When it comes to international travel, where you’re going may not matter as much as where you’re coming from.
當(dāng)我們談到國際旅行的時候，你從哪里來比你要去哪里更重要。
That’s because different passports allow varying levels of so-called travel freedom.
這是因為不同護(hù)照允許不同程度的所謂的“旅行自由”。
While some travellers are able to breeze through customs and stay abroad for months or even years, others are subject to expensive visas, strict time limits or an otherwise heavy vetting process.
雖然有些旅行者能夠輕松通過海關(guān)，在國外住幾個月甚至幾年。其他人則需要支付昂貴的簽證費，嚴(yán)格的時間限制或繁瑣的審批程序。
So why is there this discrepancy? Which countries have the most powerful passports? Well, passports tend to reflect their country’s international standing.
那么，為什么會有這種差異呢？哪些國家的護(hù)照最好用呢？其實，護(hù)照往往反映了他們國家的國際地位。
That is, countries with mostly positive diplomatic relations tend to have more powerful passports, because the leaders of those countries have jointly signed on to bilateral visa agreements.
也就是說，大多數(shù)堅持積極外交關(guān)系的國家往往擁有更強大的護(hù)照，因為這些國家的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人已經(jīng)共同簽署了雙邊簽證協(xié)議。
For example, Afghan passport holders are extremely limited in where they can travel, as the country is embroiled in many international conflicts.
例如，阿富汗護(hù)照持有人，他們可以去旅行的地方極為有限，因為該國卷入許多國際沖突。
According to the 2017 Passport index, which ranks countries by the number of nations their citizens can enter without a visa, Singapore has one of the most powerful passports.
根據(jù)2017年護(hù)照指數(shù)顯示（它是按該國公民無簽證可進(jìn)入的國家數(shù)量排名），新加坡是擁有最強大護(hù)照的國家之一。
Since its founding in 1965, Singapore’s foreign policy has been predicated on fostering as many international friends as possible.
自1965年成立以來，新加坡的外交政策一直以培養(yǎng)盡可能多的國際朋友為前提。
The country took a neutral stance during the Cold War, instead focusing its efforts on uniting Southeast Asian countries under ASEAN.
冷戰(zhàn)期間，該國采取中立立場，致力于將東南亞國家團(tuán)結(jié)在東盟之下。
Today, the country plays an active role in the United Nations, often standing up to world powers like the US, China and the UK, to ensure that smaller nations have a say in international affairs.
如今，新加坡在聯(lián)合國中發(fā)揮著積極的作用，經(jīng)常像美國，中國和英國這樣的世界大國一樣站出來，以確保小國在國際事務(wù)中有發(fā)言權(quán)。
It even upholds friendly relations with Malaysia, the country it separated from more than 50 years ago amid political and racial tension.
新加坡堅持與馬來西亞保持友好關(guān)系（50多年前，因為政治和種族沖突，新加坡從馬來西亞分離出來，獨立建國。）
As a result of its good international standing, Singaporean passport holders can travel visa-free to 156 countries and territories, including all of Europe, a region that is notoriously different to gain full access to.
由于其良好的國際地位，新加坡護(hù)照持有人可以免簽證前往156個國家和地區(qū)，包括整個歐洲（眾所周知歐洲簽證很難辦）。
Sweden takes a similar approach to foreign policy, and accordingly, has an equally powerful passport.
瑞典采取類似的外交政策，因此，同樣擁有強大的護(hù)照。
Sweden has not fought in an armed conflict since the early 19th century, when it fought on the losing side of the Napoleonic Wars.
當(dāng)瑞典在拿破侖戰(zhàn)爭失敗后，自19世紀(jì)初以來它就沒有參與過武裝沖突。
Instead, its military has focused on encouraging countries to disarm, peacekeeping and other support missions.
然而，其軍事力量側(cè)重于鼓勵各國解除武裝，維持和平和其他支援任務(wù)。
As a neutral state, Sweden often serves as a protector for less powerful nations, and a mediator in international disputes.
