Travel safety comparison Β· Africa

Namibia vs Zimbabwe: safety comparison

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

Β· How Warnely scores risk β†’
Namibia sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Zimbabwe (28 against 42), 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 crime, where Namibia scores 2/5 against Zimbabwe's 3/5.
πŸ‡³πŸ‡¦Namibia πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡ΌZimbabwe
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 28 / 100 42 / 100
Risk tier Exercise Normal Caution Exercise Increased Caution
UK FCDO advisory No active advisory No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Global Peace Index rank #50 #114
Drug law Severe (long sentences) Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Exercise Caution Exercise Caution
LGBTQ+ legal status legal illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency NAD ZWL
Full guide

Is Namibia safe to visit in 2026?

Full guide

Is Zimbabwe safe to visit in 2026?

Namibia vs Zimbabwe: common questions

Is Namibia or Zimbabwe safer to visit?

Namibia has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 28/100 vs 42/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Namibia or Zimbabwe safer for solo female travellers?

Namibia is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Zimbabwe is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Namibia and Zimbabwe?

Namibia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State). Zimbabwe: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State).

More comparisons

Namibia vs South Africa · Botswana vs Namibia · Lesotho vs Namibia · Botswana vs Zimbabwe · Zambia vs Zimbabwe · Mozambique vs Zimbabwe · Malawi vs Zimbabwe · Angola vs Namibia

Planning the trip? Check Namibia visa requirements and Zimbabwe visa requirements.

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