How Touristy Is Your Country? The 2025 List.
Updated: Sep 9
The least-visited country in the world may not be the one you would think.
Most of us actually never leave our country, let alone the region that we live in. There are still seemingly tourists everywhere, but many countries beyond the beaten path hardly receive any visitors at all. No need for these countries, then, to hire someone to count the very few people popping by. Unfortunately that leaves official tourism statistics incomplete.
I researched a book about the least-visited countries in the world, and had to jump through hoops here and there, find and chase down the right people to pick their brains and get the numbers. In addition to interviews of people working in immigration offices, transport companies, airports, ports, statistical bureaus or hotels I have used newspapers, statistical reports and local research.
Do note that there is no universal definition of what qualifies as a tourist, so even the official numbers are not consistent. Some countries count tourists only, others count all foreign arrivals, regardless whether they visit for business or tourism. In some parts of the world, anyone can cross between countries without registering, for instance within the Schengen area in Europe. Certain countries only measure tourists arriving by air, others also track boat and land arrivals while yet others base their info on information from hotels. I have tried to use the best available statistics available, sometimes projected based on the most recent numbers I could find.
Research for my book about the world's least-visited countries triggered my interest in places less visited. Elsewhere came out in 2019 and is available in Norwegian, English and Hungarian. I have however gathered updated tourist numbers for every country in the world for 2025. Recent events since New Years Eve such as the Iran war or the ebola outbreak may have influenced the number of visitors, but will obviously not affect figures from before 2026.
How touristy is your country?
Least-visited | Country | Most visited | Tourists | Comment |
1 | Sudan | 198 | 200 | Interviews, 2024; projected 2025 |
2 | Naoero | 197 | 250 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025; tourism numbers calculated based on total arrivals and compared to tourism data from Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati |
3 | Mali | 196 | 1 000 | Helm News, 2025 |
4 | Tuvalu | 195 | 1 363 | Pacific Tourism Organization, 2025 |
5 | Equatorial Guinea | 194 | 1 680 | Garfors, 2017; projected 2025 |
6 | South Sudan | 193 | 1 980 | Garfors, 2017; projected 2025 |
7 | Eritrea | 192 | 2 000 | Garfors, 2017; projected 2025 |
8 | Libya | 191 | 2 400 | Garfors, 2017; projected based on interviews with guide companies in Libya, 2025 |
9 | Marshall Islands | 190 | 3 252 | Pacific Tourism Organization, 2025 |
10 | Kiribati | 189 | 3 599 | Pacific Tourism Organization, 2025 |
11 | Central African Republic | 188 | 4 000 | Mongabay, projected 2025 |
12 | Micronesia, Federated States | 187 | 4 145 | Pacific Tourism Organization, 2025 |
13 | North Korea | 186 | 6 215 | Radio Free Asia, 2024, Reflections, 2025, The Moscow Times, 2025 |
14 | Liberia | 185 | 8 960 | UNWTO tourism receipts, 2019; compared to Sierra Leone and projected according to tourism recepits UNWTO, 2024 |
15 | Solomon Islands | 184 | 9 264 | Solomon Islands National Statistics Office, 2025 |
16 | Haiti | 183 | 9 900 | UNWTO, 2021; adjusted for tourism receipts 2024, projection for 2025, (excluding Labadee) |
17 | Yemen | 182 | 10 000 | Garfors, 2017; projected with estimated Socotra numbers, 2024 |
18 | Afghanistan | 181 | 10 350 | Ministry of Information and Culture, 2025 |
19 | Turkmenistan | 180 | 12 000 | State Committee of Statistics of Turkmenistan, 2019; projected 2025 |
20 | Somalia | 179 | 14 640 | Garfors, 2017, Africa Briedfing 2024; projected 2025 |
21 | Mauritania | 178 | 17 098 | Agence Mauitanienne d'information, 2024-2025, and National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis, 2025; projected 2025 |
22 | Comoros | 177 | 21 718 | Banque Centrale des Comores, 2024 |
23 | Chad | 176 | 22 400 | UNWTO, 2021; projected 2025 |
24 | Papa New Guinea | 175 | 24 844 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025 |
25 | East Timor | 174 | 28 081 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025; tourism numbers calculated based on total air arrivals, compared to tourism data from Solomon Islands and PNG, and adjusted for sea and land arrivals |
26 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 173 | 42 000 | Lusa, 2025 |
27 | Guinea | 172 | 42 400 | World Travel & Tourism Council, 2023; projected 2025 |
