Safest Countries in Africa 2024

Africa is the second-largest continent and second-most-populous continent on Earth. Africa spans over 11.6 million mi² (30 million km²) and has a population of approximately 1.4 billion people. Africa comprises 54 countries fully recognized by the United Nations, two independent states (Western Sahara and Somaliland) with little-to-no recognition, and nearly a dozen small, mostly island territories controlled by France, Spain, and other non-African countries.

Africa is the poorest continent on Earth and includes a number of in-development countries and countries ruled by extremist regimes. All of these factors contribute to the fact that some African countries are much safer to visit than others. Africa was also slow to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the U.S. Department of State's travel advisory for many African countries. Most African countries, however, had recovered by late 2022 and regained their pre-COVID advisory levels.

The Global Peace Index

The Global Peace Index (GPI) is an annual report that measures and ranks the peacefulness of 163 countries to determine the world's most peaceful countries. The GPI is published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace, which measures 23 indicators of peace, which are grouped into three categories: Ongoing International and Domestic Conflict, Societal Safety and Security, and Militarization. Example indicators include the number and duration of internal conflicts, relationships with neighboring countries, political instability, the level of violent crimes, and the level of perceived criminality in society. The indicators’ values are then merged to create a single unified GPI value for each country. The lower the GPI score, the more peaceful—and by extension, the safer—the country is considered to be.

Top 10 Safest Countries in Africa (GPI)

How safe is Mauritius? 1.546

The safest country in Africa, Mauritius also ranked as the 23rd-safest country in the world in 2023. Mauritius is a multicultural island nation that is family-friendly and secure. Mauritius is a haven for tourists, with attractions that include beaches and lagoons, reef dives, water activities, the "seven-colored earth" of the Chamarel, and lush forests filled with wildlife. Mauritius has a very low crime rate overall and what little crime does occur tends to be non-violent, such as petty theft. Mauritius struggled to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the U.S. Department of State to issue Mauritius a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) advisory, but that advisory returned to Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) by the fall of 2022, retaining this status into mid-2024.

How safe is Botswana? 1.762

Botswana is 2023's second safest African country. Ranked at position 42 on the global GPI, Botswana is a popular tourist destination thanks to attractions that include Chobe National Park, game reserves, and the Tsodilo World Heritage site. As of April 2022, Botswana had a Level 1 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State in late 2022, having largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. This status has since been elevated to Level 2 (Increased Caution) in 2024.

How safe is Sierra Leone? 1.792

Third safest country in Africa, Sierra Leone is a coastal nation in West Africa, known for its vast and numerous beaches as well as its rainforests and wildlife preserves. The country has a GPI ranking of 47th in the world for 2023. While Sierra Leone is traditionally safe to visit, local police often lack the training and capacity to respond effectively to violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery (which occur most often in Freetown), and civil unrest can provoke demonstrations and protests that are best avoided. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) advisory for Sierra Leone in 2022 that has remained in effect into 2024.

How safe is Ghana? 1.799

Ghana is the fourth safest country in Africa for 2023 and sits at position 51 on the Global Peace Index. Although Ghana fell five positions between 2018 and 2019, it has rebounded since and is now considered to be safer than several popular travel destinations, including France, Greece, Jamaica, Argentina, and the United States. Ghana offers a wide range of attractions, from wildlife viewing and safaris to sun-soaked beaches, vibrant nightlife, and cultural attractions. As of late 2023, retaining it into mid-2024, Ghana has had a Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State due to violence against members of the LGBTQI+ community, crime, and unrest in certain specific parts of the country.

How safe is Senegal? 1.827

Senegal was the fifth safest country in Africa in 2021 (54 on the Global Peace Index) and slid only slightly to 10th and 70th respectively in 2022. However, it climbed up to the fifth safest in Africa and 52nd safest globally in 2023, in addition to enjoying only a Level 1 travel advisory from the US state Department as of mid-2024. Like The Gambia, Senegal has lingering concerns about land mines (and crime) in the Casamance region, but is quite safe overall. Admired for its mix of scenic beaches and forests, animal sanctuaries, and archaeological attractions, Senegal has relatively low levels of crime and disease, and its people are known for being generous hosts.

