Travel safety comparison · Africa
Botswana vs South Africa: safety comparison
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Botswana vs South Africa: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Botswana carries a materially lower safety risk than South Africa on the composite Warnely score: 24/100 against 52/100, a gap of 28 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Botswana scores 2/5 against South Africa's 5/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Botswana carries a tier-severe regime against South Africa's more permissive framework.
| 🇧🇼Botswana | 🇿🇦South Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 24 / 100 | 52 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Normal Caution | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #43 | #124 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Moderate |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | marriage |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | BWP | ZAR |
Botswana vs South Africa: common questions
Is Botswana or South Africa safer to visit?
Botswana has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 24/100 vs 52/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Botswana or South Africa safer for solo female travellers?
Botswana is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; South Africa is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Botswana and South Africa?
Botswana: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). South Africa: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).