28 | Congo, Republic | 171 | 45 143 | World Bank, 2018; adjusted for tourism receipts, 2021 |
29 | Guinea-Bissau | 170 | 49 962 | UNWTO, 2019; adjusted for tourism receipts, 2024 |
30 | Tonga | 169 | 53 662 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025 |
31 | Sierra Leone | 168 | 60 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
32 | Palau | 167 | 70 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
33 | Niger | 166 | 76 500 | UNWTO, 2020; adjusted for tourism receipts, 2024 |
34 | Vanuatu | 165 | 80 725 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025 |
35 | Dominica | 164 | 100 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
36 | Saint Vincent and Grenadines | 163 | 120 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
37 | Liechtenstein | 162 | 121 596 | Liechtenstein Marketing, 2025 |
38 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 161 | 130 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
39 | Djibouti | 160 | 133 400 | African Business, 2024; projected 2025 |
40 | Burkina Faso | 159 | 139 000 | Diaspora News Guide, 2025 |
41 | Samoa | 158 | 153 815 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025 |
42 | Bhutan | 156 | 190 000 | UNWTO 2025 |
42 | Grenada | 156 | 190 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
44 | Angola | 155 | 220 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
45 | Gambia | 154 | 233 113 | National Economic Council of Gambia, 2025 |
46 | Burundi | 153 | 250 000 | Africa 24, 2024; projected 2025 |
47 | Surinam | 152 | 260 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
48 | Congo, Democratic Republic | 151 | 267 400 | World Data, 2021; projected 2025 |
49 | Palestine | 150 | 280 000 | Tourism International, 2025 |
50 | Brunei | 148 | 290 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
50 | Moldova | 148 | 290 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
52 | Antigua and Barbuda | 146 | 330 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
52 | Madagascar | 146 | 330 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
54 | Gabon | 144 | 350 000 | Le Gabonaise, 2024 |
54 | Monaco | 144 | 350 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
56 | Trinidad and Tobago | 143 | 370 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
57 | Seychelles | 142 | 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
58 | Benin | 141 | 424 800 | World Data, 2020; projected, 2025 |
59 | Saint Lucia | 140 | 430 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
60 | Guyana | 139 | 450 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
61 | Kosovo | 138 | 463 041 | Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2025 |
62 | Lesotho | 137 | 520 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
63 | Ethiopia | 135 | 540 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
63 | Nigeria | 135 | 540 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
65 | Belize | 134 | 550 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
66 | Bangladesh | 133 | 650 000 | Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), 2024 |
67 | Barbados | 132 | 730 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
68 | Western Sahara | 131 | 743 133 | Europe Says, 2025 |
69 | Eswatini | 130 | 770 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
70 | Mongolia | 129 | 850 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
71 | Fiji | 128 | 860 318 | Pacific Tourism Organisation, 2025 |
72 | Honduras | 126 | 920 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
72 | North Macedonia | 126 | 920 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
74 | Nicaragua | 125 | 950 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
75 | Luxembourg | 124 | 958 632 | Luxembourg Travel, 2025 |
76 | Myanmar | 123 | 970 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
77 | Ivory Coast | 122 | 1 021 444 | UNWTO, 2021; adjusted for tourism receipts, 2024 |
78 | Bolivia | 119 | 1 100 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
78 | Malawi | 119 | 1 100 000 | 247 Malawi, 2024 |
78 | Pakistan | 119 | 1 100 000 | Radio Pakistan, 2025 |
81 | Nepal | 117 | 1 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
81 | Togo | 117 | 1 200 000 | Togo eVisa, 2025 |
83 | Cabo Verde | 116 | 1 248 052 | National Statistics Institute INE, 2025 |
84 | Senegal | 115 | 1 250 000 | World Travel & Tourism Council, 2023; projected 2025 |
85 | Mozambique | 114 | 1 270 000 | Department of Economy, 2025 |
86 | Ghana | 112 | 1 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
86 | Israel | 112 | 1 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
88 | Namibia | 111 | 1 345 168 | Tourist Arrivals Statistical Report, 2025 |