How safe is Madagascar? 1.846

Sixth safest country in Africa as of 2023, Madagascar ranked as the 55th-safest country in the world for the same year. Leisure tourism is a significant part of the economy in Madagascar, which is renowned for its unique wildlife, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. The U.S. Department of State awarded Madagascar a Level 2 (Increased Caution) Travel Advisory as of July 2023 (still in effect mid-2024), while advising to be alert in certain areas due to occasional political unrest.

How safe is Namibia? 1.859

Seventh safest African country, Namibia landed in the 56th position in the 2023 Global Peace Index, and boasts some of the most rugged and picturesque landscapes (and wildlife viewing) in Africa. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a vast, scenic desert on the other, Namibia offers attractions that include scenic beaches and mountains, towering sand dunes perfect for sunrise photos, some of the world's least light-polluted skies (for stargazing), and ample opportunities to view giraffes, lions, rhinos, and more. In late 2023, still in effect as of mid-2024, the United States Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Namibia.

How safe is The Gambia? 1.888

The Gambia ranked eighth among the safest African countries and 59th safest globally for 2023. Leisure tourism is a huge part of the economy of The Gambia, which is known for its mix of "sun, sand, sea, nature, and varied cultural experience." The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 (Increased Caution) Travel Advisory for The Gambia as of late 2023 (still in effect mid-2024), while noting the border with Senegal may require a higher level of caution due to some lingering land mines from the Casamance conflict.

How safe is Zambia? 1.898

The ninth safest country in Africa in 2023, Zambia is also the 63rd safest in the world. The country itself is landlocked, but it is gifted with spectacular waterfalls, rivers, and lakes, vast open spaces and abundant wildlife, and is a top safari destination. In July, 2023, the U.S. Department of State assigned Zambia a Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) travel advisory, still in effect as of mid-2024, in effect declaring Zambia even safer than some countries that ranked above it in terms of GPI.

How safe is Liberia? 1.946

Rounding out the top ten safest African countries is Liberia, also sharing spot 70 with several other countries for the world’s safest countries in 2023. Liberia moved eight spots upwards on the global safest countries list since 2022. In July 2023, the U.S. Department of State issued a level 2 warning about traveling to Liberia “due to crime and civil unrest,” travel advisory that is still in effect as of July, 2024.

Former safest African countries:

Malawi. 1.970

Malawi, 2022’s eighth safest African country, earned spot 11 in 2023, barely missing the top 10. The country posted a global GPI ranking of 74 in 2023, landing between Cambodia (1.947) and UAE (1.979). Malawi also ranked in the top 10 of travel site Lonely Planet's Top Ten Countries list for 2022, thanks to the country's mix of "lake, landscape, wildlife, and culture." Crime in Malawi is generally low, with purse-snatching and petty thefts being the largest threats. Since late 2022 and into mid-2024, Malawi has been rated Level 2 travel advisory (Exercise Increased Caution) by the U.S. Department of State, largely due to a rise in crimes including theft, armed robbery, and carjacking, with police resources stretched thin at times.

Equatorial Guinea. 2.013

Seventh safest country in Africa in 2022, Equatorial Guinea earned only the 13th spot on this list for 2023. The country ranked 82nd in the world on the 2023 GPI and, as of April 2024, has a Level 2 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State. One of Equatorial Guinea's greatest tourist attractions is Monte Alen National Park, a 2000 km² preserve filled with rain forest flora, lakes and waterfalls, and wildlife ranging from gorillas to elephants.

Tanzania. 2.058

Tanzania's 2021 GPI of 1.892 earned it the title of seventh-safest country in Africa and 58th-safest in the world for 2021. The country's 2022 GPI rose to 2.001, which placed it 86th in the world and 18th in Africa. This was due in part to the country's struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which also prompted the US Department of State to issue a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Tanzania. Fortunately, by late 2022 the country had regained its traditional Level 2 travel advisory (due to the potential of crime, terrorism in the Mtwara region, and targeting of LGBTI persons). In 2023, Tanzania held spot 91 globally and spot 19 in Africa on the lists of the safest countries. The country’s most popular attraction is the Serengeti Plains, which offers tourists a potentially unforgettable safari experience.