When it comes to international travel, where you’re going may not matter as much as where you’re coming from.
当我们谈到国际旅行的时候，你从哪里来比你要去哪里更重要。
That’s because different passports allow varying levels of so-called travel freedom.
这是因为不同护照允许不同程度的所谓的“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.
虽然有些旅行者能够轻松通过海关，在国外住几个月甚至几年。其他人则需要支付昂贵的签证费，严格的时间限制或繁琐的审批程序。
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，为什么会有这种差异呢？哪些国家的护照最好用呢？其实，护照往往反映了他们国家的国际地位。
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.
也就是说，大多数坚持积极外交关系的国家往往拥有更强大的护照，因为这些国家的领导人已经共同签署了双边签证协议。
For example, Afghan passport holders are extremely limited in where they can travel, as the country is embroiled in many international conflicts.
例如，阿富汗护照持有人，他们可以去旅行的地方极为有限，因为该国卷入许多国际冲突。
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.
根据2017年护照指数显示（它是按该国公民无签证可进入的国家数量排名），新加坡是拥有最强大护照的国家之一。
Since its founding in 1965, Singapore’s foreign policy has been predicated on fostering as many international friends as possible.
自1965年成立以来，新加坡的外交政策一直以培养尽可能多的国际朋友为前提。
The country took a neutral stance during the Cold War, instead focusing its efforts on uniting Southeast Asian countries under ASEAN.
冷战期间，该国采取中立立场，致力于将东南亚国家团结在东盟之下。
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，新加坡在联合国中发挥着积极的作用，经常像美国，中国和英国这样的世界大国一样站出来，以确保小国在国际事务中有发言权。
It even upholds friendly relations with Malaysia, the country it separated from more than 50 years ago amid political and racial tension.
新加坡坚持与马来西亚保持友好关系（50多年前，因为政治和种族冲突，新加坡从马来西亚分离出来，独立建国。）
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.
由于其良好的国际地位，新加坡护照持有人可以免签证前往156个国家和地区，包括整个欧洲（众所周知欧洲签证很难办）。
Sweden takes a similar approach to foreign policy, and accordingly, has an equally powerful passport.
瑞典采取类似的外交政策，因此，同样拥有强大的护照。
Sweden has not fought in an armed conflict since the early 19th century, when it fought on the losing side of the Napoleonic Wars.
当瑞典在拿破仑战争失败后，自19世纪初以来它就没有参与过武装冲突。
Instead, its military has focused on encouraging countries to disarm, peacekeeping and other support missions.
然而，其军事力量侧重于鼓励各国解除武装，维持和平和其他支援任务。
As a neutral state, Sweden often serves as a protector for less powerful nations, and a mediator in international disputes.
作为一个中立国，瑞典经常充当不太强大国家的保护者，在国际争端中充当调停者。
But the most powerful passport is that of Germany, offering visa-free access to 157 countries and territories.
但最强大的护照还是德国护照，可以免签证进入157个国家和地区。
Germany is arguably the world’s strongest supporter of global cooperation.
德国可以说是世界上“全球合作”概念最强大的支持者。
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.
它是许多国际组织的成员，包括联合国、欧盟、北约和经合组织，并比其他成员国提供更多的资金给欧盟。
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.
德国在解决气候变化，核武器发展和恐怖主义等全球性问题方面发挥领导作用，并利用自己大部分资金来救助欧盟经济困难国家，如希腊。
But forging friendships with other nations isn’t the only way to gain widespread visa-free travel.
但是，与其他国家建立友谊并不是获得广泛免签证旅行的唯一途径。
Some countries, like China, have seen increased travel freedom simply because their citizens have on average become wealthier.
一些国家，如中国，旅行自由度增加了，仅仅是因为他们的公民平均变得更有钱了。
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、韩国和美国都放宽了对中国游客的签证限制，可能是因为中国游客会给这些国家带来经济利益。
The Passport Index also shows that being a citizen of a global superpower is not all that important to one’s travel freedom.
护照指数还表明，作为全球超级大国的公民，对于一个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.
在另一项关于旅行自由的研究中，美国排在第四位，因为与越南等国家的关系仍然有点紧张。
In the end, a country’s travel freedom is hugely important to its citizens.
最后，一个国家的旅行自由对其公民非常重要。
The ability to more freely around the world is often correlated to a person’s economic opportunity, upward mobility and general quality of life.
在世界各地自由行动的能力经常与一个人的经济机会、向上流动性和总体生活质量相关。
As globalization takes hold, powerful passports are more critical now than ever.
随着全球化的到来，强大的护照比以往任何时候都更为重要。
No matter where your passport’s from, some countries are notoriously different to enter, especially if you are of a certain nationality.
无论你持有哪里的护照，想进入某些国家是非常困难的，特别是如果你是某个国籍的话。
To find out more about which countries you probably can’t visit, check out this video.
想了解更多关于哪些国家你可能无法访问，请看这个视频吧。
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.
与芬兰、德国、瑞典和英国一样，美国拥有世界上最强大的旅行特权，可以免签证进入174个国家。
英文原版视频链接：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7oF-t9Ybv8
中文字幕视频链接：http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjQ4NTExOTA2NA==.html
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