Travel safety comparison · Africa
Cape Verde vs Gambia: safety comparison
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Side-by-side safety comparison of Cape Verde and Gambia 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.
Cape Verde sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Gambia (18 against 32), 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 Cape Verde scores 1/5 against Gambia's 2/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 1 advisory on Cape Verde and a Level 2 on Gambia. Women's-safety rating differs: Cape Verde is Generally Safe and Gambia is Exercise Caution. Drug law diverges sharply: Gambia carries a tier-severe regime against Cape Verde's more permissive framework.
| 🇨🇻Cape Verde | 🇬🇲Gambia | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 18 / 100 | 32 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Very Safe | Exercise Normal 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 | #55 |
| 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 | GMD |