Report from the most closed country in the world (7 photos). North Korea is the only country in the world that has a captured US Navy ship. North Korea among other "luminous countries from space

If you go to North Korea, don't take anything with you - no computer, no phone. Everything is confiscated,” the editor-in-chief admonished me before my business trip to Pyongyang. “And eat and drink well on the road. There, after all, the norm for issuing food is 410 grams per day per person, ”the head of the main outlet echoed. I did not listen to my senior comrades, and this is what came of it.

Idiot's dream

I ended up in North Korea by chance, through the official Russian delegation of the Ministry for the Development of the Far East. After Russia in its foreign policy began to turn towards Asia, the negotiations of the Russian Federation - North Korea are held on a regular basis. This time the Russians were going to Pyongyang for a regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission.

When I was offered to fly to the north of the Korean Peninsula, I agreed without hesitation, because I had long dreamed of diving into the past and emerging back. A lot of nonsense is written about the DPRK, especially, according to locals, the South Korean press is zealous. I wanted to figure everything out myself.

My way to Pyongyang lay through Vladivostok. At first, nothing foreshadowed trouble, but right on the approach to the capital of the Primorsky Territory, it turned out that there non-flying weather, and we were sent to the alternate airfield in Khabarovsk literally three hours before connecting with the flight to Pyongyang. It seemed that hopes to visit the country of victorious socialism collapsed, but here for the first time the principles of Juche came to the rescue. It turned out that Korean Airways operated on its own schedule, which had nothing to do with the time indicated on the tickets. The Korean plane did not take off until we returned to Vladivostok and boarded. The crew confidently lifted into the air and landed in Pyongyang a second-hand Tu-204, and on board pretty stewardesses regaled us with soft drinks and the same cold hamburgers.

If you think that the Pyongyang airport is ruins, you are deeply mistaken. That is, the old building really is a dusty hangar, where border control, a baggage claim and a personal screening service for passengers, but a new glass and concrete terminal is being completed next door, which looks quite modern. No one seized our computers and iPhones. It is possible that indulgence was shown to us as members of the official delegation from Russia, but, they say, the confiscation of electronic devices from visitors stopped in the DPRK a couple of years ago.

Korean workers arrived on the same flight with us, who completely freely imported into their country plasma TVs bought in Vladivostok, kettles, electric mowers and other household appliances. At the exit from the airport, their fathers and husbands were met by wives and children, outwardly absolutely cheerful. None of them fell into a hungry swoon.

Import substitution lessons

The collapse of stereotypes continued upon arrival at the Koryo Hotel, where Koreans accommodate foreign tourists and foreign delegations. Contrary to popular belief that guests of the DPRK cannot take a single step without an escort from the state security agencies, I went for a walk around Pyongyang all alone. Knowledgeable people then told me that secret surveillance of me was probably carried out.

Residents of Pyongyang walked towards me, dressed unpretentiously, but in a variety of ways: in addition to traditional jackets, men wore dark European suits, light jackets, women wore high-heeled shoes, blouses, skirts or trousers, some of them carried handbags. Under a complete ban here, only jeans as an element of a decaying Western culture.

Many passers-by were talking on cell phones as if nothing had happened. A local area network that operates only within the country appeared in North Korea a few years ago. The Koreans even set up the production of their own telephone sets from Chinese components. Cell phones and SIM cards are sold at special points with an identity card. But, of course, not everyone can afford this luxury.

Then I learned that in the matter of import substitution, the DPRK had stepped much further than us. Korean institutions operate their own internal Internet, and computers are equipped with their own North Korean operating system.

There are few cars in the city, as in pre-war Moscow, which is shown in the newsreel. Mostly German and Chinese cars. The number on a white background is a departmental car, on a black one is a car of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, on a yellow one is personal property. There are almost no yellow numbers. Public transport represented by trams and trolleybuses.

Passing by the stop where the townspeople returning from work stormed the trolleybus, I got into small malls. I can’t say that my eyes were filled with abundance, but the assortment was still surprising: there were clothes, shoes, bread, cookies, pine nuts, lemonade, perfumes, personal care products and even diapers. True, I did not notice meat and meat products on the shelves.

