11 easiest countries to disappear in might be something a criminal or fugitive would be interested in reading. Where to hide from the law is what they’re most interested in. But what if you just want the best place to run away and start a new life? Some people just need a fresh start, and that’s not a bad thing.
Others just hate socializing. Hiding just seems like the best option because you’d rather avoid as much interaction with other humans as possible. This could be both easy and hard to do using our list of best places to disappear to another country.
That’s because the best places to disappear in are often the most populated places, or more specifically the most densely populated places. We created our list based on the population density rank of each country, along with some other criteria. So if you’re looking for the best place to hide yourself from human interaction, this may be the wrong place to look. Each country that ranked below 20 on the world’s most densely populated list got 2 points, while a country that landed anywhere from 20-60 on that list received 1 point.
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We also ranked countries based on distance from the United States and whether the country has an extradition treaty with us. An extradition treaty ensures easy conviction and transportation of a suspected or convicted criminal back to the United States, so we only ranked countries without an extradition treaty. There are about 75 countries without an extradition treaty with the United States, and the list of them can be found here.
For distance, we used an air distance calculator on Happy Zebra to calculate the approximate flying time from Washington D.C. to each country. Countries with the longest flying distance ranked highest on our list because we looked at it from the perspective of a chase. If someone was trying to hide from another person in the U.S. (or perhaps a group of people), they would want a good head start. A long flight time to the runaway country would grant that head start. That’s why we figured the farther away, the better. So countries with an approximate flight time of longer than 15 hours got 2 points, and countries whose time was between 10-15 hours received 1 point.
These locations serve as great hiding places, as long as you’re good at blending in.
A huge part of how to hide in a foreign country also includes the ability to blend in well. But the problem is that blending in in one country could mean the opposite of blending in in another. So before you decide on the best place for a fugitive to hide, make sure you know how to blend in well. Do some research about the types of attire worn and master the typical civilian look.
On the other hand, since many of these countries are also huge tourist attractions, it won’t be easy to stick out even if you’re not wearing the traditional garb. Tourists most likely won’t be either. You could also consider a disguise, as a hotel employee, tour guide, or waiter. The possibilities are endless in foreign places like this. (Whereas the best places to disappear in America might be more limited.)
Curious to know more about how fugitives survive? Check out our list of 10 best countries for American fugitives as well.
So whether you’re a fugitive, runaway or introvert, here’s our list of the easiest countries to disappear in. All the best wishes for your disappearing act!
11. The Vatican
distance: 0
density: 2
total points: 2
No wonder such a tiny country located in the center of Rome made the list. This part of the world is especially populated during the summer months, and that’s no surprise. Plus if you have some clay handy, and you’re good at standing still, you can always disguise yourself as a statue.
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10. Kuwait
distance: 1
density: 1
total points: 2
This South Asian country contains some impressive architecture. And since big buildings can make you feel very small, their surroundings make great hiding places.
Philip Lange/Shutterstock.com
9. Lebanon
distance: 1
density: 1
total points: 2
Feast on the unique cuisine found in this country whilst gazing upon the beautiful scenery, and being invisible at the same time!
diak/Shutterstock.com
8. Samoa
distance: 1
density: 1
total points: 2
All you might be able to do while living in this island country is think about our favorite type of Girl Scout cookie, but at least you won’t have to think about someone unwanted finding out where you are.
Paul W Thompson/Shutterstock.com
7. Burundi
distance: 1
density: 1
total points: 2
Burundi is a landlocked country in central Africa, but it is surrounded by Africa’s great lakes.
Christopher Morley-Pegge/Shutterstock.com
6. Rwanda
distance: 1
density: 1
total points: 2
Africa seems to be the place to hide, and this mountainous region seems like it won’t disappoint.
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5. Bahrain
distance: 1
density: 2
total points: 3
Just like the 10th on our list of 11 easiest countries to disappear in, more impressive sky scrapers and big city lights make up this island off the Saudi Arabian coast. But no one can say the big city is a difficult place to disappear into.
Copyright: eugenesergeev / 123RF Stock Photo
4. Bangladesh
distance: 1
density: 2
total points: 3
If you want a great mix of Indian and Asian culture, look no further than Bangladesh. And thankfully, no one there will be looking for you.
Jorg Hackemann/Shutterstock.com
3. Vietnam
distance: 2
density: 1
total points: 3
You can be pretty sure to disappear here, because the dense jungle will be a great help. Just be sure to watch out for snakes and leeches. They might make you disappear in a way you didn’t exactly have in mind.
Perfect Lazybones / shutterstock.com
2. Comoros
distance: 2
density: 1
total points: 3
This country is made up of very small islands near Madagascar. It has cool ancient landmarks too.
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1. Maldives
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