These Are The Countries Where You're Most Likely To Be Kidnapped

One of the scariest risks for anyone doing business in the emerging markets - or even traveling there - is kidnapping.

The threat is common enough that kidnap and ransom insurance is big business, a market doubling over five years to $500 million by 2011, according to The Economist, with premiums ranging from $3,000-$6,000 for a businessman in Iraq to several million dollars per year for a shipping fleet in a dangerous area.

So where do you need insurance, protection, or a ticket home?

We saw a useful rundown in a recent presentation by Chubb Assistant Vice President Christopher Arehart. Arehart adds via email that kidnapping risk is rising particularly in Mexico, driven by the prominence of drug cartels, and also in northern Africa, due to Al Qaeda.

Below are data on annual kidnappings by country and comments on particularly dangerous places for foreign businesspeople or travelers in general.