In one of the stores, I was dumbfounded: the prices for TVs, washing machines and every little thing were indicated in dollars. It no longer fit into my ideas about the DPRK. I cautiously held out the dollar and pointed to the ice cream. The seller girl took a pack out of the freezer and unwrapped the package - eat it. I received 7,000 local won as change.

It turns out that some Korean stores and markets accept American currency, euros and yuan. The rate is taken from the ceiling, at the time of my arrival, one dollar corresponded to 7.4-7.5 thousand won, and the euro, despite the burning dislike of Koreans for Americans, cost almost half as much. They change currency in five or six city exchange offices. In hotels and restaurants intended for foreigners, there is an exchange rate of 100 won per dollar. How can one not recall the foreign currency ruble of the USSR model.

Free man in a free country

They stopped me at the Pyongyang railway station, where I looked out of idle curiosity. A young girl in military uniform and a cap with a red star gestured for me to go with her. “Well, everything. This is a failure. And after all, no one will find me now, ”it flashed through my head. In the next room I was surrounded by four other women in green uniforms. “Country?” the eldest asked me in English. Russia! Russia! Moscow, I’m from Moscow!” I muttered plaintively. The railroad guards looked at me. “Can I go?” I pointed to the departing little man with my fingers. "Go," the elder nodded. Subsequently, it turned out that no one was going to detain me. Foreigners enter the platform through a separate entrance, where, in fact, they tried to escort me.

The miraculous deliverance gave me confidence, and I headed for the subway. The Pyongyang subway has 16 stations - two lines located crosswise. Girls and boys in blue uniforms are on duty at each station. When I approached the turnstiles, the guard vigorously waved her hands: it is impossible - the object strategic importance. There is only one station in the Pyongyang metro, through which foreigners are allowed after pre-registration. I did not find this station, but I think I lost a little: the metro in the DPRK was laid by Soviet builders, so it is exactly like the Moscow one.

I returned to the hotel through the station square. Standing on the steps was the same girl who stopped me in the waiting room. I smiled and waved to her. She waved back and smiled too. I am a free man in a free country, I thought calmly. From the direction of the construction site, the barking of a guard dog was brought to my ears by the wind. Thus, another myth about North Korea was debunked, as if the inhabitants completely exterminated these animals. “Koreans, both North and South, do eat dogs, not for hunger, but for medicinal purposes. Dog meat improves immunity, helps with certain diseases, ”experts in Korea later told me. Although, in fairness, I did not see stray bugs and bugs in Pyongyang.

superficial view

But all this, of course, is only a superficial impression. The life of most Koreans is not sugar. The economy of the DPRK, if it can be called that, is in a deplorable state. The key problem is the lack of energy. Because of this, the industry is almost completely paralyzed. Regarding efficient enterprises, count on one hand: an iron plant, a hosiery factory in Pyongyang, a rubber boots factory.

Power outages regularly occur even in the capital of the country, not to mention the peripheral areas where there is no electricity at all. Due to a lack of energy, elevators in Pyongyang's multi-storey buildings do not work, and pumps do not supply water to the upper floors, so on a day off - and in the DPRK this is only Sunday - queues line up for the baths.

In Pyongyang, central heating does not function; in cold weather, apartments have to be heated with potbelly stoves. Most of all, in this sense, the inhabitants of the houses that face the central avenues: they are forbidden to bring chimneys out of the windows, so as not to spoil appearance facades. Behind the high-rise buildings are real slums - squat one-story houses with a tiled roof, which I happened to see with my own eyes. Outside the capital, according to eyewitnesses, these squalid dwellings predominate.

My colleague was right: there are norms for distributing food to the poor in the DPRK. No official information on this account, no, but according to unofficial data, the norm is 410-450 grams of food per day. This does not apply to the party, military and economic elite, whose representatives live in decent houses with armed guards and can afford restaurants that are expensive by Korean standards.

Humanitarian foodstuffs come to the DPRK from China, as well as through various international organizations. The Koreans did not forget about the gratuitous assistance that was once generously provided to them by their "big brother" in the socialist camp. Recently, North Korea asked Russia to issue an interest-free food loan for the purchase of grain. The terms of the loan confused the Russian side: the DPRK promised that it would begin to return the money 10 years after the end of wheat supplies, that is, never. Therefore, for now, Russia is limited to participation in the UN food program and direct supplies of provisions. For example, in 2014, North Korea received more than 46,000 tons of wheat from us.

