The deadliest — and safest — places in the world

Chances are, when you do your research for an upcoming trip, you look up the best restaurants, the best beaches, the nightlight scene, and more. What you probably don’t think about is the place’s homicide rate — but maybe you should.

Depressing as it may sound, the Brazilian think tank Igarapé Institute recently published a so-called three-dimensional “murder map,” which lists the most deadly — and safest — places in the world.

For context, about 437,000 people are killed each year around the world, which makes a global average of 6.2 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. And 79 per cent of those victims are male.

More specifically, according to the think tank’s Homicide Monitor, despite it’s tourist-favourite beautiful beaches, Honduras is the deadliest country in the world, with a murder rate of 85.5 per 100,000 people. Compare that to the global average of just 6.2, and you’ll understand how dangerous it is.

Next up on the danger scale: Venezuela and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In fact, of the 20 deadliest countries, Latin America and the Caribbean account for 14 of them — making those two regions the deadliest areas in the world.

On the other end of the spectrum, the safest spots are Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Singapore.

The map also shows more specific info about the murders, including the weapons used, the genders, and the ages of the victims. And, perhaps more importantly, it is finally being recognized as a crucial policy tool for preventing danger in the future.

So, should you go to the dangerous spots? Latin American travel expert Eric Sheets, founder of the destination company Latin Excursions, says most of them are fine, as long as you’re smart. “Most of the violence occurs in places where tourists don’t go anyway — in the outskirts — so just don’t venture too far outside the main attractions,” he says.

That said, three countries in particular — Honduras, parts of Guatemala, and parts of Mexico — are more dangerous than the others. “They are debilitated by gang violence and drug violence,” says Sheets.

So here’s your guide. “In Honduras, stay away from the big cities like San Pedro Sula, where most of the violence is, and stick to the islands like the Roatan Islands, which are famous for diving and snorkelling.”

“In Guatemala, stay away from the big cities and focus instead on the archaeological wonders. And in Mexico, the more popular spots like Tulum and the Yucatán are fine. But in regions where the cartel are and in border towns like Tijuana, it’s still dangerous, so it’s best to stay away.”

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Travel.