Travel safety comparison · Middle East
Iraq vs Lebanon: safety comparison
vs
Iraq vs Lebanon: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Lebanon sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Iraq (63 against 73), but the gap is small enough that the practical difference comes down to category-by-category detail rather than the headline. The biggest single category gap is in terrorism, where Lebanon scores 3/5 against Iraq's 4/5. Women's-safety rating differs: Iraq is Do Not Travel and Lebanon is Exercise Caution.
| 🇮🇶Iraq | 🇱🇧Lebanon | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 73 / 100 | 63 / 100 |
| Risk tier | High Risk | High Risk |
| 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 | #147 | #136 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Do Not Travel | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | IQD | LBP |
Iraq vs Lebanon: common questions
Is Iraq or Lebanon safer to visit?
Lebanon has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 63/100 vs 73/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Iraq or Lebanon safer for solo female travellers?
Iraq is rated Do Not Travel for women's safety; Lebanon is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Iraq and Lebanon?
Iraq: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Lebanon: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).