Coined in the 11th century to describe unloved patches of land outside of city walls, in the UK, the term ‘no-go area’ has come to refer to sections of land where people dare not tread. That may be because of conflict and political disputes or, increasingly, because of natural or man-made disasters.

Read on to see a selection of the most unwelcoming forbidden zones on the planet, each imbued with a deep sense of foreboding…

The most well-known site of the DMZ and the closest point to North Korea, is the JSA (Joint Security Area, pictured). Here, soldiers from both countries face each other with only a few feet of gravel in between, always ready to act in case of an emergency. In the JSA, negotiations between North and South Korea are held, with no negotiator having to leave their country, because the border runs right through the centre of the building and even the table the delegates sit around.

Civilians tie prayer ribbons to fences near the DMZ and hopes for peace and family reunifications on the Korean peninsula are persistent.

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Situated in the middle of the Nevada desert, this US Air Force facility has long been kept a secret and there are many conspiracy theories and mysteries linked to it. Restricted Area 51 – also officially referred to as Groom Lake – is a military site used for flight testing.

Called the black mailbox (it was originally painted black), it belongs to Steve Medlin who lives on a nearby ranch. It is the only landmark for 40 miles (64km) on the highway and has become a handy meeting point for UFO seekers on dark nights, many of whom have filled the mailbox with letters to visitors from other worlds, much to the frustration of its owner. It was for that reason Medlin added the Alien mailbox beneath, so people would stop messing with his post.

Brave tourists can usually visit the 6,200 square miles (16,000sq km) of Skeleton Coast National Park and marvel at the shipwrecks and skeletons, as well as the dramatic sand dunes of the desert. 

More amazing ruins where Mother Nature ran riot

At first glance, this island off the coast of Brazil seems like the perfect escape with its crystal blue waters, lush vegetation and rocky expanse. However, there is a reason it's a no man's land...

Aptly nicknamed 'Snake Island', the Ilha da Queimada Grande is home to around 4,000 venomous vipers – that amounts to approximately one snake per 10 square feet (1sqm). The bite of the golden lancehead (or Bothrops insularis), that can only be found here, is deadly. The Brazilian government has therefore banned visitors from the island. Only the navy is allowed to access it.

More abandoned islands the world forgot

Almost half of that number live in its largest city Laayoune (about 200,000 inhabitants), which is administered by Morocco and is under the supervision of UN peacekeepers. This house is said to be the oldest, dating back to 1934.

The four mysterious radomes of Teufelsberg seem to be a bit out of place. Little is known about what exactly was listened to and what methods were used. 

The buildings now have uneven surfaces, broken glass and debris is scattered around. Climbing up inside the towers is only for the very brave as it involves ascending the stairs in total darkness.

For more than 45 years, time has stood still in the so-called 'Green Line' in Cyprus, a buffer zone introduced by the United Nations to keep the peace between the warring halves on the Mediterranean island. It was established following a civil war between the Turkish and the Greek communities on Cyprus, in 1974, and has largely been a no man's land ever since. 

Abandoned houses, shops and even an airport remain untouched and crumbling reminders of a bygone era. At the derelict Nicosia International Airport, a destroyed Cyprus Airways jet still stands near the runway.

More airports that were built then abandoned

The buffer zone cuts right through the capital of Nicosia (Lefkosia). In some parts of the old town it is only several feet (a few metres) wide.

Pictured are warning signs marking the boundary of the UN. Since 2003, a number of crossing points have opened up that allow Cypriots and tourists to walk or drive between the north and south, allowing some freedom of movement.

Three-quarters of a century later, the ghost town is a memorial to those who perished. Rusted cars, including the Peugeot 202 the mayor drove before his brutal death, still sit on the roads. 

Incredible pictures of tourist attractions that no longer exist

One of the most famous ghost towns in the world, derelict Pripyat stands within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, only 12 miles (19km) from the infamous nuclear reactor. The zone is a 19-mile (30.5km) radius around the former power plant that was introduced shortly after the 1986 disaster. Buildings were abandoned and remain empty.

Up until the Russian invasion in 2022, access was strictly regulated by the Ukrainian government.

Today, its Ferris wheel, carousels and bumper cars are covered in rust and stand abandoned in the ghost town.

This doll was left behind in a kindergarten in Pripyat. There have been talks to redraw the boundaries of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to reflect the declining radioactivity in the outer parts of the area, but some areas still send Geiger counters into a fit of beeps. Before the war, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was safe to visit for tourists, but could be explored on guided tours only.

Read on to discover the eeriest abandoned attraction in every US state...