Monthly Archives: August 2024

Bhutan, the world’s most mountainous country, covers some 15,000 square miles in the Eastern Himalayas.  Bordered by India and China's Tibet Autonomous Region, landlocked Bhutan is 98.8% mountains and more than 70% forested.  Officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, the country is known locally as Drukyul.  Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a king serving as head of state and a prime minister leading the government.  Bhutan is home to some 778,000 residents, ranking it 165^th among the world’s 234 countries and dependent territories (By comparison, the population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area is nearly four times as large as Bhutan’s population).

Bhutan and Tibet were among the first countries where Buddhism spread from India in the Seventh Century AD.  Vajrayana Buddhism, Bhutan’s state religion, is led by the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, a spiritual leader similar to Tibet’s Dalai Lama.  The “land of the thunder dragon” is “a place where people can find peace and do business, experience living traditions, and discover wilderness teeming with life,” according to the official Bhutan Travel website (https://bhutan.travel). “In a world that is always on the go, Bhutan provides sanctuary.  Here, you can find earthly pleasures: archery and age-old crafts, dishes of home-made cheese and fearsomely hot chilies, breathtaking treks and restorative hot-stone baths.” Prayer flags are strung across gorges and dot every hillside, Bhutan Travel continued. “From storied cities to soaring mountains, the door to the kingdom is open once again to old and new friends.”

Equatorial Guinea, one of the smallest countries in Africa (both by land area and population), is also the only Spanish-speaking nation on the continent.  To put it in context with the United States, Equatorial Guinea’s population of 1.7 million people is only about half the size of the Denver metropolitan area.  This Central African country consists of five islands in the Gulf of Guinea near the equator plus a mainland region bordered by Cameroon and Gabon.  Although one of the wealthiest nations in Africa, most of its people live in poverty while the elites live in opulence. “This is the land of primates with painted faces, soft clouds of butterflies, and insects so colorful they belong in the realm of fiction,” Lonely Planet noted (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/equatorial-guinea). “Yes, Equatorial Guinea has something of a reputation, with a history of failed coups, allegations of corruption, and buckets of oil, but there is plenty to bring you to this country's beautiful black-and-white shores.”

Officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the country was known as Spanish Guinea before gaining independence in 1968.  Spanish, French, and Portuguese are the country’s official languages, but a number of local dialects are also common.  Dictator Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled since 1979, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. “Exercise increased caution in Equatorial Guinea due to crime and health,” the U.S. State Department cautions. “While not common, crime - such as robbery - remains a concern throughout Equatorial Guinea. Police and military checkpoints are common throughout the country.” (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/equatorial-guinea-travel-advisory.html).

The Central African Republic, a landlocked nation at the heart of the continent, is one of the least visited countries for residents of the Memphis area.  Despite its vast natural resources, the country is one of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world.  It also ranks as the unhealthiest, the worst country for children, and among the bottom 10 for education and hunger. “It’s never a good sign when you land in a country and the first thing you see are planes from the United Nations, World Food Programme or Médecins Sans Frontiers {Doctors without Borders},” the travel blog Road to 197 reported in 2024 (https://www.roadto197.com/2024/01/14/trip-report-central-african-republic/). “In such situations you realize that things are not good in the country, that the country has serious issues….”

Known as French Equatorial Africa during the European colonial period, the Central African Republic (CAR) attained independence in 1960.  Ruled for 15 years by brutal dictator Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the country has since endured decades of civil war, corruption, and human rights abuses. “Do not travel to the Central African Republic (CAR),” the U.S. State Department warns, citing violent crimes, kidnappings, and armed rebels. “Although there have been no specific incidents of violence or threats targeting U.S. citizens, civil unrest, demonstrations, and election-related violence (including renewed outbreaks of armed conflict) may occur throughout the country.” (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/central-african-republic-travel-advisory.html)  More than 15,000 UN peacekeepers were in the CAR during 2024.

Libya, the North African nation plagued by civil war and political unrest for more than a decade, has recently begun promoting foreign investment and tourism as it struggles towards political and social stability.  In early 2024, the Libyan government launched a strategic initiative to boost business development to help it achieve long-term economic stability.  Despite some progress, armed conflicts between rebels and tourists continue to plague the country, making this an unlikely travel destination for most people living in Atlanta. “Do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict,” the U.S. State Department warns on its website. “Crime levels in Libya remain high, including the threat of kidnapping for ransom.  U.S. citizens have been targets of these crimes.” (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/libya-travel-advisory.html

Bordered by Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria, Tunisia, and the Mediterranean Sea, Libya has a population of almost seven million people (which is only half a million more people than the Atlanta Metropolitan Area).  The vast majority of those people are Islamic Arabs who live along the coastline.  It is the fourth-largest African country and is largely covered by the Libyan Desert.  The regions known as Libya have been inhabited since ancient times, ruled by the Greek, Roman, Spanish, and Ottoman empires before becoming an Italian colony in the early Twentieth Century.  The State of Libya became an independent country in 1951.  The 2011 Libyan Civil War that overthrew dictator Muammar Gaddafi began a decade of armed conflict that largely ended in a 2020 ceasefire.  However, parts of the country remain until rebel control.  

