30 Most Barbaric Countries in the World

In this article, we will look at the 30 most barbaric countries in the world. 

There are many definitions of barbarism, but all of them have one thing in common: cruel and violent behavior. In addition, most experts say that cultural backwardness and exploitation are recurring causes of barbaric behavior. 

Barbaric behavior is most often seen as violent criminal behavior because it usually involves hurting someone. The origins of the word barbarian go as far back as ancient Greeks, who used the word to describe foreigners who were less civilized than they were. 

Barbaric people often resort to violent crime. Violent crimes have a devastating effect on society and increase economic insecurities. So, the more barbaric a country is, the more difficult it is to operate a business in it. Crime is seen as detrimental to economic development because discourages long-term investments. Countries that have low violent crimes often see higher foreign investments than countries that have high violent crime rates. 

Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. In the past two decades, the Country has transformed itself into one of the leading economies of the world. In the last decade, Singapore has attracted foreign investments from over 4500 companies, with Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) being on top of the list. The company acquired 2.45 hectares of land in Singapore and set up its first data centers in Southeast Asia. Over the years, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has invested $850 million into data centers in Singapore. On the flip side, some of the most barbaric countries with high rates of violent crimes see little to no foreign investments. Take the example of Afghanistan, where, in recent years, the only substantial flow of foreign currency has been in the form of aid. In addition, African countries also frequently top the list of countries with high violent crime rates. Over the years, there has been very little foreign investment in such African countries. In fact, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Report 2023, investment flows in Africa dropped by $45 Billion in 2022. 

An uptick in violent crimes forces businesses to shut down. In 2022, Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) announced the closure of 16 of its stores in Los Angeles and Seattle Metropolitan areas because violent crimes and drug use were increasing in the areas surrounding these stores. This is corroborated by the data released by Seattle’s and Los Angeles police departments. Compared to 2021, property crimes were up by 20% in Seattle in 2022. Los Angeles saw an uptick of 14% for similar crimes. In the recent past, Mexico was seen as a rising film production destination. However, its reputation got a hit when a Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) location scout for the hit TV series Narcos was shot dead in 2017. The Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) location scout, named Carlos Munoz Portal was found dead in his car in Temascalapa, which has a reputation for being one of the most violent towns in Mexico. 

Methodology 

Since it is difficult to define ‘Barbaric Countries’ we took a look at the most common traits of barbaric behavior and identified countries where these were prevalent to curate our list of the 30 most barbaric countries in the world. Through research, we found that barbaric places are devoid of peace, have high homicide rates, and have high occurrences of terrorist activities. So, first, we used the Global Peace Index and identified the 55 least peaceful countries. Then, we used Global Terrorism Index, and Murder Rate by Country to identify the 30 most barbaric countries. First, we ranked the countries based on the Terrorism Index. Then, we ranked the countries based on their murder rates. Then for each country, we summed up the ranks to calculate the barabrism score. The lower the score, the more barbaric the country is.

30 – Cameroon

Barbarism Score – 149

Cameroon, one of the most barbaric countries in the world, has recently come into highlight because of a wave of arrests and abuse against people belonging to the LGBT community. The country has no tolerance towards people belonging to these communities, and they are often arrested, tortured, and beaten by the police. 

29 – Burkina Faso

Barbarism Score – 147

Burkina Faso is the epicenter of violent conflicts which kill people every day. There is a strong presence of armed Islamist groups which routinely carry out public executions of government collaborators. However, in response, the country’s security forces carry out extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. The people of this country live in constant fear of the Islamists and the security forces. 

28 – Nicaragua

Barbarism Score – 146

A report released by the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts highlighted that the Nicaraguan government has committed crimes against humanity including murder, imprisonment, torture, and sexual violence. The country is under a dictatorship rule that does not tolerate any political narrative other than its own. 

27 – Zimbabwe 

Barbarism Score – 145

Zimbabwe is known as one of the most crime-ridden places on earth. However, what makes this country truly barbarian is the fact that children are at an increased risk of abuse in this country. Many children face abuse from their own parents and guardians, which forces them to leave their homes. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat), 22 children have died at the hands of their parents from 2019 to 20200 in Zimbabwe. 

26 – Ukraine

Barbarism Score – 134

Ukraine is subjected to war crimes by Russia, which is why it has ended on our list of the most barbaric countries. The Human Rights Watch has reported many cases of Russian military forces committing war crimes, including rape, execution, and unlawful violence in Russian-controlled areas. 

25 – Iran

Barbarism Score – 127

Cases of Iranian authorities conducting crimes against humanity on its own people are very common. The country lacks freedom of expression, and anyone speaking against the Islamist rule is punished. Some of the state-sanctioned execution methods, including stoning, are also barbaric. 

24 – Myanmar

Barbarism Score – 124

Myanmar has become one of the most barbaric countries after its military coup. The police and military are responsible for several deaths in custody. There is no freedom of speech, and no counter-political narrative is tolerated in the country. 

