The most dangerous travel destinations for 2020 – and how you could end up flying over them
THE most dangerous travel destinations in the world for 2020 include Iraq and Israel, according to a recent study.
Afghanista, Libya and even parts of Ukraine were found to pose serious security risks to tourists.
A new study by , a privately owned risk advice company, has analysed three major risk factors in all countries - medical, security and road safety.
In regard to travel security, this is determined by the level of violence, government control over citizens and how much of the country is accessible to tourists.
Ability to handle natural disasters, emergency services, social unrest and infrastructure are also analysed for a country's travel safety.
For medical concerns, a high travel risk means a poor healthcare service and common infectious diseases such as malaria and cholera, while road safety is the number of deaths per 100,000 people.
A number of countries in Africa fell short when it came to travel security, along with Asia and eastern Europe.
Israel is considered an "extreme" risk for security due to the Gaza Strip which is located in the country - Tel Aviv remains a medium risk.
Libya, Niger, Guinea, Eritrea and Central African Republic were deemed unsafe when it came to medical safety, along with Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Haiti.
Recent tensions between the US and Iran following the missile strike which killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani have led to concerns for travellers in Iraq and Israel, amid fears westerners could be targeted.
Venezuela was also found to be lacking following the decline of the country's healthcare system, while North Korea was given a similar ranking because it is "unable" to manage a potential disease outbreak, according to .
Over two thirds of Africa also had more than 25 road deaths for every 100,000 citizens, along with Venezuela, Belize and the Dominican Republic.
Thailand and Vietnam have high mortality rates for road users - British tourists have died in recent years after using scooters and cars on difficult terrain.
A British doctor died after passing out at the wheel in Thailand, while a young traveller was killed in a horror moped crash earlier this year in Vietnam.
The UK Foreign Office doesn't align with all of the advice from the International SOS map.
Concerns could also be raised regarding air safety, following the Iran plane crash which killed all 176 on board.
British airlines have not been banned from flying over Iran airspace although many US airlines including American Airlines, Delta and United do not fly over the country.
Many flights from the UK fly over countries including Iraq and Pakistan when flying to Asia.
Pakistan closed its airspace earlier last year amid tensions with India, which saw scores of flights being cancelled at the last minute
Thankfully, the UK and the majority of western Europe are considered safe to travel when it comes to medical, security and road risks.
Scandinavian countries fared the best, with insignificant travel security risks in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
Earlier this year, a different study found Tokyo, Singapore and Osaka to be the safest cities in the world.
Brits have also been warned to avoid Bali, Barcelona and Florida Keys next year due to over-tourism and damage to the local habitat.
Avoid Germany and Austria if you want to drive safely - a study found they had the most traffic accidents last year.