Travel safety comparison · Africa

Cape Verde vs Sierra Leone: safety comparison

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Cape Verde vs Sierra Leone: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Cape Verde carries a materially lower safety risk than Sierra Leone on the composite Warnely score: 18/100 against 37/100, a gap of 19 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Cape Verde scores 1/5 against Sierra Leone's 3/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 1 advisory on Cape Verde and a Level 2 on Sierra Leone. Women's-safety rating differs: Cape Verde is Generally Safe and Sierra Leone is Exercise Caution. Drug law diverges sharply: Sierra Leone carries a tier-severe regime against Cape Verde's more permissive framework.
🇨🇻Cape Verde 🇸🇱Sierra Leone
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 18 / 100 37 / 100
Risk tier Very Safe Exercise Increased Caution
UK FCDO advisory No active advisory No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Global Peace Index rank n/a #57
Drug law Strict Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Generally Safe Exercise Caution
LGBTQ+ legal status legal illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency CVE SLE
Full guide

Is Cape Verde safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Sierra Leone safe to visit in 2026?

Cape Verde vs Sierra Leone: common questions

Is Cape Verde or Sierra Leone safer to visit?

Cape Verde has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 18/100 vs 37/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Cape Verde or Sierra Leone safer for solo female travellers?

Cape Verde is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Sierra Leone is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Cape Verde and Sierra Leone?

Cape Verde: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Sierra Leone: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State).

More comparisons

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Planning the trip? Check Cape Verde visa requirements and Sierra Leone visa requirements.

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