2. Unrecognized but safe
Despite lacking official recognition by any country, Somaliland is one of the most stable and democratic parts of the war-ridden Horn of Africa. I wrote a post about Safety in Somaliland specifically to address the topic.
As opposed to unstable and terrorist fueled Somalia, Somaliland has not seen any terrorist attack since 2008 and crime is low. Tourists are required to be escorted by the Special Police Unit (SPU) in Hargeisa for any travels outside of the city and should be accompanied at all times. I did not feel like the police escort was going to risk his life for us but it did help in crowded places when we were getting too much attention or aggressive looks from the locals.
Although the low crime and lack of terrorist attacks may appease some people’s fears, you may still not feel fully safe as the situation could change anytime if Al Shabaab decided to attack the north or the war in the rest of Somalia expanded. Safety in Somaliland seems to be pretty guaranteed at the moment.
This relative safety makes Somaliland the prime destination for those seeking to visit all the countries in the world but is still not enough of a reassurance for the majority of the population to embark on a trip to this unrecognized state. Somaliland, together with the rest of Somalia, is at the top of the list of the least visited countries in the world. Continue to next page
