Monthly Archives: November 2024

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa and sixth largest in the world, continues to grow in popularity as a tourist and business destination for residents of Baltimore and the Central Maryland region.  Known as the “Giant of Africa” -- every fifth African is Nigerian and its former capital, Lagos, is the largest city on the continent -- Nigeria is a regional powerhouse that dominates West Africa.

While the U.S. State Department advises travelers to reconsider visiting Nigeria due to risks of crime and terrorism, the warnings are largely confined to certain areas of the country.  “After they have spent a day or two in Nigeria, most visitors are surprised to see that the country is so much more than its reputation for scam artists and kidnappings,” Lonely Planet reported (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/things-to-know-before-traveling-to-nigeria). “Shake off that image.  The moment you step out of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) – the default port of entry for most international visitors – you’ll immediately sense that you’re entering a world of wonder and contrasts.”

Residents of Honolulu and the island of Oahu seeking historic ruins, stunning dive sites, mountain hiking, and upscale beach resorts are discovering the Middle Eastern national of Oman.  Located on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, Oman shares land and maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Pakistan.

The oldest independent state in the Arab world, the Sultanate of Oman is an absolute monarchy that has been ruled by hereditary sultans for centuries.  From the 17^th Century through the early 20th Century, the Omani Sultanate was an empire that competed with the British and Portuguese empires for influence across the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.  Over time, a series of treaties between the sultans and Great Britain provided the British a greater role in Oman as the Omani Empire declined.  The discovery of petroleum in 1964 transformed the area’s economy into the richest in the world and created a modern petrostate.

Brazil’s popularity as a retirement destination for foreigners has grown as the government continues to fine-tune its retirement visa program.  Sandy beaches, lush tropical jungles, friendly people, and low prices make South America’s largest country an attractive destination for tourists and retirees from Buffalo and Upstate New York.

The Federative Republic of Brazil’s culture is shaped by a blend of European, African, and indigenous influences.  The former Portuguese colony is known for shimmering beaches, Amazon rainforests, rugged mountains, and oceanic islands.  Brazil is the only predominantly Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas.  However, English speakers are rarely found outside the major cities, so language barriers can present a challenge.  High crime in urban areas, poor infrastructure, and political uncertainty also remain persistent problems.

Portugal, long a popular destination for international travelers from the Louisville area, continues to set new tourism records by recording 10.5 million overnight stays and 3.8 million visitors in August 2024 alone.  More than two million U.S. citizens visited Portugal in 2023, ranking it third only to neighboring Spain and the nearby United Kingdom for foreign visitors.

While many tourists flock to the largest metropolitan areas, Lisbon and Porto, “There's so much more to Portugal than its captivating historic cities.” Lonely Planet reported. “From golden beaches and mountainous peaks to lush river valleys, every region has its own diverse highlights across this small Iberian nation.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-places-to-visit-in-portugal)

Portugal is located along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, sharing a land border with Spain.  Its 500-mile coastline borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and the country includes the island regions of Madeira and the Azores.  While the nation only covers some 35,600 miles, its imperial history continues to affect other nations and cultures around the world.  During the Age of Discovery, the Kingdom of Portugal’s maritime empire made the country a major political and economic power, including trading powers and colonies stretching from Africa to the coasts of the South Atlantic and Indian oceans.  However, Portugal endured centuries of internal political conflicts, civil wars, and foreign intervention until 1974’s Carnation Revolution established the current Portuguese Republic.  As a result, there are more than 250 million Portuguese speakers globally in former colonies such as Brazil and Macau, as well as 10.6 million people who live in Portugal.  

The volcanic hills, jungles, lakes, and rivers of Uganda – home to mountain gorillas, tree-climbing lions, and exotic flora and fauna – continue to draw visitors to the East African nation.  Dubbed the “Pearl of Africa” more than a century ago by Winston Churchill, its natural beauty and vibrant culture make Uganda a unique destination for travelers from Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma.

