Forbidden things around the world
We recently stumbled upon a Facebook group where users shared lists with things that are banned in different countries. So we did some digging and came up with a list of things you can’t do in a foreign country or what you aren’t allowed to bring with you when you travel.
Uber. Uber activates in 83 countries and 678 cities, the most active being the US and Brazil. In some countries it’s present just in one city (Madrid) and others have banned it completely. In Europe, the countries that banned Uber are Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary and recently, Italy.
WhatsApp. The app is banned in 12 countries. Among them, USA, Arab Emirates, South Africa, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Canada.
Facebook. The app is banned in many countries, 27 people being arrested. The countries that have restricted Facebook access are China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Pakistan.
VOIP- Skype, WhatsApp and Facebook calls, Viber. Some countries restrict or block completely some of these calls, some for monopoly reasons, some for surveillance. The Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Iran, Morocco, Egypt, China are among the countries that ban these services.
Chewing gum. In 1992 Singapore banned chewing gum import, making it difficult to buy. Chewing gum or spitting it on the street can get you a hefty fine.
Jogging. In 2004, Burundi’s president banned group jogging for fear of people planning subversive activities. To go on a group jog, you must first join a jogging club and register with the government.
Kinder surprise eggs. USA banned the delicious chocolate eggs because the toys in the middle are considered a choking hazard for children.
Plastic bags. Bangladesh banned the use of plastic bags in 2002, being among the first countries to switch to a more environment friendly solution.
Baby walkers. In 2007, Canada banned selling and advertising of baby walkers, claiming that they are the cause of many accidents involving under 2 year old toddlers.
Valentine’s Day. In February, Saudi Arabia bans any sort of floral arrangements, chocolate or presents that may resemble the symbol of love. That’s because the holiday has Christian origins and Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country.
Guns, ferrets and rabbits as pets are not allowed in some parts of Australia.
Smoking in public spaces. Many countries have adopted this law, Romania recently being one of them. Some other countries that banned smoking in public places are Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, China, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, UK and some parts of the USA.
Pitbulls. Yes, it may sound strange, but this breed is considered dangerous, thus banned in 12 countries like New Zealand, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Puerto Rico, Iceland and Turkey.
Scrabble. In the ’80, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu banned the game because he considered it a game for the “intellectuals”.
