If you are planning on moving overseas, we’ve compiled a list of 12 countries where blacks are welcomed that you should take a look at.
Unfortunately, times are such that we are forced to rethink every step we take and that concerns traveling too. Nowadays, when you want to take a trip, you must first check the situation in that specific country or place to clarify is it safe and are you even welcome there.
Despite the fact that we have evolved so much over the past few decades, people are still prone to prejudices and judgemental behavior. People of African descent are common targets of biased individuals and their misconceptions. It is very unfortunate, but we must acknowledge the fact that many are still prejudiced towards black people and work on eliminating that issue. It is completely understandable why a great number of black people refrain from traveling to certain destinations for fear of being mocked or ridiculed. But that is not the way to solve this major problem. On the contrary, they should travel as much as they can and thus give people the opportunity to learn something about you and expand their mind. This is important because although countries with no black population are almost inexistent, there are many areas where people don’t have the chance to encounter a person of African descent and so there’s still room for prejudice and even hatred. On the other hand, there is this nonsense ideology of one nation or race is superior over another that prevails in some countries.
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If you’re wondering what the worst countries for black tourists are, we mentioned some of those places in our previous article 11 Worst Countries for Black People to Travel. Many economically advanced and developed countries made it to the list like South Korea, which is prejudiced even against other Asian nations, and the USA, the land of the free. On the other hand, among the best countries for black tourists, we mentioned Colombia and Cuba, among others.
The only way to eliminate prejudice is to travel and see as many destinations as possible. Many travel bloggers of African descent agree with this, and that is exactly what encouraged us to write this list. While we hope that discrimination against not only black people but all people will seize to exist in the future, for now, we can rely on those countries where you’ll feel comfortable enough to stay. For those of you who still fear traveling but would love to experience a new country and culture, we have prepared a list of countries where blacks are welcomed.
To come up with this list, we relied on experiences of travelers who shared their view on The Root, ‘N a Perfect World, Atlanta Black Star, and Expat Kings, as well as discussions on Quora. Then we ranked the countries according to how many times they were mentioned. Countries with the largest black population made it to our list as well. One thing should be emphasized though, metropolitan cities and capitals of states are usually more open-minded and culturally diverse than smaller towns. Therefore, even if you are most welcome in a Berlin, for example, you may find it to be risky to visit the rural parts of the country. Therefore, we have considered actual experiences of people who visited these countries we’ll talk about, and we ranked them accordingly. Not everyone’s experiences are equal though and while one black person reports nothing but positive memories, another may say they have been confronted with a negative attitude towards the black community.
Despite all the issues related to discrimination of all kinds going on at the moment, we can hope these limitations will be eliminated in the future. It is the time we erased the differences between nations, cultures as well as religions, and finally, realize that we are all living on the same planet and breathe the same air. Fortunately, there are many countries that love black guys as well as girls and we encourage you to travel and help people see you for what you really are, simply human. However, if you are considering moving to one of these countries, the best answer is to visit the place first and spend some time there as in the end, only your experience matters.
Without further ado, we present to you 12 countries where blacks are welcomed.
12. Brazil
Brazil is one of the countries with largest black population outside of Africa. It is often considered to be some sort of a sanctuary for black people. Black and mixed-race population form the majority in this county of beautiful men and women, so no wonder many black expats decide to retire in Brazil. True, there is a class disparity between the black and white and some rural areas are struck by poverty, but you are most likely to be greeted with tolerance should you decide to visit this country.
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11. Colombia
According to many experiences from travelers of African descent, Colombia, especially Medellin and coastal cities, is the place where they found themselves most welcomed. Colombia ranks 11th on our list of countries where blacks are welcomed. It is struck by some class disparity and has a handful of their own problems, but due to being multi-cultural and home to many Afro-Colombians, this country seems to be a great choice for black people. Many who visited and spent some time in Colombia claim the people are very friendly. However, bear in mind that not all areas are the same.
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10. Canada
Canadians are generally perceived as nice and tolerant so no wonder many people of African descent thin of this country as a haven for black people. Their laws seek to promote equality and while some discrimination may still exist, it is not as harsh or as evident as in the U.S. According to experiences of those who either lived there or spent some time in Canada, people are mostly judged by their personality and achievements rather by race. However, as previously stated, not everyone’s experiences are the same so we can’t speak for anyone.
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9. Cuba
Cuba ranks 9th on our list of countries where blacks are welcomed. It is known for its rich Afro-Cuban culture, and many black tourists primarily from the USA have reported having warming experiences visiting this country. Cuba is getting used to having more tourists now, and black people are most welcome in this country. Havana has the highest percentage of black people than any other city in Cuba.
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8. Ghana
Ghana is another country where you are most likely to feel welcome if you are black. According to Quora, black people are most welcome in Ghana, at least according to experiences of African Americans. About 98% of the population in Ghana are black people, and the country is deemed safe for living.
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7. Thailand
People in Thailand are known to be very kind, so you are not likely to encounter rude behavior here. Many black travelers had a wonderful experience while in Thailand, so we decided to include it on our list of countries where blacks are welcomed.
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6. Costa Rica
There are many black expats in Costa Rica, a popular country among American expats, and for a good reason. Considering about 8% of this country’s population is black, it’s definitely one of the places where black people are welcomed. Besides, Costa Rica has low rates of violent crimes which means it’s a safe place for you and your family. Costa Rica is also less expensive to live in compared to many other countries.
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5. New Zealand
New Zealand is considered to be a very safe country with low crime and violence. Most importantly, racism is almost non-existent in New Zealand, at least according to experiences of black families living there. People have reported that Americans, in general, are treated perhaps better than the locals and African Americans are no different to them. You can read more about it in this Quora discussion.
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4. Dubai
Dubai is currently a hot place that everyone is talking about. Considering 71% of the city’s population are foreigners, Dubai definitely ranks as one of the countries where blacks are welcomed. You’ll find people of all races in Dubai and a great number of people are now suddenly moving there to work as Dubai offers great salaries and positions. They welcome professionals from all over the world.
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3. The Philippines
According to many experiences of black people who traveled to this country, while they were regarded with some curiosity, black people were generally treated nicely. The Philippines are widely known as a welcoming country, and even though they don’t get to see many black people there, they are not racist towards your skin color. A great number of black people are now migrating to The Philippines, be it to study or travel.
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2. Panama
Panama is listed as one of the best countries for black expats to retire by Expat Kings, due to the overall safety and a generous retirement program. But the fact that Panama is not racist towards black people is probably the major reason for that.
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1. South Africa
Black people are welcomed in South Africa, a country where 79% of the population is black and the last one on our list of countries where blacks are welcomed. South Africa is culturally diverse including people of different languages, cultures, origins, and religions. Therefore, we included it on our list.
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