Eritrea, Somalia have world's least powerful passports

Eritrea and Somalia are among the least powerful passports globally, according to the 2019 Henley Passport Index.

Eritrea which has visa-free access to 38 destinations and Somalia with visa-free access to a paltry 32 countries, were named in the bottom 5 globally, alongside Afghanistan (30 destinations), Iraq (30), Syria (32), Pakistan (33) and Yemen (37).

The ranking by Henley & Partners, a citizenship and planning firm, takes into account how many countries can be visited without applying for a visa. It is done in partnership with International Air Transport Association (IATA).

ALSO READ: Benin, Seychelles ranked most visa-open African nationsAccording to the ranking, global mobility is rising, as citizens of different countries can travel to 107 destinations visa-free, as of 2018, compared to just 58 in 2006.

Japan has the most powerful passport globally, with its citizens enjoying visa-free access to 190 destinations.

The most powerful passports in Africa are Seychelles, South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya, Gambia, Tanzania and Zambia.

Africa’s Top 5

• Seychelles: 151 destinations visa-free
• South Africa: 101 destinations visa-free
• Mauritius: 145 destinations visa-free
• Botswana: 82 destinations visa-free
• Namibia: 75 destinations visa-free

READ MORE: 2019 Henley Passport Index