El Congo, El Salvador

Crime and incarceration rates in El Salvador have plummeted in recent years, but the country remains one of the most dangerous in Central America. In 2023, an estimated 1.6% of the population was incarcerated, the highest rate in the world. While the Salvadoran gang crackdown has made the country the safest in the region, bureaucracy remains a persistent headache, with the government's heavy-handed "iron fist" policies drawing international criticism. Unless you have a high tolerance for paperwork and red tape, El Congo may not be the safest or most straightforward place to call home.