Safest cities in Sierra Leone
5 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in Sierra LeoneAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Sierra Leone, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- Following the end of the civil war in 2002, the political situation in Sierra Leone has improved. However, the political situation can change and protests can turn violent. Avoid any political gatherings or demonstrations and follow any curfews or restrictions. Remain vigilant as the security situation could change quickly.
Crime
- Reporting crimeThe Sierra Leone Police charge foreign nationals a fee for police reports. They will not issue a crime reference number, which is needed for most insurance claims, without a police report. Do not pay the police directly. Make your payment to the Sierra Leone Police Revenue Generation Fund account at the Bank of Sierra Leone and get a receipt.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry ID such as a passport or residence permit. The police will usually accept a copy of your passport’s photo page and visa stamp.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesDo not become involved with drugs of any kind. There are heavy penalties for drug trafficking, including prison sentences. Prison conditions are harsh.
- Diamond smugglingThere are heavy penalties for diamond smuggling, including prison sentences.
- Land ownership disputesLand registry records are sometimes disputed and can lead to land disputes, where more than one person claims rights to the same land. Disputes can lead to threats of violence. If you are concerned about land ownership, seek independent legal advice and contact the Anti-Land Grabbing Unit of the Sierra Leone Police. The British High Commission…
- Taking photographs and filmmakingDo not take pictures of military installations or any other official government buildings, including prisons and courthouses. There have been instances where individuals have been arrested for doing so.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex relations between men are illegal in Sierra Leone, even if they are consensual. Penalties can include imprisonment. Same-sex relations are not illegal between women. All travellers should exercise caution given the much more conservative culture than UK.
- Adoption in Sierra LeoneThe UK does not recognise adoption orders from Sierra Leone. If you are planning to adopt a child in Sierra Leone, make sure you comply with Sierra Leone’s adoption laws. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs is responsible for adoptions in Sierra Leone.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Water sports and swimming safetyThere are strong ocean currents along the coast in Sierra Leone, and no lifeguards on any beaches. You go into the sea at your own risk.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Sierra Leone, see information on driving abroad.
- Road conditions and safetySerious traffic accidents are common and road travel across the country comes with risks, including:
- Sierra Leone’s borders with Guinea and LiberiaSierra Leone is bordered to the north and east by Guinea, and to the south by Liberia. There will be security personnel at these borders. Make sure you have your paperwork ready if you are crossing by land. Stay calm and patient while you wait for your paperwork to be processed and be prepared for disruption and short-notice border closures.
- Checkpoints and unofficial roadblocksOfficers in uniform control official checkpoints with marked barriers.
- Air travelThe UK Air Safety List (ASL) lists all known airlines in Sierra Leone 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…
- Travel to and from Lungi airportLungi airport is on the far side of a wide estuary across from Freetown. The journey time from Freetown to the airport is around 3 hours by road. There are no car hire facilities at the airport.
- Airport water taxis and ferriesThe 2 main water taxi operators, Sierra Leone Sea Coach Express Africa and SeaBird Water Taxi, run a reliable service between Freetown and Lungi. It takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the boat.
Phone services and utilities
- There is no country-wide coverage from mobile network providers in Sierra Leone. Some areas have no mobile reception. There’s no public telephone system, and landline connections are mainly disused. Calls between Sierra Leone mobile phones and Sierra Leone landline phones are not possible.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Sierra Leone, updated 2026-06-19 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 2.22 /100k2020
- Income inequality
- Gini 35.72018
- Human development
- HDI 0.4672023
- Income
- $3,690/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 33.0 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 58/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 43/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 34/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 4.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.60GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 22.5 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 11%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.1 doctors /1k0.4 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 283 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Flood
- 5.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 2.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Sierra Leone (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How Sierra Leone compares
| Measure | Sierra Leone | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.2 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −0.2 /100k — better for Sierra Leone |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 35.7 | 35.2 | +0.5 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.467 | 0.763 | −0.296 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 33.0 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +17.6 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 43/100 | 52/100 | −9/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 34/100 | 39/100 | −5/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 22.5 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +2.8 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.8/10 | 3.8/10 | +1.0/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Sierra Leone | Africa median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.2 /100k | 4.7 /100k | −2.4 /100k — better for Sierra Leone |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 35.7 | 38.5 | −2.8 — better for Sierra Leone |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.467 | 0.563 | −0.096 — better for Africa median |
| Road deaths | 33.0 /100k | 27.9 /100k | +5.1 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Rule of law | 43/100 | 42/100 | +1/100 — better for Sierra Leone |
| Corruption perceptions | 34/100 | 30/100 | +4/100 — better for Sierra Leone |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 22.5 µg/m³ | 27.7 µg/m³ | −5.2 µg/m³ — better for Sierra Leone |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.8/10 | 5.3/10 | −0.5/10 — better for Sierra Leone |
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 5 cities, safest first
- Freetown69.1 · #3516 worldwide
- Bo69.1 · #3517 worldwide
- Kenema69.1 · #3518 worldwide
- Makeni69.1 · #3519 worldwide
- Koidu Town69.1 · #3520 worldwide