As a U.S. citizen, your passport is a swift ticket to 174 countries around the globe.
But not every traveler is so lucky, and many are luckier than Americans.
Germans, in fact, currently hold the most powerful passport in the world. They can freely visit 177 foreign countries without applying for a visa, according to the 2016 Visa Restrictions Index.
Afghan travelers, meanwhile, have arguably the world's worst passport, as it only grants access to 25 foreign nations.
How does the U.S. rank? Take a look!
1. Germany -- 177 countries
2. Sweden -- 176 countries
3. (tie) Finland, France, Italy, Spain, U.K. -- 175 countries
4. (tie) Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, U.S. -- 174 countries
5. (tie) Austria, Japan, Singapore -- 173 countries
These numbers come from the annual Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index, which defines a passport's "power" as how many countries its holders can visit without applying for a visa. Many destinations require visitors to apply for visas for all sorts of reasons, from political to economic.
Germany has long held the top spot on the index, though many other passports also let their citizens explore the globe relatively freely. Head over to the Visa Restrictions Index map for more on how your citizenship stacks up. (Blue countries have "powerful" passports, and yellow ones aren't so great...)
Is your passport out of date? Renew it now, and get out there!
