According to the report, passport holders from Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, not the United States, have the best access to foreign countries in the world.
The two Nordic countries and Great Britain can visit 173 countries using their passports, enjoying visa-free access or simply getting a visa on arrival. In comparison, US citizens and Germans can visit 172 and Canadians can only visit 170 and Australians 168.
The heat map reveals that – unsurprisingly – Europe, North America and Australasia have the best access to the world. While, South America has moderate access and people in Asia and Africa struggle to travel at all. The nation with the least power in their passport is Afghanistan, with citizens only able to visit 28 countries without a visa, or being given a visa on arrival. Iraq, Pakistan and Somalia also come bottom, with access to just 31 or 32 countries.
The Gambia has the fifth most powerful passport in Africa. The Gambian passport allows holders to visit 68 countries without having to go through the tedium of obtaining an entry clearance visa. Only Seychelles with 126 visa free countries, Mauritius at 123, South Africa at 94 and Botswana at 76 trumped The Gambia.
Lagging way behind are Saudi Arabia which notches only 64, Sierra Leone 63, Ghana 61, Senegal 55, Guinea and Mali 53, Morocco 51, Egypt 46, China 43, Libya 39 and Lebanon 38.
]]>
