Reasons For State Department Travel Warnings

One of the primary responsibilities of the United States State Department is to help ensure the safety of American citizens living and traveling abroad. In order to effectively accomplish this, the organization regularly lists US State Department travel warnings. State Department travel warnings are established when the conditions of a country cause travel to this country to become unsafe for American citizens.

This frequently results from instability within the country. State Department travel warnings are put in place in order to inform individuals of the risk associated with traveling to the specified countries. American citizens are urged to avoid travel to the locations that are included on the travel warning list. Failure to recognize the dangerous conditions occurring in these countries could be devastating to an individual's well-being.

There are currently well over 20 countries included on the list of State Department travel warnings. These countries include many locations throughout Africa and the Middle East. American citizens are urged to avoid travel to Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan due to the unstable conditions in these countries. Mexico was placed on the travel warning list due to high incidences of drug-related violence, kidnapping, and violent crime.

Following the 2010 earthquake, Haiti was added to the list due to the weak infrastructure, lack of medical care and basic necessities, along with a notable rise in violent crime. Individuals are advised to avoid travel to Mali, Kenya, Nigeria, and Eritrea. Korea and the Philippines are on the travel warning list, as is Somalia.

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