Conversation between the blind and the deaf

The financial and legal system of North Korea is completely opaque, and decisions are made spontaneously. In October last year, the DPRK authorities suddenly introduced a quarantine due to the spread of the Ebola virus in Africa, which was lifted only in March. All those entering the country were required to be in isolation for three weeks. As a result, even those few delegations and tourists who had planned a trip to North Korea changed their plans.

Given the complete unpredictability of the decisions being made, there is no question of any serious foreign investment. All relations with the outside world are based on feudal principles: Koreans receive equipment and food from abroad in exchange for minerals.

In general, the subsoil is almost the last hope for North Korea. The country is rich in rare earths, gold, silver and other metals. Two years ago, a deposit of rare earth metals was discovered near the city of Jeonju, which some experts call one of the largest in the world. The cost of these untold riches is estimated at several trillion dollars. The world's largest players, including Russia, joined the fight for them.

However, the Koreans, showing a fundamental interest in the development of subsoil, are in no hurry to allow Russians to access them, and geological maps are kept sealed, so business negotiations often resemble a conversation between a blind man and a deaf man. “The main principle of business in Korean is: do us whatever we say, and, if possible, for free. But the days of the USSR are over,” the Russian businessman shares with me.

However, in a dialogue with the DPRK, arguments that have nothing to do with business can work. For example, the Koreans have long dreamed of launching their cosmonaut into orbit with the help of Russia, which will have a great domestic political and propaganda effect for Pyongyang. Perhaps the Russians are using the desire of the Koreans to surf the outer space as a trump card. But this issue is likely to be discussed at the highest level during Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia. If it happens, of course.

No one knows for sure whether Kim Jong-un will go to Moscow for the 70th anniversary of the Victory and whether his visit to China will take place in September this year. "Everything will become known at the last moment, such is the local political mentality," diplomatic sources say. These are the first foreign visits of the young leader and they are being prepared under the cover of secrecy.

Information in our understanding of the word does not exist in the DPRK at all. The two channels of Korean TV start at 5:00 p.m. - it doesn't make sense before, since people are engaged in socially useful work - and end around 11:00 p.m. The broadcast schedule includes three news releases, endless films about the war of independence, military marches and patriotic songs. Since not every apartment has a TV, on one of central squares near railway station a large screen is installed that duplicates the TV program guide.

It is felt that the country lives in constant readiness for hostilities. People in military uniform can be found at every turn. Conscription is universal, and the term of service is from 5 to 10 years. The rule in the Korean army is that it is better to die than to surrender. At the same time, the Koreans firmly believe that they can give a worthy rebuff to any aggressor, including the United States. In addition to the invincible fighting spirit, which, no doubt, is inherent in the country's Armed Forces, the DPRK is ready to oppose a potential adversary with nuclear weapons, which North Korea openly declares.

P.S. On the day of my departure home, I was awakened by a song in honor of the Great Commander Comrade Kim Il Sung, which is played daily from the loudspeakers of the Palace of People's Studies throughout Pyongyang at 6 am and at midnight, waking Koreans to work and putting them to bed. This music, reminiscent of crying for Russians, follows you everywhere and sometimes drives you into a frenzy. But Koreans are very patient people. They are also hardworking, disciplined, and kind to those they do not consider their enemies. But they need a time machine.

Cities were always closed: from the enemy, from the plague, from escapes. The city was created so that it could be closed quickly, historically. But even today there are many cities in the world that are closed for various reasons.

Sarov and 41 other closed administrative-territorial entities of the Russian Federation

"Closed cities" and "conditionally closed cities" were commonplace in the USSR. Suffice it to mention Vladivostok, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara. Now the status of ZATO is reserved only for cities and towns, whose activities are 100% related to the defense industry or the nuclear sphere. One of the most closed remains the key city of the military atom, Sarov, which appeared on the site of the famous Holy Dormition Sarov Desert, where St. Seraphim of Sarov lived from 1778 to 1833. Now the entrance to the city is tightly controlled: several rows of barbed wire, a trail, cameras everywhere. You can get there only with special passes. Residents have the right to invite only relatives. Sarov is the most guarded among ZATOs, some closed settlements you can visit.

