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U.S. passports no longer the best for visa-free globetrotting
Germany ranks first on “travel freedom” list
War-hit and impoverished nations struggle to escape bottom of list
(CNN)When it comes to crossing international frontiers, there’s one travel document that opens more doors than any other.
And it isn’t a U.S. passport.
German citizens, it seems, have the potential for the greatest mobility in the travel world.
With a German passport, travelers can enter 177 out of 218 countries and territories without a visa, according to the 2016 Visa Restrictions Index.
World’s best city for expats 2016 named
The list, compiled annually since 2006 by London-based consulting firm Henley and Partners and the International Air Transport Association, ranks nations by how freely their citizens, unencumbered by immigration red tape, can explore the planet.
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This year, it shows that citizenship of a superpower doesn’t carry the clout it once did.
The United States, which ranked first in 2014 and 2015, has now dropped to fourth place.
Immediately behind Germany, holding its position as runner-up for the second year running, is Sweden with visa-free access to 176 countries.
Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom — which had topped the list since 2013 — are now tied for third place, making Northern and Western European citizens the most privileged in international travel.
Japan and South Korea were also among the group in the top three in 2014 and 2015, but have slid down to fifth and sixth place respectively this year.
Belgium, Denmark and Netherlands stand alongside the U.S. in fourth.
At the bottom of the list, labeled countries with the “worst passports,” are Afghanistan, at 104, followed by Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Syria.
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Freedom factors
Border controls at the airport in Prague, the Czech Republic, were lifted in 2008 as it became a member state of the border-free Schengen Area along with other newcomers.
Fiddling with the Index’s interactive features yields results rich for analysis.
With cumulative data from 11 years, the site allows users to compare multiple countries’ scores on a list, a color-coded world map, and a graph, or chart a country’s progress regarding visa policies over the decade.
Henley and Partners, a firm specializing in immigration and citizenship services, explains that visa requirements “reflect strongly on each country’s relationships with others.” Threats to security and risks of violating immigration rules are also factored in.
Observing that no country has dropped more than three places while some made huge leaps, the company concludes that freedom of movement, in terms of “visa-free access,” is generally improving around the world.
MORE: Record number of Americans dump U.S. passports
East Timor, which gained independence in 1999, made the steepest climb of 33 places to land at 57, while Colombia, at 50th, moved up 25 spots.
Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, fell from 16th to 20th place.
A surge in country wealth that allows citizens to flash their tourism cash may also mean a warmer welcome from other destinations.
China is now at 87, tied with Cambodia, having risen from 93rd place in 2015 after countries like Japan, South Korea and the United States relaxed visa restrictions for Chinese tourists.
It’s now above Chad and below Sierra Leone.
The United Kingdom and Australia have also announced plans to further ease requirements to attract Chinese tourists.
MORE: China’s First Tourist: How President Xi Jinping is changing the travel industry
20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
Lonely Planet top countries for 2016: No. 1: Botswana – Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2016″ is a roundup of hot destinations and experiences. Its top country recommendation for next year is Botswana, home to Mashatu Game Reserve.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top countries for 2016: No. 2: Japan – More than 15 million tourists visited Japan in 2015, and 2016 is set to be another bumper year. With sights like Kawachi Fuji Garden in Fukuoka, they’re onto a good thing.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top countries for 2016: No. 3: USA – The 50 states have plenty to offer, from road trips to beaches, from deserts to high peaks, like the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top countries for 2016: No. 4: Palau – Palau’s diving and snorkeling opportunities have led some to call it “the underwater Serengeti.”
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top countries for 2016: No. 5: Latvia – With Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south, Latvia is “the meat of the Baltic sandwich,” says Lonely Planet, and “loaded with colorful fixings.” Riga (pictured) is the country’s cosmopolitan capital.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top regions for 2016: No. 1: Transylvania, Romania – There’s more to Transylvania than vampire lore, Saxon villages and fortified churches. Corvin Castle is one of the largest castles in Europe.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top regions for 2016: No. 2: West Iceland – “West Iceland offers everything from windswept beaches to historic villages and awe-inspiring terrain in one neat, little package,” says Lonely Planet. In summer, the fishing hamlet of Arnarstapi attracts hikers to its beaches and lava fields.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top regions for 2016: No. 3: Valle de Vinales, Cuba – “One of Cuba’s most magnificent natural settings,” says Lonely Planet. This limestone karst valley “offers opportunities for fine hiking, rock climbing and horseback trekking.”
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top regions for 2016: No. 4: Friuli, Italy – “Friuli’s Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia are the darlings of smart wine lists the world over,” says Lonely Planet. Monte Lussari (pictured) is a ski resort in winter and offers cable car views in summer.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top regions for 2016: No. 5: Waiheke Island, New Zealand – Earlier this year CNN sung the praises of Waiheke’s sheltered beaches, emerald bays and boutique wineries in a roundup of romantic destinations. Delamore Lodge’s heated infinity pool has incredible views over Owhaneke Bay.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top cities for 2016: No. 1: Kotor, Montenegro – The coastal town of Kotor in Montenegro was recently named by Royal Caribbean cruise ship captains as having one of the world’s most beautiful harbors.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top cities for 2016: No. 2: Quito, Ecuador – High in the Andes, the Ecuadorian capital is “warm and relaxed,” with a “vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene.” The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top cities for 2016: No. 3: Dublin, Ireland – After being hit hard in the global recession, modern Dublin has a revitalized confidence.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top cities for 2016: No. 4: George Town, Malaysia – Not only is George Town a street food haven, it has a vibrant street art scene.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP top cities for 2016: No. 5: Rotterdam, the Netherlands – The super-modern Rotterdam Markthal — a mammoth fruit and vegetable market — opened last last year. Its promoters describe it as a “Valhalla of food.”
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP best value destinations: No. 1: Estonia – The capital city of Tallinn and its UNESCO-protected Old Town is now one of Europe’s “most captivating cities,” while the “sparsely populated countryside and extensive swathes of forest provide spiritual sustenance for nature lovers.”
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP best value destinations: No. 2: Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City is “Vietnam at its most dizzying,” says Lonely Planet.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP best value destinations: No. 3: East Africa – “East Africa is … a wild realm of extraordinary landscapes, peoples and wildlife,” says Lonely Planet. The Great Mosque of Kilwa Kisiwani (pictured) is the oldest standing mosque on the East African coast.
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20 photos: Lonely Planet top countries for 2016
LP best value destinations: No. 4: New Mexico – The “captivating windswept dunes” of White Sands are a “highlight of any trip to New Mexico,” says Lonely Planet. It’s a land of “mud-brick churches filled with sacred art,” “ancient Indian pueblos” and “real-life cowboys and legendary outlaws.”
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