When it comes to foreign travel, how risky is too risky? It's hard to know. But the best place to start researching is the U.S. State Department (www.state.gov). At press time,* these 25 countries were tagged with a Travel Warning advising against nonessential travel. Here's the lowdown on what you're missing—and just how dicey things really are.
AFGHANISTAN WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Despite the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, now in its 18th month, Taliban holdouts still lurk in a country once known for great hospitality (and hashish). WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Trekking in the Hindu Kush's remote, red-cliffed Bamiyan Valley, where the Taliban destroyed two monumental fifth-century Buddhas carved into mountain rock RISK: 3
ALGERIA WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Terrorism in this oil-rich country has dropped off slightly in recent years, but there is still risk of sporadic attacks in rural areas and on roadways, especially at night. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Hiking in the El Kautara Gorges and the jagged Ahaggar Mountains, near the town of Tamanrasset RISK: 2
ANGOLA WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
An April 2002 cease-fire put a stop to the 25-year civil war, though millions of undetonated mines are still believed to litter the countryside. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Checking out Operation Noah's Ark, an effort to relocate elephants and giraffes from Namibia and Botswana to the savannas of Quicama National Park in the northwest RISK: 2
BOSNIA-HEREGOVINA WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
The 1995 Dayton Accords ended the war between Muslim Bosnians, Serbs, and Croats, but UN troops remain to control localized outbursts of political violence, which are sometimes directed toward the international community. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Some of the best—and cheapest—alpine skiing in all of Europe at the Dinari Range's 6,313-foot Mount Jahorina, site of the 1984 Winter Games RISK: 1
BURUNDI WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Decades of ethnic strife between Hutus and Tutsis have killed hundreds of thousands. The resulting poverty and crime can make tourist travel dangerous in this small, mountainous nation. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Scuba diving in Lake Tanganyika, at 4,710 feet the world's second-deepest lake (after Russia's Baikal) and home to some 600 species of vertebrates and invertebrates RISK: 2
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
After independence from France in 1960 and three decades under a military government, C.A.R. was turned over to civilian rule in 1993. Still, it remains beset with instability and unrest. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Bushwhacking and hiking with Pygmy guides through the rainforests of Dzanga-Ndoki, arguably the most pristine national park in Africa RISK: 2
COLOMBIA WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Dubbed "Locombia" (the mad country) by the South American press, Colombia is rife with cocaine cartels, guerrilla warfare, and more kidnappings than any other nation in the world. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Encounters with the pre-Columbian Kogi people while trekking through dense jungle and the isolated 19,000-foot Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains RISK: 3
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Though rich in diamonds, gold, and timber, this equatorial country is still in tatters—famine, millions of displaced refugees (since Mobutu's despotic 32-year rule ended in 1997). WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Mountaineering in the Ruwenzori Mountains on 16,763-foot Mount Stanley, Africa's third-highest peak RISK: 3
INDONESIA WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Anti-Western terrorist attacks in Bali and separatist violence in West Timor, the province of Aceh, central and west Kalimantan, and Sulawesi have destabilized the world's largest archipelago. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Surfing Sumatra's legendary breaks off the island of Nias and jungle trekking in Gunung Leuser National Park RISK: 2
IRAN WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Despite inclusion in Bush's "axis of evil" and the U.S.'s suspension of diplomatic relations, Iran is generally safe—though travel to the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq borders is best avoided. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Skiing in the 12,000-foot-plus Elburz Mountains, where the resort in Dizin receives more than 23 feet of snow annually and lift tickets cost $4 a day RISK: 1
IRAQ WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Even if you wanted to go to Iraq, no U.S. commercial flights enter the country that's ruled by the world's most infamous dictator. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Canoeing the Marshes, the historic ecosystem at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers—birthplace over 10,000 years ago of the Mesopotamian civilization RISK: 3
ISRAEL WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Israel has been a hotly contested geopolitical and religious crucible since 1948, but the two-and-a-half-year Palestinian intifada has produced more suicide bombings than any other period. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Scuba diving to the underwater ruins of Herod's City at Caesarea, along the palm-fringed Mediterranean coast RISK: 2
IVORY COAST WHAT'S THE TROUBLE
Once the most stable West African country, this coffee-producing nation suffers from falling cocoa prices and clashes between Christians and Muslims. WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
Trekking through the virgin rainforests of Taï National Park, home to the threatened pygmy hippopotamus RISK: 2
Be aware that the State Department also posts advisories about unstable regions in many other countries, like Kyrgyzstan and Nepal. Carefully check the Web site's postings and consult with well-informed tour operators before finalizing any travel plans. *This information is current as of January 14, 2003
Compiled by Misty Blakesley, Amy Marr, Dimity McDowell, Sam Moulton, Tim Neville, Katie Showalter, and Ted Stedman
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