Mecca and Medina

These holy cities Muslims in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to visit non-Muslims. You can get there only with groups of Muslim pilgrims from Russia. Human rights in the European sense do not exist there, and there is no tourism, although both Mecca and Medina are most interesting cities. In Mecca, which the prophet Muhammad captured in 630, there is the main shrine - the Kaaba - this is such a large cube, the magical center of Islam, the "Holy House", gathering the faithful for the Hajj. The Kaaba stands in the grand mosque peace of Al-Haram. Prophet Muhammad lived and died in Medina. There, next to his house is the dome of the prophet, and next to Medina is the first mosque of Islam - Al-Kuba

Pyongyang

Americans, South Koreans, and journalists cannot enter the capital of the DPRK. For other tourists, entry is possible, but only as part of a limited group. Visa must be requested at least 4 weeks prior to travel. In North Korea, a tourist is generally not allowed to move anywhere without a guide. But recently, the regime has been softened a bit - now mobile phones are not taken away at the entrance.

Mogadishu

Three years ago, the arrival of a tourist from Canada named Mike caused a stir in the Somali government, which does not control half the city at all. For more than 20 years, the civil war has not stopped there. Mogadishu is considered the most dangerous capital in the world. And Somalia is the second most closed country after North Korea in the World Policy Journal ranking. Direct flights Mogadishu supports only 6 countries, and no more than 18,000 foreign citizens visit there a year.

San Pedro Sula

The most dangerous city on Earth. For several consecutive years, he overtakes even the Mexican Ciudad Juarez in terms of murders. Cartels run in San Pedro Sula, and when gold bars were cast there for shipment to Spain. True, the pirates plundered the mint more than once and it had to be moved to a place away from the coast (the city stands 60 km from the Caribbean Sea).

North Korea is taking it seriously travel business, and some operators are already starting to recruit groups to visit the most closed country in the world. But besides North Korea, there are several other unusual states that have hardly been visited by tourists.

The most non-tourist and little-visited country in the world. It is located in an archipelago of islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Tuvalu belongs to the countries of the fourth world, that is, to the poorest. This is not surprising: after all, it has almost no markets for its products, the economy is exclusively natural and works for the domestic market, and there is an acute shortage of qualified specialists. At the same time, Tuvalu is incredible beautiful country, which has something to show the traveler.

The most closed country in the world, which has become a byword and an antonym to the words "democracy", "freedom" and "welfare". North Korea is the only country world that is not a member of the UN, and the only one that cares so much about its few tourists. All foreigners who have arrived in the country are taken under guardianship by an annoying guide who does not allow a step to step outside the prescribed route.

You might think that the rulers of North Korea deliberately create such a specific image for the country so that tourists go to it. Unfortunately, they do this involuntarily, although the effect of this does not change: those who want to go to the caricatured totalitarian North Korea number in the hundreds of thousands.

Most small state South America has a lot to offer tourists. Except, perhaps, developed tourism infrastructure. Suriname is surprising in that it has almost no cities and villages in the full sense of the word. Hundreds of kilometers of jungle with the roofs of houses occasionally appearing among the thickets are all that can be seen in Suriname.

At the same time, there is a very rich plant and animal world, an unusual way of life and a peculiar culture of local residents. All this is worthy tourist attention, one has only to close one's eyes to the endless jungle and harsh climatic conditions.

Sealand is definitely the most amazing country in the world. It is located ten kilometers from the coast of Great Britain and was founded in 1967 by retired Major Paddy Roy Bates. This man captured one of the defensive platforms built during the Second World War, and proclaimed himself emperor, and called his land Sealand.

After the creation of the empire, the emperor wrote the constitution. The constitutional monarchy is currently ruled by Prince Michael I Bates. The legal system is based on British law, the state machine is run by several ministries. Almost every citizen of Sealand is a minister or high-ranking official, since the population of the state is only about five people. Most countries do not recognize Sealand as sovereign, although the British authorities consider it an independent state entity.