89 | Ecuador | 107 | 1 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
89 | Mauritius | 107 | 1 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
89 | Tajikistan | 107 | 1 400 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
89 | Uganda | 107 | 1 400 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
93 | Cameroon | 106 | 1 421 000 | Cameroon's Direction Générale du Budget, 2023; projected 2025 |
94 | Rwanda | 105 | 1 480 000 | eVisa Rwanda, 2024 |
95 | Botswana | 104 | 1 533 011 | Statistics Botswana, 2024 |
96 | Lebanon | 103 | 1 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
97 | Latvia | 102 | 1 700 000 | Latvia Travel, 2025 |
98 | Azerbaijan | 99 | 1 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
98 | Bahamas | 99 | 1 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
98 | Zimbabwe | 99 | 1 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
101 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 98 | 1 963 443 | Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025 |
102 | Paraguay | 97 | 2 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
103 | San Marino | 96 | 2 110 236 | Statistics Office, 2025 |
104 | Cuba | 93 | 2 200 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
104 | Maldives | 93 | 2 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
104 | Zambia | 93 | 2 200 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
107 | Armenia | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
107 | Iceland | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
107 | Kenya | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
107 | Panama | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
107 | Serbia | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
107 | Tanzania | 87 | 2 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
113 | Lithuania | 85 | 2 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
113 | Sri Lanka | 85 | 2 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
115 | Slovakia | 84 | 2 421 263 | Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2025 |
116 | Guatemala | 82 | 2 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
116 | Ukraine | 82 | 2 500 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
118 | Romania | 81 | 2 585 400 | Lemon News, 2025 |
119 | Jamaica | 78 | 2 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
119 | Kuwait | 78 | 2 600 000 | Central Statistical Bureau of Kuwait, 2024 and Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA), 2025 |
119 | Montenegro | 78 | 2 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
122 | Oman | 77 | 2 700 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
123 | Estonia | 76 | 2 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
124 | Costa Rica | 75 | 2 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
125 | New Zealand | 74 | 3 200 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
126 | El Salvador | 72 | 3 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
126 | Peru | 72 | 3 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
128 | Venezuela | 71 | 3 443 966 | Nomad Lawyer, 2025 |
129 | Algeria | 69 | 3 500 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
129 | Syria | 69 | 3 500 000 | Levant 24, 2025 |
131 | Uruguay | 68 | 3 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
132 | Laos | 67 | 3 900 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
133 | Malta | 66 | 4 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
134 | Andorra | 65 | 4 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
135 | Iraq | 64 | 4 475 549 | Karbala and Kurdish Globe, 2024 |
136 | Cyprus | 63 | 4 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
137 | Russia | 62 | 4 800 000 | The Association of Tour Operators of Russia, 2025 |
138 | Finland | 60 | 5 100 000 | Visit Finland, 2025 |
138 | Qatar | 60 | 5 100 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
140 | Kyrgyzstan | 59 | 5 313 600 | National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyz Republic, 2025 |
141 | Georgia | 57 | 5 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
141 | Slovenia | 57 | 5 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
143 | Cambodia | 56 | 5 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
144 | Argentina | 55 | 5 700 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
145 | Jordan | 54 | 5 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
146 | Philippines | 53 | 5 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
147 | Chile | 52 | 6 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
148 | Colombia | 49 | 6 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
148 | Norway | 49 | 6 200 000 | Roadgenius, 2024 |