The landlocked Republic of Uganda is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Tanzania.  The former Buganda kingdom and British protectorate became an independent nation in 1962.  Since then, Uganda suffered through decades of political conflict and oppression, particularly during the brutal reign of Ida Amin in the 1970s.  Social unrest continues: the U.S. State department recommends that Americans “reconsider travel to Uganda due to crime, terrorism, and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.”

Greece – one of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations – attracted more than 33 million visitors in 2023, including over 1.4 million Americans.  Residents of Atlanta and other cities across Georgia and the Southeastern United States come for its cultural treasures, sunny beaches, spectacular islands, and the longest coastline in Europe.

Officially the Hellenic Republic, Greece is located on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula.  Bordered by Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Turkey, its coastline stretches more than 13,600 kilometers (8,500 miles) along the Sea of Crete and the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean seas.  The country also includes thousands of islands: some uninhabited, some covered in forests, others offering deep caves within massive rock formations – and all featuring sandy beaches and clear sparking waters.

Considered the cradle of Western civilization, Greece is the birthplace of democracy, Western literature and philosophy, theater, mathematics, science, and the Olympic Games.  More than 2,800 years ago, Greece was comprised of independent city-states.  It later became part of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires before emerging as a modern nation in 1830.  After decades as a kingdom and dictatorship, the current parliamentary republic was founded in 1975.  

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 Orlando and the Central Florida region. “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 about 2 ½  times the size of Greater Orlando.  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.

Thailand’s popularity as a retirement destination for foreigners has been boosted by the recent addition of a 10-year long-term retirement visa.  Warm weather, majestic mountains, sandy beaches, lush tropical jungles, vibrant marketplaces, spicy food, state-of-the-art healthcare, and low prices make this exotic Southeast Asian kingdom an attractive destination for retirees in Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota who are ready for the next chapter of their lives. 

More than 70 million people live in Thailand, including three million foreigners -- with retirees making up a significant percentage of those expats.  The U.S. State Department estimates that some 30,000 American expats live in Thailand (including retirees).  A U.S.-Thailand tax treaty that avoids double taxation exempts Social Security and other U.S. pension payments from Thai taxation.  Discounts on already-low prices for seniors on public transportation, museums, and some tourist destinations add to the appeal for those living on fixed incomes.

The African nation of South Sudan is the youngest country in the world – and one of the least visited.  Armed conflicts, ongoing humanitarian crises, and lack of tourism infrastructure have kept South Sudan off most tourists’ bucket list.  However, the country does welcome a stream of businesspeople, charitable workers, and even some adventurous travelers from Los Angeles and the Southern California region.

Landlocked South Sudan borders the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.  The geographic area of western and central Africa south of the Sahara Desert is known as the Sudan.  From 1896 to 1954, the United Kingdom and Egypt exercised joint control of the Sudan until the new Republic of the Sudan achieved independence in 1956.  Arab Muslims dominated the northern part of Sudan, while African Christians and other groups dominated the south.  After two civil wars, South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011.  However, continued ethnic violence and another civil war plagued South Sudan before a new coalition government was formed in 2020.

Spain – the world’s second most popular tourism destination -- attracts visitors from Charleston and South Carolina’s Lowcountry region with its sunny beaches, historic sites, art museums, and cultural features.  More than 85 million people visited the country in 2023, making Spain second only to France for foreign visitors.

“From sun-drenched archipelagos and bustling urban cities to snowcapped mountains and semi-arid deserts, Spain epitomizes geographical diversity,” Tripadvisor reported recently (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187427-Spain-Vacations.html). “As the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, this vast country offers some of Europe’s most dramatic landscapes, as well as some of its tastiest cuisine.”

The Kingdom of Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe, encompassing the majority of the Iberian Peninsula; several archipelagos such as the Canary Islands in the Atlantic and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean; and two cities in northern Africa.  Spain enjoys almost 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) of coastline ranging from grand resorts to quaint fishing villages.  The country is bordered by France and Andorra to the north and Portugal to the west.