Travel safety comparison · Africa
Botswana vs Eswatini: safety comparison
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Side-by-side safety comparison of Botswana and Eswatini for 2026: risk scores, FCDO and US State Department advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ legal status, and the practical decision between the two.
Botswana sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Eswatini (24 against 36), but the gap is small enough that the practical difference comes down to category-by-category detail rather than the headline.
| 🇧🇼Botswana | 🇸🇿Eswatini | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 24 / 100 | 36 / 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 | #43 | #99 |
| 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 | BWP | SZL |