Travel safety comparison · Africa
Sierra Leone vs Senegal: safety comparison
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Side-by-side safety comparison of Sierra Leone and Senegal 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.
Senegal sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Sierra Leone (26 against 37), 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 Senegal scores 2/5 against Sierra Leone's 3/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 2 advisory on Sierra Leone and a Level 1 on Senegal.
| 🇸🇱Sierra Leone | 🇸🇳Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 37 / 100 | 26 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Normal Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #57 | #69 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | SLE | XOF |