{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/bolivia/santa-cruz-de-la-sierra","updatedAt":"2026-10-01T21:37:46.748Z","place":{"city":"Santa Cruz de la Sierra","country":"Bolivia","countryCode":"BO","lat":-17.78629,"lon":-63.18117},"safety":{"score":57,"level":"MODERATE","answer":"Mostly — take normal precautions","saferThanPctOfCountries":51,"confidence":0.89,"caps":[],"databaseScore":56,"travellerSentiment":{"score":62,"label":"Mostly positive","summary":"Recent traveler reports indicate that while many feel safe during the day in central districts, concerns rise after dark and in peripheral areas due to crime and instability.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":53,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":62,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":56,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":62,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":72,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":60,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":67,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 28 Apr 2026","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/bolivia-travel-advisory.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-09-22T15:45:15Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bolivia"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-09-27T01:39:49.9433667-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/bolivia"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":4.41843313132273,"display":"4.4 / 100k","year":"2023","score":69,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":3.5,"display":"3.5%","year":"2017","score":89,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0,"display":"0 recorded","year":"2021","score":100,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":17.6,"display":"17.6 / 100k","year":"2021","score":47,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":62.7418124,"display":"63/100","year":"2025","score":63,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":36.4208823,"display":"36/100","year":"2025","score":36,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":24.1266723,"display":"24/100","year":"2025","score":24,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":39.7232247,"display":"40/100","year":"2025","score":40,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":34.4582688,"display":"34/100","year":"2025","score":34,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":54.5376327,"display":"55/100","year":"2025","score":55,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":1831434,"display":"1.8M residents","year":null,"score":61,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":53.1,"display":"53.1%","year":"2024","score":52,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"violence_victimization","label":"Physical assault (past year)","value":2.9,"display":"2.9%","year":"2023","score":85,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":3.81,"display":"3.81 / 100k","year":"2025","score":52,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":28,"display":"28.0%","year":"2016","score":44,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":70,"display":"US AQI 70 · Moderate","year":null,"score":80,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":2,"display":"1 notice · max Alert","year":null,"score":60,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":61,"display":"61 within 15 km · nearest ~0.6 km","year":null,"score":95,"source":"OpenStreetMap"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":30,"display":"October: highs ~30°C · strong winds, heavy rain / flooding","year":null,"score":64,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 1 quake ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":94,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":75,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":62,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":78,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":53,"display":"53 / 100 (Mostly positive)","year":null,"score":53,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Chikungunya in Bolivia","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/chikungunya-bolivia"},{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Yes. Santa Cruz de la Sierra is moderately safe for visitors who exercise increased caution, particularly regarding crime and civil unrest.","summary":"The city has a moderate composite safety index of 56/100, with homicide rates below the global average but notable risks of robbery and pickpocketing in certain areas. Government advisories from the US, UK, and Canada all recommend increased caution due to crime and instability, especially in peripheral zones and during protests. Visitor sentiment is mixed, with many reporting feeling safe in established tourist zones but wary in less populated or market areas after dark.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Risk exists, particularly in less populated areas and at night; carjacking reported in zones linked to trafficking networks"},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Common in crowded tourist areas, markets, and on public transport; targets distraction rather than confrontation"},"safeAreas":["Equipetrol","Las Palmas","Los Tajibos"],"avoidAreas":["El Trompillo (higher robbery and drug-related risk, especially at night)"],"scams":["Fake police officers demanding fines or documents","Missing border stamp scams at land crossings","Taxi overcharging and unlicensed drivers","Money exchange tricks involving counterfeit bills"],"zones":[{"name":"Equipetrol","level":"safe","note":"Upscale business and residential district with good security, popular with expats and visitors."},{"name":"Las Palmas","level":"safe","note":"Well-established residential area with low crime, considered one of the safer neighborhoods."},{"name":"Centro","level":"caution","note":"Historic downtown with pickpocketing risks in crowded areas and markets, especially after dark."},{"name":"Villa Primero de Mayo","level":"caution","note":"Densely populated area with moderate crime; exercise caution, avoid walking alone at night."},{"name":"Los Tajibos","level":"safe","note":"Affluent residential zone with parks and embassies, generally secure for visitors."},{"name":"San Antonio","level":"caution","note":"Traditional neighborhood with moderate petty theft risk; stay alert in markets and on public transport."},{"name":"El Trompillo","level":"avoid","note":"Industrial and peripheral area with higher robbery and drug-related activity; avoid, especially at night."},{"name":"La Guardia","level":"caution","note":"Rapidly expanding peri-urban zone with limited policing; heightened vigilance advised after dark."}]}}