MOSCOW, October 18 - RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. Ballistic missiles, multiple rocket launchers, artillery, grenade launchers, machine guns and ammunition - despite sanctions and endless "nuclear" scandals, the DPRK, according to experts, remains one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of weapons in the world.

Shadow market

Along with coal and seafood, weapons are traditionally one of the most important sources of replenishment of the DPRK budget. And although it is officially forbidden to export it to the country, no one has canceled illegal channels. Moreover, North Korean-made weapons are in great demand in the countries of the so-called third world, especially in those countries that are themselves under an embargo and cannot legally purchase missiles and "barrels" from other suppliers.

Thus, experts say, by driving another state into an economic blockade and deliberately making it a "rogue", the United States is actually expanding the list of potential "clients" of the DPRK. This also applies to North Korea itself - the introduction of new sanctions against it and the "chopping off" of legal sources of income (for example, coal sales to China) will force the country to increasingly "look to the left" and conquer shadow markets, including weapons.

“After the imposition of sanctions, it became very difficult to trace these deliveries,” said Yury Lyamin, a military expert and specialist in North Korea and Iran. “North Korea has not stopped trading in weapons, but at the same time it has learned to mask everything connected with this process well. Naturally, buyers too nothing is disclosed.

In fact, by imposing restrictions on certain countries, the Americans indirectly form an arms market for the DPRK, and practically unlimited."

And although the annual volume of unofficial arms exports of the DPRK is estimated by experts at more than $100 million, no one knows the real scale of trade - all transactions are concluded at the level of bilateral agreements between the DPRK and the country concerned in strict secrecy.

"In 2017, severe restrictions were imposed against the DPRK, including the sale of many commodities and the use of labor abroad. This should seriously affect their exports and may spur the illegal arms trade. They will try to earn currency by any means," — Yury Lyamin told RIA Novosti.

Clones of clones

"The DPRK attracts customers low price, good reliability and an almost unlimited number of Korean weapons,” notes the deputy director Russian Center analysis of strategies and technologies Konstantin Makienko. “This country sells almost everything it produces, from machine guns to multiple rocket launchers. Most rifle systems are clones of Soviet Kalashnikovs, or clones of Chinese clones copied from Soviet ones.

North Korea produces infantry armaments in abundance, including multiple launch rocket systems and cannon artillery, anti-tank missile systems, machine guns, grenade launchers and ammunition for all this. It is known that Syria bought shells for 130-millimeter artillery from the Koreans.

Separately, it is worth mentioning missile technologies, with which North Korea has taken a unique position in the arms market. In the 1980s, North Korean specialists were able to independently copy the Soviet operational-tactical complex R-17 "Elbrus" with a ballistic missile 8K14 (according to NATO codification - "Scud"). The prototypes were purchased from Egypt. Cloned rockets were quickly put up for sale, and there are known facts of the supply of entire assembly lines for them.

© AP Photo / Korea News Service

© AP Photo / Korea News Service

Copies of Scuds from North Korea were bought by such countries as Iran, Syria, Yemen. The range of the first samples did not exceed 300 kilometers, but then the Koreans "twisted" them up to 600 km, and as a result, they created the Nodon medium-range missile, capable of delivering a charge to a distance of up to 1300 kilometers. These items can be equipped with conventional, nuclear or chemical warheads.

In the Iran-Iraq war, more than 90% of North Korean-made missiles launched by Iran hit the right place. The percentage of failures was minimal, which indicates a fairly high quality of weapons. Later, the North Korean "Scud" copied Iran, calling its version "Shahab-3". Now, with the help of the Koreans, he has established own production and it no longer buys ready-made missiles, limiting itself to cooperation in the field of technology.

The situation is interesting because, due to international agreements, large manufacturers of missile systems cannot sell systems with a range of more than 300 kilometers. Pyongyang, by virtue of its isolation, does not fall under the agreements and for many countries has actually become a monopoly in this area.

Anti-ship missile and artillery systems, presumably manufactured by the DPRK, have been spotted on Myanmar warships more than once. Officially, nothing was said about the deliveries, but outwardly they are no different from those installed on North Korean boats.

