World Safety Map

Safest cities in DR Congo

110 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04

US 4/4 Do not travelUK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of this country

Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting

  • Areas in Kinshasa Province
  • DRC-Central African Republic border
  • Eastern DRC
  • South-East DRC
  • Territory in Mai-Ndombe Province
  • Kisangani airport
  • The districts of N’djili and Kimbanseke in Kinshasa city south of the main access road to N’djili airport, in Nsele commune
  • The N1 road in Kinshasa Province, between and including Menkao to the west, Kenge to the east, the border of Mai-Ndombe province to the north, and 10km to the south
  • Haut-Uélé and Ituri, including the entire DRC-South Sudan border
  • North Kivu
  • South Kivu
  • Maniema
  • Tanganyika
  • Haut-Lomami

In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.

What official travel advice warns about

Terrorism

  • Terrorism in DRCTerrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in DRC.

Political situation

  • Protests and demonstrationsA range of military and peacekeeping forces are deployed in eastern DRC. Tensions about the presence of these forces and the role of international actors can cause protests in Goma and Kinshasa. There have been large protests against the UN peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO). In February…

Traveling around DRC

  • There is widespread poverty, social exclusion and health risks in many parts of the DRC. You may be at greater risk of being robbed or attacked in rural areas. Transport and accommodation are extremely limited outside Kinshasa and the major towns, so make travel arrangements in advance. Travel in the company of experienced people or organisations.

Crime

  • Street crime and scammingForeign nationals are at particular risk of street robbery in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and other urban centres, especially near hotels and supermarkets in the centre of town. Organised gangs lure people into traps through techniques including the use of children, promising cut-price gold and diamonds, or posing as police or security personnel.…
  • Criminal kidnapKidnapping is a risk in parts of Kinshasa, including the Limete area.
  • Vehicle crimeCarjackings are rare, but lock vehicle doors and keep windows closed when driving. Watch out for armed gangs who may target your car or try to enter it to rob you. Do not drive off the main roads or park in unsupervised areas.

Laws and cultural differences

  • Justice processThe DRC authorities rarely meet their international obligations to notify embassies when foreign nationals have been detained. Even if requested, adequate consular access is not always granted. Keep in close touch with family or friends and ask them to notify the British Embassy in Kinshasa immediately if you are arrested in DRC.
  • Using cameras in secure areasTaking photographs of some government and military buildings is illegal, particularly borders or military installations. You risk being arrested and detained. Journalists should not conduct interviews or film without the necessary local permits.
  • LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is not illegal in DRC but is frowned upon by many. There is no legal recognition of same-sex couples or same-sex marriage, and there are no specific anti-discrimination laws protecting LBGT+ people. Members of the LGBT+ community are known to be harassed. Individuals may be charged under DRC’s Penal Code for ‘crimes…
  • Adopting children from DRCFCDO advises against adopting from DRC. The UK does not recognise adoptions made in DRC as DRC is not a signatory to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
  • Camouflage clothingIf you wear any military-style clothing you could be misidentified as military personnel and be vulnerable to attack or detention.
  • MoneyCredit cards are only accepted in a limited number of places in Kinshasa and other cities. US dollars are widely used alongside the local currency and a number of ATMs dispense US dollars in Kinshasa. Notes should be in good condition and issued after 2001. Elsewhere in DRC, cash is needed for transactions.

Transport risks

  • Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Democratic Republic of Congo, see information on driving abroad. You’ll need a 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in DRC. You will not be able to buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
  • Road conditionsDriving standards are well below those in the UK and accidents are very common. Roads in the DRC are poorly maintained, largely unpaved and often not drivable with a standard vehicle, especially during the rainy season from September to May. Inside the cities, including Kinshasa, main roads are often paved but they can be narrow with cars parked…
  • Air travelThe UK Air Safety List (ASL) lists all known airlines in DRC that do not meet international safety standards and are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the UK. Check the UK Air Safety List when considering which airlines to fly with. The list is maintained by the Department for Transport, based on advice from the UK…
  • Rail travelThe railways are in a poor state and you should be aware of the increased risk of travel by train. A refurbished route opened between Kinshasa and Matadi in 2015, although services are infrequent and unreliable.
  • River travelThe ferry service between Kinshasa and Brazzaville stops running in the late afternoon and there is no service on Sundays.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

  • FloodingDuring the wet season (approximately September to May), heavy rainfall often causes severe flooding in parts of DRC. Check for news of flooding before travelling.
  • EarthquakesEarthquakes are a risk in DRC, but they are infrequent. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
  • Volcanic eruptionsMount Nyiragongo volcano, close to the city of Goma and near the border with Rwanda, erupted in 2002 and 2021, resulting in loss of lives and damage to infrastructure in and around Goma. Further volcanic activity is possible at any time.

Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for DR Congo, updated 2026-08-26 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →

Country figures

Homicide rate
no data
Income inequality
Gini 44.72020
Human development
HDI 0.5222023
Income
$1,850/yrGNI per capita PPP
Road deaths
34.9 /100kWHO, 2019
Political stability
30/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
Rule of law
29/100WGI, 2024
Corruption perceptions
20/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
Natural-hazard risk
8.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Women, Peace & Security
0.41GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
Air quality
35.8 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
Safe drinking water
12%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
Healthcare capacity
0.2 doctors /1k0.8 hospital beds per 1,000
Malaria
322 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only

Natural hazards

Flood
7.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Earthquake
4.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Drought
2.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier

Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.

Same-sex sexual activity is legal in DR Congo (as of 2025).

How DR Congo compares

DR Congo against the median of all 180 countries in the dataset. Green means better than the median.
MeasureDR CongoWorld medianDifference
Homicide rateno data2.4 /100k—
Income inequality (Gini)44.735.2+9.5 — better for World median
Human development (HDI)0.5220.763−0.241 — better for World median
Road deaths34.9 /100k15.4 /100k+19.5 /100k — better for World median
Rule of law29/10052/100−23/100 — better for World median
Corruption perceptions20/10039/100−19/100 — better for World median
Air quality (PM2.5)35.8 µg/m³19.7 µg/m³+16.1 µg/m³ — better for World median
Natural-hazard risk8.0/103.8/10+4.2/10 — better for World median
And against its own region — often the more useful comparison, since Africa shares much of the context a global median averages away.
MeasureDR CongoAfrica medianDifference
Homicide rateno data4.5 /100k—
Income inequality (Gini)44.738.3+6.5 — better for Africa median
Human development (HDI)0.5220.563−0.041 — better for Africa median
Road deaths34.9 /100k27.9 /100k+7.0 /100k — better for Africa median
Rule of law29/10042/100−13/100 — better for Africa median
Corruption perceptions20/10031/100−11/100 — better for Africa median
Air quality (PM2.5)35.8 µg/m³27.3 µg/m³+8.5 µg/m³ — better for Africa median
Natural-hazard risk8.0/105.2/10+2.8/10 — better for Africa median

Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.

