IsMyTripSafe.com

Is Basra safe? 🇮🇶

Iraq · Safety report last updated

As of July 2026, Basra scores 18/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: elevated risk — reconsider. No, Basra is not safe for travelers. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (high risk).

Safety Report

IsMyTripSafe.com

Basra 🇮🇶

Iraq · Assessed 29 July 2026

18

/ 100

Elevated risk — reconsider

Safer than ~6% of countries

Score capped at 18 Level 4 advisory — "Do Not Travel". No other indicator can raise the score above this.

What drives this score

Crime42/100CautionHomicide 9.5 / 100k
Sentiment38/100ElevatedVery Negative
Advisories0Elevated
Stability35Elevated
Health54Caution

01 · Official Guidance

Advisories

Elevated

UK Foreign Office (FCDO)

Level 4

Advises against all travel to parts of the country

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Areas where FCDO advises against travel Federal Iraq FCDO advises against all travel to: The parts of Anbar province which are west of, but not including Ramadi City Diyala province except for Baqubah City Kirkuk province Ninawa province Salah al-Din province Jurf al-Sakr town in Babil province Sadr City, part of Baghdad province Within 5km of areas that border Iran in Wasit, Maysan and Basra provinces Within 5km of Iraq’s borders with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait FCDO advises against all but essential travel to: The remainder of Al-Muthanna province Al-Qadasiyah province The remainder of Anbar province Babil province (except Jurf al-Sakr town) Baghdad province (except Sadr City) The remainder of Basra province, including Highways 1 and 8 and the Safwan-Kuwait border crossing Dhi Qar Province Karbala Province The remainder of Maysan province The remainder of Najaf province The remainder of Wasit province Baqubah City in Diyala province The road sections of Highway 34 between Baghdad and Baqubah, and Highway 2 between Baqubah and Erbil Kurdistan Region of Iraq FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

Updated 2026-07-22T16:11:21Z

Full advisory →

Government of Canada

Level 4

Avoid all travel

Canada's official risk level for Iraq: avoid all travel.

Updated 2026-07-29T14:31:46.2003107-04:00

Full advisory →

02 · Evidence Signals

Crime

Caution

Mugging & robbery risk

High risk
45

City SignalCity Web Research

Pickpocketing & theft risk

Moderate risk
70

City SignalCity Web Research

Visitor safety sentiment

20 / 100 (Very Negative)
20

City SignalCity Web Research

Urban scale factor

1.3M residents
71

City SignalCity Geocoding

Homicide rate

9.5 / 100kHomicide rate · per 100kJapan0.2Switzerland0.6World avg5.2United States5.8Iraq9.5Brazil19.3South Africa43.7
48

Country BaselineWorld Bank Open Data · 2013

Feel safe walking alone after dark

48.9%
47

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database · 2018

Physical assault (past year)

1.5%
92

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database · 2018

Robbery / mugging

High

While specific data for Basra is limited, the overall high-risk environment in Iraq suggests a significant risk of robbery and violent crime for visitors.

Pickpocketing

Moderate

Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are potential risks in crowded areas, though the broader security concerns overshadow this specific threat.

2 more indicators

Detected human-trafficking victims

0.02 / 100k
92

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database · 2022

Crime seen as a major business constraint

1.4%
97

Country BaselineWorld Bank Enterprise Surveys · 2011

03 · Environment

Health & Air

Caution

Air quality

US AQI 406 · Hazardous

Open-Meteo Air Quality

Hospitals

11 beds / 10k · country avg

WHO Global Health Observatory

Weather

July: highs ~52°C · dangerous heat

Open-Meteo

Road safety

21.5 / 100k

WHO Global Health Observatory

Natural hazards

No active alerts · 8 quakes ≥M4.5 past yr
94

Country BaselineGDACS / USGS

CDC travel health notices · none for this destination

Worldwide notices (not specific to this trip): Polio, Dengue, Measles

04 · Institutions

Stability

Elevated

Political stability & no terrorism

31/100
31

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

Terrorism deaths (latest year)

6.5 / million
49

Country BaselineGlobal Terrorism Database · 2021

Rule of law

34/100
34

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

Control of corruption

23/100
23

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

3 more indicators

Government effectiveness

30/100
30

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

Regulatory quality

39/100
39

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

Voice & accountability

39/100
39

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2024

05 · Field Research

Current Situation

Elevated

Traveller sentiment score

Very Negative

38/100

Reported feel20Very Negative
Robbery risk34High risk
Pickpocket risk78Moderate risk

Travel advice and news reports indicate a severely negative sentiment regarding safety in Iraq, with official advisories strongly discouraging any travel.

No, Basra is not safe for travelers.

Official government advisories strongly recommend avoiding all travel to Iraq, including Basra, due to significant security risks. The region faces ongoing instability, and while specific crime statistics for Basra are limited, the overall high-risk environment, coupled with recent incidents of protests and attacks, makes it unsafe for visitors.