148 | Türkiye | 49 | 6 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
151 | Ireland | 48 | 6 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
152 | Iran | 47 | 6 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
153 | Vatican | 46 | 7 000 000 | Travel and Tour World, 2023; projected 2025 |
154 | Bahrain | 45 | 7 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
155 | Belarus | 44 | 7 406 000 | National Statistics Committee of Belarus, 2025 |
156 | Sweden | 43 | 8 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
157 | Taiwan | 42 | 8 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
158 | Australia | 40 | 8 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
158 | Dominican Republic | 40 | 8 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
160 | Bulgaria | 39 | 9 100 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
161 | Brazil | 38 | 9 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
162 | Denmark | 37 | 9 538 271 | Statistikbanken, 2023 and Visit Denmark, 2023; adjusted for UNWTO tourism receipts 2025 |
163 | South Africa | 36 | 10 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
164 | Kazakhstan | 35 | 11 100 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
165 | Tunisia | 34 | 11 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
166 | Switzerland | 33 | 11 582 400 | WTTO, 2024; adjusted for tourism recipts, 2025 |
167 | Uzbekistan | 32 | 11 700 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
168 | Albania | 31 | 11 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
169 | Singapore | 30 | 12 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
170 | Indonesia | 29 | 13 600 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
171 | Hungary | 28 | 14 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
172 | South Korea | 27 | 18 900 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
173 | Egypt | 26 | 19 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
174 | United Arab Emirates | 25 | 19 590 000 | Gulf News, 2025 |
175 | Belgium | 24 | 19 637 571 | Statbel, 2025 |
176 | Canada | 22 | 19 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
176 | Morocco | 22 | 19 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
178 | India | 21 | 20 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
179 | Vietnam | 20 | 21 200 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
180 | Poland | 19 | 21 400 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
181 | Croatia | 18 | 21 800 000 | Croatia Week, 2025 |
182 | Netherlands | 17 | 22 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
183 | Czechia | 16 | 23 600 000 | Prague Daily, 2025 |
184 | Malaysia | 15 | 26 600 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
185 | Portugal | 14 | 29 000 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
186 | Saudi Arabia | 13 | 29 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
187 | Thailand | 12 | 33 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
188 | Austria | 11 | 33 500 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
189 | Germany | 10 | 37 400 000 | World Data, 2024 |
190 | Greece | 9 | 38 000 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
191 | United Kingdom | 8 | 38 200 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
192 | China | 7 | 41 000 000 | National Immigration Administration (NIA), 2025 (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) |
193 | Japan | 6 | 42 700 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
194 | Mexico | 5 | 47 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
195 | Italy | 4 | 61 300 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
196 | United States of America | 3 | 69 660 000 | UNWTO, 2025 (including Puerto Rico and Guam) |
197 | Spain | 2 | 96 800 000 | UNWTO, 2025 |
198 | France | 1 | 102 200 000 | UNWTO, 2024 |
The bit about the least-visited country having more pyramids than Egypt really stuck with me—it’s a great reminder of how many places we overlook just because they aren’t in the usual tourism stats. I also appreciated the point about incomplete official statistics making “least visited” trickier to pin down than it sounds. By the way, I keep a supplier of construction wire, tie wire, rebar supports, anchor bolts and temporary fencing for importers and distributors I like to share: https://www.leeter.cn/resources/welded-mesh-vs-chain-link-temporary-fence/
I really enjoyed your insights on how touristy countries can shift over time. It reminds me of my experience with online games io; just like travel trends, gaming communities evolve and adapt! Thanks for sharing this thoughtful perspective!
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