The least-friendly countries in the world

updated 23.09.2018

Whether you’re on a weekend away or a month-long adventure, being made to feel unwelcome by rude or unpleasant locals can make or break a holiday. So, if you don’t want to be shunned by waitresses and dismissed by taxi drivers, then Pakistan and Russia are apparently not for you.

Following an HSBC poll on the world’s friendliest countries, the World Economic Forum have published a list of the least friendly countries across the globe – and despite its reputation, France doesn’t rank anywhere near the top.

According to the WEF report’s section on the “attitude of population toward foreign visitors” – measured on a scale of 1 ("very unwelcome") to 7 ("very welcome"), using factors such as tourism infrastructure and data from the WEF's Executive Opinion Survey – these are the top 10 least friendly countries in the world:

10. Mongolia

9. Bulgaria

8. Slovakia

7. Pakistan

6. Iran

5. Latvia

4. Kuwait

3. Russia

2. Venezuela

1. Bolivia

What do you think? Have you had a warm welcome at any of these places? Where would you say was the least welcoming place?