作為一個中立國，瑞典經(jīng)常充當(dāng)不太強大國家的保護(hù)者，在國際爭端中充當(dāng)調(diào)停者。
But the most powerful passport is that of Germany, offering visa-free access to 157 countries and territories.
但最強大的護(hù)照還是德國護(hù)照，可以免簽證進(jìn)入157個國家和地區(qū)。
Germany is arguably the world’s strongest supporter of global cooperation.
德國可以說是世界上“全球合作”概念最強大的支持者。
It is a member of many international organizations, including the UN, EU, NATO and OECD, and contributes more net funding to the European Union than any other member country.
它是許多國際組織的成員，包括聯(lián)合國、歐盟、北約和經(jīng)合組織，并比其他成員國提供更多的資金給歐盟。
Germany takes a leading role in solving global problems, like climate change, nuclear weapons development and terrorism, and has used much of its own budget to bail out struggling EU economies like Greece.
德國在解決氣候變化，核武器發(fā)展和恐怖主義等全球性問題方面發(fā)揮領(lǐng)導(dǎo)作用，并利用自己大部分資金來救助歐盟經(jīng)濟困難國家，如希臘。
But forging friendships with other nations isn’t the only way to gain widespread visa-free travel.
但是，與其他國家建立友誼并不是獲得廣泛免簽證旅行的唯一途徑。
Some countries, like China, have seen increased travel freedom simply because their citizens have on average become wealthier.
一些國家，如中國，旅行自由度增加了，僅僅是因為他們的公民平均變得更有錢了。
In 2015, Japan, South Korea, and the US all eased visa restrictions on Chinese tourists, presumably because of the economic benefits they would likely bring with them.
2015年，日本、韓國和美國都放寬了對中國游客的簽證限制，可能是因為中國游客會給這些國家?guī)斫?jīng)濟利益。
The Passport Index also shows that being a citizen of a global superpower is not all that important to one’s travel freedom.
護(hù)照指數(shù)還表明，作為全球超級大國的公民，對于一個人自由旅行并不重要。
In another study of travel freedom, the United States comes in fourth place, as relations with countries like Vietnam are still somewhat tense.
在另一項關(guān)于旅行自由的研究中，美國排在第四位，因為與越南等國家的關(guān)系仍然有點緊張。
In the end, a country’s travel freedom is hugely important to its citizens.
最后，一個國家的旅行自由對其公民非常重要。
The ability to more freely around the world is often correlated to a person’s economic opportunity, upward mobility and general quality of life.
在世界各地自由行動的能力經(jīng)常與一個人的經(jīng)濟機會、向上流動性和總體生活質(zhì)量相關(guān)。
As globalization takes hold, powerful passports are more critical now than ever.
隨著全球化的到來，強大的護(hù)照比以往任何時候都更為重要。
No matter where your passport’s from, some countries are notoriously different to enter, especially if you are of a certain nationality.
無論你持有哪里的護(hù)照，想進(jìn)入某些國家是非常困難的，特別是如果你是某個國籍的話。
To find out more about which countries you probably can’t visit, check out this video.
想了解更多關(guān)于哪些國家你可能無法訪問，請看這個視頻吧。
Along with Finland, Germany, Sweden and the UK, the US has the most powerful travel privileges in the world allowing visa-free access to 174 countries.
與芬蘭、德國、瑞典和英國一樣，美國擁有世界上最強大的旅行特權(quán)，可以免簽證進(jìn)入174個國家。
英文原版視頻鏈接：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7oF-t9Ybv8
中文字幕視頻鏈接：http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjQ4NTExOTA2NA==.html
“本譯文僅供個人研習(xí)、欣賞語言之用，謝絕任何轉(zhuǎn)載及用于任何商業(yè)用途。本譯文所涉法律后果均由本人承擔(dān)。本人同意簡書平臺在接獲有關(guān)著作權(quán)人的通知后，刪除文章?！?/b>
