Countries

The Most Dangerous Cities In Asia

May 9, 2020

The Safe Cities Index is an initiative sponsored by Economist magazine, which uses four categories to determine the perceived safety of a given city. The categories are:

Digital security that measures the likelihood of being the victim of privacy breaches or identity theft on the Internet. The availability of the technology and its level are also measured.
Health security which measures the ease of access to care for residents, as well as its quality. Air and water quality are also taken into account, as well as life expectancy.
Infrastructure security, which measures the resilience and security of urban infrastructure, in particular against potential disasters. The frequency of accidents is measured with the standards to which the infrastructure is held.
Personal security measures the incidence of violence and minor crimes, drug use, theft and violence. The way residents generally feel safe in their city is also taken into account.

Data comes from cities on quality of life, as well as data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Kaspersky Lab and other sources. The higher the score per 100, the more secure the city’s ranking. Below is an overview of the main Asian cities in this ranking.

10. Mumbai, India (61.84 / 100)

Mumbai is the most populous city in India, with a metropolitan population of over X million. His scores were 20 in digital security, 54.61 in health security, 55.74 in infrastructure security and 59.12 in personal security. Part of Mumbai’s reputation for lack of security has been attributed to a massive network of clandestine organized crime. Drug trafficking was also cited, as was money laundering. Residential theft is also a concern in Mumbai.

9. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (61.23 / 100)

Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia and the most populated with an urban population of more than four million inhabitants. Riyadh ranked 60.86 in digital security, 66.13 in health security, 56.88 in infrastructure security and 61.04 in personal security. Although the crime rate in Saudi Arabia has historically been considered low, it has been noted that the crime rate appears to be increasing considerably. Petty crime is particularly cited as a concern, as is the risk of terrorism. However, the overall murder rate remains low.

8. Bangkok, Thailand (60.05 / 100)

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand with a population of nearly X million people in its metropolitan area, is ranked 15th on this list. His scores were 8 in digital security, 44.44 in health security, 66.64 in infrastructure security, 68.33 in personal security. Drug abuse, organized gangs and corruption have all been cited as possible causes of crime in Bangkok. In recent years, the homicide of tourists and expatriates in Thailand has hit the headlines, spreading Bangkok’s reputation as a dangerous city to visit.

7. Tehran, Iran (56.49 / 100)

Tehran is the largest city and the capital of Iran, with a population of 9 million in the city and 16 million in the greater metropolitan area. Tehran registered 39.88 in digital security, 62.96 in health security, 63.95 in infrastructure security and 59.18 in personal security. Drug trafficking and sales, smuggling of alcohol, smuggling of petroleum, tax evasion, kidnapping, theft, fraud, money laundering and even murder occur in Tehran. Although crime rates in Tehran have been statistically low on average, the rates appear to be increasing.

6. Manila, Philippines (54.86 / 100)

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It also has the designation of being the most densely populated city in the whole world. In the Safe Cities index, Manila recorded 36.61 in digital security, 60.12 in health security, 52.89 in infrastructure security and 69.85 in personal security. Crimes committed in Manila include robbery, kidnapping, lending and murder. Violent crimes are not unknown in the city.

5. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (54.33 / 100)

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with a population of over eight million. It was previously known as Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City obtained 39.78 in digital security, 61.29 in health security, 65.73 in infrastructure security and 50.53 in personal security. Like many of the entries on this list, petty crime and pickpocketing are of most concern in Ho Chi Minh City, with violent crimes such as murder remaining relatively rare.

4. Jakarta, Indonesia (53.39 / 100)

Jakarta is the largest city in Indonesia with a population of almost ten million. His scores were 36.60 in digital security, 53.11 in health security, 63.32
in infrastructure security, and 59.24 in personal security. Although minor crimes are the most common type of criminal activity in Jakarta, the most violent crimes are not yet rare. A high rate of organized crime has also been cited in Jakarta. Internet fraud is also believed to be on the rise, which could explain the low ranking of digital security. Block M in southern Jakarta has been proposed as a hotbed of crime in Indonesia, as well as in the port of Ancol north of Jakarta.

3. Dhaka, Bangladesh (47.37 / 100)

Dhaka is both the capital and the largest city in Bangladesh. Almost 14 million people live there. Her scores were 38.33 in digital security, 45.59 in health security, 38.42 in infrastructure security and 67.15 in personal security. All of these factors resulted in a low score of 47.37 out of 100, which places Dhaka third on the list of Asia’s most dangerous cities. Due to the geographic location of Bangladesh, the country is often used as a drug trafficking route.

2. Yangon, Myanmar (46.47 / 100)

Yangon is the capital of Myanmar, or Burma. His score can be divided by 39.07 in digital security, 45.79 in health security, 48.58 in infrastructure security and 52.43 in personal security. By these measures, Yangon is the second most dangerous city in all of Asia. Although problems such as drug trafficking are evident in Myanmar, it is important to note that the inclusion of Yangon on this list is relatively recent. The biggest drop in rankings in Yangon has been the fall in digital security.

1. Karachi, Pakistan (38.77 / 100)

Karachi, Pakistan, ranks at the bottom of the Safe Cities index, making it the most dangerous city in Asia. It recorded 43.22 in digital security, 39.92 in health security, 40.11 in infrastructure security and 31.85 in personal security. The low ranking in terms of personal security is particularly impressive for this city which has more than X million inhabitants in its surroundings. Many people in Karachi report feeling safe when walking alone, even in broad daylight. Cases of violent crime remain high and things like car hijackings are not uncommon. To make matters worse, corruption and corruption are also rampant in the city, a situation that only seems to be getting worse.