World Safety Map

Safest cities in Iraq

51 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

  • Federal Iraq
  • Kurdistan Region of Iraq
  • The parts of Anbar province which are west of, but not including Ramadi City
  • Diyala province except for Baqubah City
  • Kirkuk province
  • Ninawa province
  • Salah al-Din province
  • Jurf al-Sakr town in Babil province
  • Sadr City, part of Baghdad province
  • Within 5km of areas that border Iran in Wasit, Maysan and Basra provinces
  • Within 5km of Iraq’s borders with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
  • The remainder of Al-Muthanna province
  • Al-Qadasiyah province
  • The remainder of Anbar province
  • Babil province (except Jurf al-Sakr town)
  • Baghdad province (except Sadr City)
  • The remainder of Basra province, including Highways 1 and 8 and the Safwan-Kuwait border crossing
  • Dhi Qar Province
  • Karbala Province
  • The remainder of Maysan province
  • The remainder of Najaf province
  • The remainder of Wasit province
  • Baqubah City in Diyala province
  • The road sections of Highway 34 between Baghdad and Baqubah, and Highway 2 between Baqubah and Erbil

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

What official travel advice warns about

Terrorism

  • Terrorism in IraqTerrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Iraq.
  • UK prosecution for terrorism offencesIf you travel to Iraq to fight, and your activities amount to offences against UK terrorism legislation, you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.
  • Terrorist kidnapThere is a high threat of kidnapping throughout Iraq.

Security situation

  • ProtestsProtests take place regularly across Iraq, including in and around the International Zone. Clashes between Iraqi security forces and protesters have resulted in casualties and loss of life. Avoid rallies, marches and processions, and follow the instructions of local authorities.
  • CurfewsCurfews and vehicle bans can be imposed at short notice, particularly during protests and civil unrest, but also around religious holidays, pilgrimages and politically sensitive times, such as elections.

Crime

  • The proliferation of guns throughout Iraq mean they are readily available to many Iraqi citizens. Guns are frequently used to settle personal grievances, criminal acts and tribal disputes.

Laws and cultural differences

  • Personal IDIt is a legal requirement to carry some form of photographic ID in Iraq. Always carry your passport or residence permit. The authorities may stop people for ID checks at checkpoints within cities and on main roads across the country. You should cooperate with officials conducting checks.
  • Lost and stolen passportsIt is a legal requirement to publish the details of your lost or stolen passport in two local newspapers, after reporting the incident to the police. You may be refused an exit stamp until you have done so.
  • RamadanRamadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, do not:
  • The Arba’-eenThe Arba’-een, an annual pilgrimage that attracts millions of pilgrims to Iraq, usually occurs between August and September.
  • Child custodyIraqi family law is very different from UK law. Male heads of household can impose ‘travel bans’ on family members. Even if you, or your child, hold a British passport, you may be subject to Iraqi laws.
  • JournalistsAuthorities may detain journalists using allegations of inadequate paperwork. Journalists should be extremely cautious and take adequate security measures.
  • Alcohol laws and bansThe import, manufacture, or selling of alcoholic drinks is punishable by fines of up to 25 million Iraqi dinars (IQD). FCDO is not aware of any instances of Iraqi officials stopping travellers carrying alcohol for personal use.
  • Illegal drugs and prison sentencesIraq continues to practise the death penalty for a range of crimes including:
  • DronesThe Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) prohibits sharing footage of drones being launched or target locations with media outlets or on social media, and violations may result in legal action.
  • LGBT+ travellersIn July 2024, the Iraqi Parliament updated its Anti-Prostitution and Homosexuality Law which criminalises same-sex relationships, any promotion of same-sex relationships or behaviours, and bans people from changing gender. Under the amendment, same-sex relationships are now illegal and sexual acts could lead to a prison sentence between 10 to 15…

Transport risks

  • Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Iraq, see information on driving abroad.
  • Air travelWhen in an airport, be wary of anyone approaching you that you do not know or cannot identify. Do not accept offers from strangers for help or transport. Cooperate fully with security officials at airports and observe any additional security measures.
  • Sea travelPorts are at high risk of attack. Be extremely cautious if you are in any type of vessel in the northern Persian Gulf. Vessels are at an increased risk of attack in:

Extreme weather and natural disasters

  • FloodingFlash floods are common between November and March. Expect disruption to travel. Exercise caution in areas of heavy rainfall, as floods have caused loss of life.
  • EarthquakesEarthquakes are a risk in Iraq.
  • Dust stormsSand and dust storms are common during the spring and summer months. Poor visibility can create difficult driving conditions and affect flights.

Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Iraq, updated 2026-07-22 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →

Country figures

Homicide rate
9.46 /100k2013
Income inequality
Gini 29.82023
Human development
HDI 0.6952023
Income
$14,290/yrGNI per capita PPP
Road deaths
27.3 /100kWHO, 2019
Political stability
31/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
Rule of law
34/100WGI, 2024
Corruption perceptions
28/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
Natural-hazard risk
5.7/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Women, Peace & Security
0.51GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
Air quality
49.5 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
Safe drinking water
60%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
Healthcare capacity
1.0 doctors /1k1.1 hospital beds per 1,000
Malaria
0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only

Natural hazards

Flood
9.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Drought
7.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Earthquake
5.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier

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

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

How Iraq compares

Iraq against the median of all 180 countries in the dataset. Green means better than the median.
MeasureIraqWorld medianDifference
Homicide rate9.5 /100k2.4 /100k+7.1 /100k — better for World median
Income inequality (Gini)29.835.2−5.4 — better for Iraq
Human development (HDI)0.6950.763−0.068 — better for World median
Road deaths27.3 /100k15.4 /100k+11.9 /100k — better for World median
Rule of law34/10052/100−18/100 — better for World median
Corruption perceptions28/10039/100−11/100 — better for World median
Air quality (PM2.5)49.5 µg/m³19.7 µg/m³+29.8 µg/m³ — better for World median
Natural-hazard risk5.7/103.8/10+1.9/10 — better for World median
And against its own region — often the more useful comparison, since Asia shares much of the context a global median averages away.
MeasureIraqAsia medianDifference
Homicide rate9.5 /100k1.5 /100k+7.9 /100k — better for Asia median
Income inequality (Gini)29.833.6−3.8 — better for Iraq
Human development (HDI)0.6950.771−0.076 — better for Asia median
Road deaths27.3 /100k14.9 /100k+12.4 /100k — better for Asia median
Rule of law34/10052/100−18/100 — better for Asia median
Corruption perceptions28/10037/100−9/100 — better for Asia median
Air quality (PM2.5)49.5 µg/m³26.7 µg/m³+22.8 µg/m³ — better for Asia median
Natural-hazard risk5.7/103.6/10+2.1/10 — better for Asia 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 51 cities, safest first

  1. Basra64.5 · #4032 worldwide
  2. Amarah64.5 · #4033 worldwide
  3. Az Zubayr64.5 · #4034 worldwide
  4. Al Qurna64.5 · #4035 worldwide
  5. Al-Rumaitha64.5 · #4036 worldwide
  6. Al Majar al Kabir64.5 · #4037 worldwide
  7. Al Hamzah64.5 · #4038 worldwide
  8. Ash Shamiya64.5 · #4039 worldwide
  9. Al-Hirah64.5 · #4040 worldwide
  10. Al-Najaf62.6 · #4226 worldwide
  11. Ad Diwaniyah62.6 · #4227 worldwide
  12. Al-Kut62.6 · #4228 worldwide
  13. Al Hai62.6 · #4229 worldwide
  14. Nasiriyah61.5 · #4331 worldwide
  15. As Samawah61.5 · #4332 worldwide
  16. Suq al Shyukh61.5 · #4333 worldwide
  17. Al-Shatrah60.7 · #4366 worldwide
  18. Qalat Sukkar60.7 · #4367 worldwide
  19. Al Qasim59.6 · #4464 worldwide
  20. Al Kifl59.2 · #4503 worldwide
  21. Al Midhatiya59.2 · #4504 worldwide
  22. Al Hillah57.3 · #4670 worldwide
  23. Abu Gharaq56.5 · #4746 worldwide
  24. Karbala56.3 · #4756 worldwide
  25. Ramadi53.6 · #4977 worldwide
  26. Fallujah50.8 · #5138 worldwide
  27. Sulaymaniyah50.4 · #5161 worldwide
  28. Baghdad50.2 · #5176 worldwide
  29. Qaryat at Taliah49.4 · #5210 worldwide
  30. Al Baaj49.4 · #5211 worldwide
  31. Jafar Muhammad Ali49.4 · #5214 worldwide
  32. Al Mushahidah49.2 · #5267 worldwide
  33. Gayara49.1 · #5274 worldwide
  34. Tal Afar49.1 · #5276 worldwide
  35. Shorsh49.1 · #5283 worldwide
  36. Kalar49.0 · #5300 worldwide
  37. Tikrit49.0 · #5301 worldwide
  38. Baqubah48.7 · #5324 worldwide
  39. Samarra48.7 · #5327 worldwide
  40. Al Khalis48.5 · #5333 worldwide
  41. Tuz Khormato48.3 · #5343 worldwide
  42. Kirkuk48.1 · #5349 worldwide
  43. Erbil47.9 · #5360 worldwide
  44. Mosul47.6 · #5378 worldwide
  45. Al-Qa'im47.4 · #5389 worldwide
  46. Shaikh Muhammad47.3 · #5391 worldwide
  47. Soran47.2 · #5403 worldwide
  48. Qaryat Jarf al Milh46.6 · #5436 worldwide
  49. Zakho46.5 · #5439 worldwide
  50. Domeez46.2 · #5458 worldwide
  51. Duhok45.7 · #5485 worldwide