipment can become dangerously hot due to friction. As one goes lower, spraying water on their gear becomes necessary to keep it cool.
10. Skeleton Coast (Namibia):
Because of its frequent thick fog and erratic Benguela current, this area is regarded as one of history’s most hazardous navigable coasts. Moreover, the shore lacks any natural harbors and is almost entirely unpopulated. The Skeleton Coast is littered with shipwrecks, dating from 16th-century expedition ships to modern fishing boats. Everything about this coast screams, “Don’t sail here!”
11. Aokigahara Forest (Japan)
The Japanese regard it as a ghost land. According to some estimates, the rate of people taking their own lives there is the second highest in the world–thirty to one hundred people annually. Recent statistics are unknown, partly because the Japanese government has stopped disclosing information to avoid further suicide fatalities.
12. Mount Hua (China)
The Mount Huashan Plank Path is often considered the planet’s most terrifying and dangerous hiking route. It would only take one misstep on the rough ascent up the steep, uneven terrain across the limited routes for tragedy to strike.
The mountain’s low temperature and the frequent presence of ice and fog in the winter can be a major nuisance for climbers. More than one hundred people every year die on Mount Huashan, according to estimates. Despite this, visitors worldwide continue to flock to this peak in search of adventure.
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