Travel safety comparison · Africa

Ethiopia vs Somalia: safety comparison

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Ethiopia vs Somalia: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Ethiopia carries a materially lower safety risk than Somalia on the composite Warnely score: 64/100 against 90/100, a gap of 26 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Ethiopia scores 3/5 against Somalia's 5/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 3 advisory on Ethiopia and a Level 4 on Somalia. Women's-safety rating differs: Ethiopia is Exercise Caution and Somalia is Do Not Travel.
🇪🇹Ethiopia 🇸🇴Somalia
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 64 / 100 90 / 100
Risk tier High Risk Do Not Travel
UK FCDO advisory avoid all but essential travel to parts of country; avoid all travel to parts of country avoid all travel to parts of country
US State Department advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) Level 4 (Do Not Travel)
Global Peace Index rank #138 #151
Drug law Severe (long sentences) Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Exercise Caution Do Not Travel
LGBTQ+ legal status illegal death
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency ETB SOS
Full guide

Is Ethiopia safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Somalia safe to visit in 2026?

Ethiopia vs Somalia: common questions

Is Ethiopia or Somalia safer to visit?

Ethiopia has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 64/100 vs 90/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Ethiopia or Somalia safer for solo female travellers?

Ethiopia is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Somalia is rated Do Not Travel. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Ethiopia and Somalia?

Ethiopia: avoid all but essential travel to parts of country; avoid all travel to parts of country (FCDO), Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) (US State). Somalia: avoid all travel to parts of country (FCDO), Level 4 (Do Not Travel) (US State).

More comparisons

Djibouti vs Ethiopia · Eritrea vs Ethiopia · Ethiopia vs South Sudan · Ethiopia vs Sudan · Djibouti vs Somalia · Kenya vs Somalia · Eritrea vs Somalia · Seychelles vs Somalia

Planning the trip? Check Ethiopia visa requirements and Somalia visa requirements.

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