Residents of Orlando and the Central Florida region looking for lush island beaches, rich cultural attractions, and a relaxed cosmopolitan lifestyle are increasingly drawn to the Kingdom of Bahrain.  An archipelago of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain is located between the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Middle East.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been a constitutional monarchy since 2002.  Originally the center of the ancient Dilmun civilization, Bahrain has been ruled by Arabs; became part of the Portuguese Empire; and was a protectorate of Great Britain for almost a century before gaining independence 1971.  The country has been famous since ancient times for its pearl fisheries and seagoing trade routes.  In 1932, Bahrain became the first Persian Gulf country to discover petroleum, transforming the country into one of the wealthiest nations in the world.  Its strategic position in the Persian Gulf accounts for the U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) station there.

The Republic of Niger, the second-largest landlocked nation in Africa, is among the poorest and least visited countries for residents of the Miami area. “Niger might be a challenging destination to travel around, but rewards abound for those willing to persevere,” World Travel Guide stated recently (https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/niger). “A country shaped by Saharan trade routes, visitors came and went through this land for centuries, leaving behind them a wonderful fusion of Arab and African traditions.” The publication added, “With political stability returning to this West African nation, it is slowly opening up to tourists.”

The country was part of French West Africa during the European colonial before attaining independence in 1960.  Since then, it has endured five coup d’états and four periods of military rule, as well as several armed rebellions.  About 80% of Niger’s 490,000 square miles (an area that is nearly 6 times the size of Florida) lies in the plains and sand dunes of the Sahara Desert to the north.  However, most of its 28.1 million people live along the flat to rolling savannas of the south and west.  The country borders Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Algeria.  The Niger River, third longest in Africa, winds some 2,600 miles across the continent before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean at the Niger Delta.  The country is home to numerous ethnic groups, with the Hausa making up 55% of the population.  Niger has 10 official languages, and French is still used by the government.

Phoenix area residents exploring new destinations are among the 80,000 Americans who visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia each year.  With casual visitors unable to enter the country in recent decades, international travelers are now exploring the kingdom to enjoy its long-hidden treasures. “Saudi Arabia offers both natural and historical wonders, from the mountain resorts of Taif and the majesty of ancient Nabatean tombs to the multicolored coral reefs of the Red Sea,” the Saudi embassy stated on its website (https://www.saudiembassy.net/sports-and-recreation). 

Before the kingdom began issuing leisure tourist visas in 2019, foreign visitors to Saudi Arabia were primarily religious pilgrims, businesspeople, or government officials.  The next five years brought more than 100 million travelers to Saudi Arabia. “The Kingdom's tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience, with inbound spending reaching over USD 37 billion in 2023 and a significant increase in hotel keys across the kingdom,” the UN’s World Tourism Agency stated (https://www.unwto.org/news/un-tourism-applauds-saudi-arabia-s-historic-milestone-of-100-million-tourist-arrivals#). “These achievements are a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to creating a prosperous and sustainable tourism sector.” Reform-minded Saudi rulers have prioritized global tourism and relaxed their country’s conservative culture, helping open their society to more foreigners.

The rich culture and centuries-old history of Russia have made it a favorite destination for tourists from the Denver area for decades.  The largest country in the world, the Russian Federation crosses 11 time zones, spanning Asia and Eastern Europe to reach the Pacific Ocean near Alaska.  Russia is home to numerous museums, palaces, cathedrals, historic sites, sunny beaches, and majestic ski resorts.

Some 143 million people from more than 190 ethnic groups live in Russia, primarily residing in urban areas and concentrated in the western regions of the country.  The nation’s recorded history dates back more than 1,100 years, including establishment of the Russian Empire in 1721, the Russian Revolution in 1917, the rise and fall of Soviet Union during the Twentieth Century, and the founding of the Russian Federation in 1991.

During the late 2010s, more than 32 million foreign travelers visited Russia.  However, since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leisure and business travel has plummeted.  About 8.8 foreigners visited Russia in 2023, just a 3.5% increase over 2022, according to the Russian government.