The cheapness of Korean weapons is explained by the high mass production of them for their own army. The DPRK has in fact always stood "on a military footing." In addition, she has no problems with resources. The country is rich in ore and coal deposits, deposits of rare earth metals necessary for the production of electronics. In many respects, this is why the nuclear program is also developing - any other country could envy its own uranium deposits of the DPRK.

From Egypt to Myanmar

As for geography, the main buyers of North Korean weapons are those countries with which it is easier to negotiate without intermediaries and publicity. The list of traditional partners of the DPRK includes Iran, Syria, Cuba, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Uganda, Congo, and a number of other states. In addition, weapons were sold to non-state paramilitary organizations, in particular the Hamas and Hezbollah movements.

"North Korea desperately needs a currency. And what can they offer the world besides coal for China and cheap labor? Only weapons. Their buyers are third world countries, the so-called rogue states, crushed by American sanctions and in an economic blockade. Or, which is not uncommon, non-governmental formations, such as the armed opposition, private military companies, and so on," Makienko told RIA Novosti.

Weapons are transported mainly by sea - aviation is inconvenient because refueling often requires intermediate landings in third countries. This is dangerous - the plane can be inspected and detained. With ships in this sense, it is easier, especially sailing under the flag of the DPRK.

"To stop a ship flying the North Korean flag in neutral waters is not the most simple task, such an attempt can turn into big trouble, as the Koreans are fiercely defending their sovereignty. If it goes directly from the DPRK to the country of destination, then stopping it in order to check the cargo can be regarded as an act of aggression against North Korea with all the consequences," Lyamin said.

Despite all precautions, interception incidents did occur. For example, in the 2000s there was a high-profile international scandal - in Indian Ocean transport with a cargo of ballistic missiles for Yemen was stopped. The ban on arms exports against the DPRK was not yet in effect, so the customer demanded to release the ship and eventually received his cargo. There is also a known case when a North Korean ship with a load of grenade launchers and shots for them, sailing to Egypt, was stopped in the Red Sea.

Sometimes the DPRK authorities resort to the help of trusted intermediaries - the country has many business representatives in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

For those who like to travel today there are no barriers. In a short time, you can fly across the oceans, cross the continents and feel like a welcome guest in almost any country in the world.

Is it really? Citizens of any country can get into some states, for example, the Maldives or the Comoros, without hassle. To enter the territory of most others, you need to obtain a visa or collect additional documents.

But there are several states on the planet that can be called the most closed countries in the world. Tourists are not welcome on their territory, and if they are, it is only because you can profit and appropriate valuable items that belonged to them.

Passport Index

At the end of 2017, a comparative accessibility rating of all 198 countries was published. Thanks to this study, not only the easiest states to visit were revealed. We also managed to find out which territories are so inhospitable that it is not only almost impossible to visit there, but often dangerous.

In total, there are seven names on the list of the most closed countries in the world. North Korea and Turkmenistan compete for the first place. Let's look at the entire list.

1. Turkmenistan.
2. North Korea.
3. Saudi Arabia.
4. Afghanistan.
5. Somalia.
6. Butane.
7. Angola.

Why is the government of these countries so uninterested in the profits from the tourist flow that it is impossible to see life there? Each state has its own reasons. Let's try to deal with each of them.

Land of golden monuments

If you set a goal, you can get permission to enter Turkmenistan. You just have to prepare in advance for the difficulties and think about whether you really want to see Ashgabat, Samarkand and Bukhara.

Obtaining an entry permit is approved directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It's a lottery: collect and provide everything Required documents and get rejected without giving a reason. There are no visa exemptions for anyone, even an invitation from a relative or an official organization does not guarantee a visa.

There are strict rules for guests visiting one of the most closed countries in the world, Turkmenistan. For example, you need to provide confirmation in which hotel the tourist will spend the night. After 23:00 for foreigners comes curfew and it is forbidden to be on the streets.

To the numerous monuments of the country must be shown maximum respect. Funny photos against the background of the golden monument of the leader are not welcome.

Unfamiliar city Pyongyang

More recently, it was pointless to even dream of a trip to North Korea, the most closed country in the world. Although see real life people behind the impenetrable curtain is interesting not only to professional journalists.