All 110 cities, safest first

  1. Tshikapa69.2 · #3471 worldwide
  2. Kamina69.2 · #3472 worldwide
  3. Likasi69.2 · #3473 worldwide
  4. Kikwit69.2 · #3474 worldwide
  5. Kolwezi69.2 · #3475 worldwide
  6. Gemena69.2 · #3476 worldwide
  7. Mbandaka69.2 · #3477 worldwide
  8. Ilebo69.2 · #3478 worldwide
  9. Fungurume69.2 · #3479 worldwide
  10. Kasumbalesa69.2 · #3480 worldwide
  11. Kasaji69.2 · #3481 worldwide
  12. Mweka69.2 · #3482 worldwide
  13. Kabinda69.2 · #3483 worldwide
  14. Lisala69.2 · #3484 worldwide
  15. Kipushi69.2 · #3485 worldwide
  16. Kambove69.2 · #3486 worldwide
  17. Bumba69.2 · #3487 worldwide
  18. Kahemba69.2 · #3488 worldwide
  19. Kabongo69.2 · #3489 worldwide
  20. Luena69.2 · #3490 worldwide
  21. Dilolo69.2 · #3491 worldwide
  22. Buta69.2 · #3492 worldwide
  23. Lwambo69.2 · #3493 worldwide
  24. Kitenge69.2 · #3494 worldwide
  25. Pweto69.2 · #3495 worldwide
  26. Durba69.2 · #3496 worldwide
  27. Sandoa69.2 · #3497 worldwide
  28. Idiofa69.2 · #3498 worldwide
  29. Musumba69.2 · #3499 worldwide
  30. Boende69.2 · #3500 worldwide
  31. Isiro69.2 · #3501 worldwide
  32. Ankoro69.2 · #3502 worldwide
  33. Lubao69.2 · #3503 worldwide
  34. Lwebo69.2 · #3504 worldwide
  35. Basankusu69.2 · #3505 worldwide
  36. Kakanda69.2 · #3506 worldwide
  37. Lubutu69.2 · #3507 worldwide
  38. Kapolowe69.2 · #3508 worldwide
  39. Tshimbalanga69.2 · #3509 worldwide
  40. Tenke69.2 · #3510 worldwide
  41. Punia69.2 · #3511 worldwide
  42. Kabalo69.2 · #3512 worldwide
  43. Kabongo69.2 · #3513 worldwide
  44. Kindu66.0 · #3841 worldwide
  45. Mbanza-Ngungu66.0 · #3842 worldwide
  46. Kasongo66.0 · #3843 worldwide
  47. Kwilu-Ngongo66.0 · #3844 worldwide
  48. Kimpese66.0 · #3845 worldwide
  49. Lubumbashi64.2 · #4047 worldwide
  50. Kananga64.2 · #4048 worldwide
  51. Manono64.2 · #4049 worldwide
  52. Matadi64.2 · #4050 worldwide
  53. Demba64.2 · #4051 worldwide
  54. Kabondo-Dianda64.2 · #4052 worldwide
  55. Musangala64.2 · #4053 worldwide
  56. Kisantu64.2 · #4054 worldwide
  57. Kanyama64.2 · #4055 worldwide
  58. Mwadingusha64.2 · #4056 worldwide
  59. Kingombe64.2 · #4057 worldwide
  60. Bukama64.2 · #4058 worldwide
  61. Lwishia64.2 · #4059 worldwide
  62. Kitotolo64.2 · #4060 worldwide
  63. Kasaï-Oriental61.9 · #4286 worldwide
  64. Boma61.9 · #4287 worldwide
  65. Saramabila61.9 · #4288 worldwide
  66. Kinzao61.1 · #4356 worldwide
  67. Moanda61.1 · #4357 worldwide
  68. Katanga59.2 · #4499 worldwide
  69. Moba59.2 · #4500 worldwide
  70. Mulongo58.7 · #4538 worldwide
  71. Kikondja58.7 · #4539 worldwide
  72. Kyolo58.7 · #4540 worldwide
  73. Kalemie58.3 · #4573 worldwide
  74. Kilwa58.3 · #4574 worldwide
  75. Kongolo57.9 · #4596 worldwide
  76. Malemba-Nkulu57.9 · #4597 worldwide
  77. Mukubu57.9 · #4598 worldwide
  78. Mukanga57.9 · #4599 worldwide
  79. Mangi 157.9 · #4600 worldwide
  80. Nyunzu56.6 · #4734 worldwide
  81. Kasangulu56.3 · #4754 worldwide
  82. Luiza53.3 · #4999 worldwide
  83. Mwene-Ditu53.1 · #5015 worldwide
  84. Ngandajika53.1 · #5016 worldwide
  85. Luputa53.1 · #5017 worldwide
  86. Tshimbulu53.1 · #5018 worldwide
  87. Lukalaba53.1 · #5019 worldwide
  88. Tshela51.4 · #5112 worldwide
  89. Gbadolite50.9 · #5134 worldwide
  90. Kinshasa48.0 · #5355 worldwide
  91. Kenge48.0 · #5356 worldwide
  92. Maluku46.1 · #5459 worldwide
  93. Kamituga44.3 · #5597 worldwide
  94. Bandundu42.8 · #5682 worldwide
  95. Bukavu41.4 · #5741 worldwide
  96. Baraka39.8 · #5824 worldwide
  97. Kisangani39.1 · #5870 worldwide
  98. Uvira39.0 · #5874 worldwide
  99. Mafuo37.4 · #5918 worldwide
  100. Mahagi35.9 · #5950 worldwide
  101. Busisi33.0 · #5999 worldwide
  102. Kirumba33.0 · #6000 worldwide
  103. Goma32.9 · #6002 worldwide
  104. Rubaya32.6 · #6006 worldwide
  105. Rutshuru32.5 · #6007 worldwide
  106. Kanyabayonga32.5 · #6011 worldwide
  107. Mongbwalu31.9 · #6019 worldwide
  108. Butembo31.6 · #6020 worldwide
  109. Bunia31.0 · #6028 worldwide
  110. Beni30.3 · #6032 worldwide