Journey to the most closed country in the world. Start. 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, negotiations between the Russian Federation and 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 belt and a passenger personal screening service are located in the same room, but next door the construction of a new terminal made of glass and concrete is being completed, 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 is 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 residents of houses that face the central avenues were unlucky: 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 non-Muslims are not allowed to visit. 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. Hasn't stopped there for over 20 years. Civil War. 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 there are no more than 18,000 visitors a year foreign citizens.

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).

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 it is interesting not only for professional journalists to see the real life of people behind an impenetrable curtain.

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, tourists were allowed to enter. But with restrictions: travel only along the same route for all foreigners and accompanied by a 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, none independent 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.

Eric Lafforgue

"My Planet" understands how things really are in countries that are not customary to choose as a place for a planned summer vacation.

In the first article, we talked about life in. We continue...

North Korea

Chintung Lee

The most closed country on the planet - North Korea - adopted the status of a People's Democratic Republic in 1948. Currently, the power in the country belongs to Kim Jong-un. All people living in the country are officially forbidden to talk about their lives and household arrangements of their families.

Lifestyle

All residents of North Korea are conditionally divided into three levels: the main, hesitant and hostile. The status goes to the modern Korean by inheritance, based on his position in society and the activities of his ancestors during the Korean War. Those who are in the Labor Party are the main group, those who are expelled from the party are the hostile group. Representatives of the latter cannot get higher education and serve in the army.

The standard of living in the DPRK is low, the government invests all the funds in the army and weapons.

North Koreans dress simply, ride bicycles (because they cannot afford to buy a car), and soldiers walk the streets.

women perform hard work in the fields and factories on a par with men.

Inheritance is passed down through the male line.

Chintung Lee / Shutterstock.com

healthcare

The task of the Party is a strong and healthy nation. From early childhood, it is customary for young North Koreans to be enrolled in sports sections, and a regime of compulsory physical training is instilled. Obesity is not a problem that is peculiar to Koreans, the nation does not overeat. Women are not allowed to smoke. However, while the average life expectancy in the DPRK is 66 years. The government also has a policy to reduce the number of children in families.

Career

The communist regime of North Korea has infiltrated every area of ​​people's lives. In the mornings, the howling of sirens is heard here, waking citizens from sleep and urging them to go to work. Crowds of people on bicycles go to plants and factories, there are no traffic lights on the roads, and special girls-regulators follow the regulation. At the end of the working day, closer to night, all city lights are turned off, plunging cities into darkness.

benyjakabek

There are no salaries in the DPRK as such. More precisely, its size is about $ 3-5 - with this money you can buy two cups of coffee. There is quite a bit of live money in the country, everything necessary for life is given to people as coupons, while medicine, education and housing are free. Exemplary workers with good behavior receive, in addition to basic food stamps, additional amounts of rice, meat and eggs. The entire agricultural culture is based on the cultivation of corn, potatoes and millet, so there are very few fresh vegetables in the country. People even eat ordinary grass, which is plucked from the lawn.

Democracy, glasnost

In North Korea, it is forbidden to listen to foreign music and watch foreign TV channels. Actually, people simply do not have access to foreign sources of culture, each film and song must be approved personally by the leader.

Vincent St. Thomas / Shutterstock.com

For disobedience to the laws, the criminal is threatened with hard labor or prison. So, for example, you can end up in places of deprivation of liberty for operations with renting an apartment, and for storing foreign sources of information you can get up to three years. For especially grave crimes - political treason to the state and embezzlement of public funds - public execution in the form of shooting follows. As a result, there is almost no crime in the country.

Religion

The main religion is Buddhism and Confucianism. Those religions that are not officially registered in the church are considered illegal, and their followers are persecuted by law.

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Entry into the country

It is carried out only with the help of travel agencies. Throughout the trip, the tourist is under strict supervision and has the right to move around the city only with a guide. It is forbidden to bring any gadgets, phones and radios with you, as this can damage the reputation of the country. If you refuse to play by these rules, you will be blacklisted and permanently denied a tourist visa in the future.

Saudi Arabia

Fedor Selivanov

Saudi Arabia was formed in 1932 by the merger of two principalities, Najd and Hijaz. In 1938, the first oil was found in the country, and since then it has been considered the first in the world to extract this mineral, and, accordingly, the richest. Power here is transmitted exclusively by inheritance, only through the Al Saud family line. The royal family is allowed to have up to four wives.

Religion

If North Korea is a secular state, then in Saudi Arabia, religion determines the way of life. The country lives under strict Sharia law, because of this, any public entertainment is prohibited: theater, cinema, concert under open sky, circus, etc. It is allowed to watch local TV and listen to Islamic radio stations.

sufi

Democracy, glasnost, attitude towards women

Saudi Arabia - the only country in a world where women are forbidden to work, drive a car, leave the house without a male escort (only with a family representative). Most recently, in 2011, women were allowed to vote in local elections. Also, they cannot be used. public transport, elevators and restaurants common to both sexes (some have specially equipped separate entrances and exits). Many restaurants have separate rooms for couples and men.

The male guardian, the mahram, plays an important role in all aspects of a woman's life. Without the agreement of the mahram, a woman cannot marry, get an education, get a job, move within the country, travel abroad, open a bank account, and even have a planned operation. Residential buildings are designed taking into account the gender division - for women they build rooms with high walls and small windows, which must be hung with curtains.

castro walterm

Legislation

For possession of drugs, the death penalty is expected, for drinking alcohol - flogging, prison and deportation. In this regard, expats clandestinely brew moonshine, which is called sadyki here. The death penalty in the country it is provided for murder, armed robbery, homosexuality, any extramarital and premarital affairs, witchcraft, religious apostasy, violent acts of a sexual nature and the creation of opposition groups to the authorities. The profession of an executioner is considered very honorable and is inherited. In general, Saudi Arabia has a list of professions, officially approved by the Ministry of Labor, for which only Saudis are accepted (HR specialist or government relations specialist).

Entry into the country

For a long time the country was absolutely closed to tourists. In the mid-2000s, it was decided to open tourist entry for foreign citizens, but visas are issued only to businessmen and diplomats, relatives of the country's citizens, for transit to a third country and Muslim pilgrims. Entry individual tourists still banned. The pilgrimage is also not so simple: staying in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for non-Muslims is prohibited by law.