23 – Turkey

Barbarism Score – 124

Turkey has very little freedom of speech. People of Armenian ethnicities have traditionally been discriminated against. 

22 – Egypt

Barbarism Score – 120

Egypt is infamous for its animal cruelty, making it one of the most barbaric countries in the world. There have been recent reports of murder and torture of stray and pet animals by individuals and government agencies. Animals are not only tortured and slaughtered, but they are also sexually abused in the country. 

21 – India

Barbarism Score – 108

People in India are subjected to a caste system which often leads to social violence. Incidents depicting violence against minorities and women are common in the country. Recently, there has been an uptick in violent incidents against women and religious minorities. The country also faces some issues with xenophobia. 

20 – Mozambique

Barbarism Score – 101

Mozambique is home to some Islamic Jihadists who are often responsible for violence in the country. At the same time, there are also often reports of its soldiers executing civilians in a barbaric way. In addition, kidnapping for ransom and arbitrary killing is quite common in the country. 

19 – Ethiopia

Barbarism Score – 101

Street children are often subjected to cruel behavior in Ethiopia, the 19th most barbaric country in the world. In the recent past, there were reports of street children being persecuted by police. The country is among the worst for the rule of law according to the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law index. 

18 – Brazil

Barbarism Score – 101

The prison system of Brazil is infamous for being chaotic and violent. The Brazillian system does not see punishment as a form of correction, but rather revenge. The atrocities that happen in Brazillian prisons include decapitation and torture. 

17 – Kenya

Barbarism Score – 97

Kenya is one of the most barbaric countries in Africa. The cruel and violent behavior in the country often stems from trivial and religious conflicts. 

16 – Honduras

Barbarism Score – 97

There is a high prevalence of organized violent crimes in Honduras. The country is in a grip of violence, and journalists, environmental activists, and LGBTQ individuals are often targeted. In addition, animal cruelty is also very common in the country. 

15 – Lesotho

Barbarism Score – 96

Workers in Lesotho are often subjected to abuse. These include sexual, physical and mental abuse. There are also very limited rights of workers. In addition, there is rampant police abuse, and a lack of media personal freedom, and gender equality. 

14 – El Salvador

Barbarism Score – 94

El Salvador is under a state of emergency, and reports of authorities committing severe human rights violations are emerging. These include arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and deaths of people in custody. 

13 – Pakistan

Barbarism Score – 93

Pakistan has very limited press and media freedom. It is one of the worst countries for journalists as they often go missing or dead. The country also has no tolerance for religious differences, as people blamed as ‘blasphemous’ are often killed in public. In addition, many Islamic organizations are active within the country, making it a hub for terrorist activities. 

12 – Russia

Barbarism Score – 93

Russian authorities continue to commit severe war crimes against Ukrainians. In addition, the country has very limited personal and press freedom, and the state controls all sources of information. 

11 – Uganda

Barbarism Score – 87

There is very little room for activism, press and personal freedom, and LGBTQ individuals in Uganda. Activists are often killed and persecuted in the country. 

10 – South Africa

Barbarism Score – 87

South Africa is home to some of the most dangerous gangs in the world. There are two sides to Cape Town, one is its beautiful and posh facade, and the other is full of gang violence. The gangs of South Africa are so dangerous that even police sometimes need army backup to tackle them. The prevalence of gangs has resulted in an exceptionally high homicide rate in the country. 

9 – Mexico

Barbarism Score – 85

Mexico is home to some of the world’s most powerful drug cartels, who often resort to organized violence to achieve their aims. In 2022, more than 26000 people were killed because of gang violence in the country.

8 – Central African Republic

Barbarism Score – 78

There is a prevalence of armed groups throughout the Central African Republic, some of which are supported by its own government. The country has a high homicide rate and human rights violations are quite frequent. 

7 – Philippines

Barbarism Score – 77

The slums of the Philippines are the hub of gang violence, which takes several lives. Gang wars are quite frequent in the country, and several innocents are killed every year. 

6 – Yemen

Barbarism Score – 77

Yemen is the 6th most barbaric country on our list. It is a hub for terrorism and violent extremism. The country has been ion a grip of violent conflicts. 

5 – Afghanistan

Barbarism Score – 58

Afghanistan is one of the most barbaric countries in the world. It is currently ruled by the Taliban, an Islamic extremist armed group, which carries out public executions. There is no room for freedom of expression in the country, and human rights violations are frequent. In addition, there is significant discrimination against women, who are not allowed to roam freely in the streets. Women in the country also find it difficult to gain an education. 

4 – Venezuela

Barbarism Score – 57

Venezuela is the hub of violent crimes. Kidnapping and killing are quite common in the country, as it is one of the countries with the highest homicide rates. 

3 – Iraq

Barbarism Score – 47

Iraq is one of the most barbaric countries in the world. The country has seen a violent turbulent past, and sectarian violence is still quite prevalent.