Everything starts to change in better side: Tourism is gradually returning to North Korea. The cost of the tour will be at least $2,000 (133,000 rubles). You will also need to obtain many special permits.

But even after arriving in Pyongyang, talking with local residents and walking around the city will not work. Guests must be accompanied by a local guide (part-time supervisor). He will lead a tour of the main attractions, show shops intended for foreigners, and take you to the hotel. It is impossible to be on the street without an escort - they can be arrested.

By the way, taking pictures without permission is also prohibited. There are only a few places in the capital against which you can take pictures for memory. When leaving, the customs officer has the right to check the camera's memory card and delete any photos.

But there is good news - tourists were allowed to use mobile phones. Previously, they were taken away at the entrance to the country. Not surprisingly, until recently, North Korea was considered the most closed country in the world.

Tourist entry ban

Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world. At the same time, the level of religious conservatism is very high here. Only Muslim pilgrims have a chance to visit this country. Those who perform the holy hajj are allowed by the authorities to visit Mecca and Medina, cities that every devout Muslim must visit at least once. Of course, only a man can get permission.

But even pilgrims from other countries are accepted organized groups and accompanied local guide. You can't travel freely here either.

Recently the situation has changed for the better. In one of the most closed countries in the world, Saudi Arabia allowing tourists to enter. But with restrictions: to move only along the same route for all foreigners and accompanied by local guide. In addition, there are areas in the country where visiting by representatives of other religions is prohibited. If you violate the ban, then the most lenient punishment will be arrest.

Country of eternal wars and drugs

Before you decide to visit Afghanistan, think. After a series of brutal wars, the attitude of local residents towards tourists is not very friendly.

To travel, you must receive an invitation from a local resident, necessarily indicating the purpose of the visit. You can not take pictures, especially people, shoot videos, wear revealing clothes and violate local customs. For women, the rules are much stricter, it is dangerous even to be on the street without a man. Even a photo for a visa is better to do in a headscarf. Given the huge number of people openly carrying weapons, it is better not to violate the prohibitions.

Another fact that makes Afghanistan one of the most closed countries in the world is that only $200 (13,300 rubles) can be taken back. And it does not matter how much the tourist had at the entrance.

Pirates and shootouts

But with obtaining a visa to Somalia, there will be no problems at all. It can be easily obtained upon arrival immediately at the airport. But there is no waiting list here.

Somalia has long been an unspoken symbol of extreme levels of crime and poverty. It is not surprising that she was included in the list of the most closed countries.

For more than 20 years, the civil war has not stopped here. Even in the capital, Mogadishu, gunfire is often heard. Locals view any tourist as a potential hostage.

Do not travel around Somalia without a local guide who is familiar with customs and armed guards. Although this does not guarantee security.

Protection of nature and architecture

The government of Bhutan, a small kingdom in the Himalayas, deliberately restricts access to curious tourists. Here they care a lot about the preservation of untouched natural beauty and the comfort of the inhabitants of the country. This helped her maintain her cultural identity, but made Bhutan one of the most closed countries in the world.

Few will be able to see the amazing beauty of the Himalayas. The process of obtaining a visa is lengthy and not always successful. A visa is issued only for 15 days, and for each of them you will have to pay a rather large tourist tax for the purpose of travel. And yes, no solo trips. All movements only through local agencies and with the permission of the authorities. Therefore, you can see the ancient Buddhist monasteries, stupas and monuments only with a guide and observing all local rituals.

Beautiful and dangerous Angola

A country with a stable temperate climate, spread out on the shores of the ocean - real paradise for tourists. But no, on the streets of Angola even locals don't risk walking alone.

Unemployment and poverty are pushing once-friendly people to extreme measures. Therefore, you cannot openly hold a camera or wear jewelry here. In the capital of the country, Luanda, it is relatively calm, and in more remote areas you need to be very careful.

In addition, even in the institutions of the capital, elementary sanitary standards are not observed, and there are almost no roads in the usual sense. But there is an endless ocean with beautiful sandy beaches, fresh tropical fruits and amazing nature reserves.

It is difficult to determine which country is the most closed in the world. Too many factors to consider. But whether it is worth going there to rest, each traveler decides only for himself.