Recent developments

  • Jul 2026Kuwait consulate in Basra faced a protest over an Iraqi fisherman’s death.شفق نيوز
  • Jul 2026A sea line between Khorramshahr (Iran) and Basra was launched to ease pilgrim travel.IRNA English
  • Apr 2026Protesters broke into the Kuwaiti consulate in Basra after a rocket attack killed three.Reuters
  • Jun 2026Basra Oil Company employees protested, threatening the Zubair oil field gate.صوت الإمارات

Common scams

  • Scams related to unofficial guides or transportation services, especially around border crossings or transport hubs.
  • Potential for inflated prices or fraudulent transactions due to limited tourist infrastructure and potential for corruption.
Which areas are safe? District-by-district ratings are on the Safety Map

Full briefing

Basra, Iraq, is not safe for travelers. All official government advisories, including those from the UK FCDO and the Government of Canada, strongly recommend avoiding all travel to Iraq. This advice is based on a comprehensive assessment of the security situation, which indicates a high level of risk for foreign nationals.

The composite safety index for Iraq is critically low, reflecting significant concerns across multiple domains including conflict, terrorism, and rule of law. While specific, up-to-date crime statistics for Basra are not readily available in the provided data, the broader context of Iraq's instability means that risks of violent crime, including robbery, are considered high. Recent news reports highlight ongoing security challenges, including protests targeting diplomatic missions, such as the incident at the Kuwaiti consulate in April 2026, and labor-related demonstrations impacting critical infrastructure like oil fields.

Beyond direct crime, travelers face extreme environmental hazards, including dangerous heat, with July temperatures reaching approximately 52°C. The air quality is also rated as hazardous. Furthermore, Iraq has a higher homicide rate than the global average, and while specific data for Basra is scarce, the general environment suggests a heightened risk of personal safety incidents. The presence of 8 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or greater in the past year also indicates a background seismic risk.

Given these severe risks, the most crucial safety tip is to heed all government travel advisories and avoid travel to Basra and Iraq entirely. If travel is absolutely unavoidable, maintaining an extremely low profile, avoiding any public gatherings or demonstrations, and staying informed about rapidly changing security situations are paramount. Travelers should also be aware of potential scams targeting foreigners, particularly around transportation and unofficial services, and ensure they have robust travel insurance, though it may be invalidated by official travel warnings.

IsMyTripSafe.com

Not legal or medical advice

Report generated 29 July 2026

Sources: U.S. State Dept · UK FCDO · World Bank · WGI · UNODC · WHO · UN SDG · Global Terrorism Database · Numbeo · OpenStreetMap · Open-Meteo · CDC. Composite index recomputed at request time.

Links:

06 · Neighbourhoods

Safest areas and areas to avoid

5 districts

Our field research rated 5 Basra districts for visitors, 3 needing caution and 2 best avoided. See them plotted on the Basra safety map.

Industrial Areas (e.g., near oil facilities)avoidHigh security presence, but potential for industrial accidents and restricted access.

Areas near border crossings (e.g., Safwan)avoidHigh risk due to proximity to borders and potential for smuggling and related criminal activity.

Corniche AreacautionGenerally considered safer due to its public nature, but still requires vigilance, especially after dark.

Old Town (Al-Ashar)cautionHistoric area, but infrastructure may be poor and petty crime could be a concern.

Residential neighborhoodscautionSafety can vary significantly; general caution and awareness of surroundings are advised.

07 · After Dark

Is Basra safe at night?

49% of people in Iraq say they feel safe walking alone at night in their area (UN SDG survey, 2018).

While specific data for Basra is limited, the overall high-risk environment in Iraq suggests a significant risk of robbery and violent crime for visitors.

After dark, be most careful around Industrial Areas (e.g., near oil facilities), Areas near border crossings (e.g., Safwan), Corniche Area, Old Town (Al-Ashar). Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.

08 · Trip Profiles

Score by traveller type

Who's travelling changes which risks matter. These re-weight Basra's category data for common trip types — same data, different emphasis. Run your own profile from the interactive checker.

Solo female travellerCrime +35% weight18
Solo travellerCrime +23% weight18
Family with kidsCrime +19% weight · Health & Air +12% weight18
Nightlife-focused tripCrime +28% weight18
Travellers 65+Crime +13% weight · Health & Air +16% weight · Stability +4% weight18
Business tripCrime +14% weight · Stability +6% weight18

09 · Questions

Basra safety FAQ

Is Basra safe for tourists right now?

No, Basra is not safe for travelers. Official government advisories strongly recommend avoiding all travel to Iraq, including Basra, due to significant security risks. The region faces ongoing instability, and while specific crime statistics for Basra are limited, the overall high-risk environment, coupled with recent incidents of protests and attacks, makes it unsafe for visitors. (Assessed 29 July 2026.)

Which areas of Basra should tourists avoid?

Field research flags Industrial Areas (e.g., near oil facilities), Areas near border crossings (e.g., Safwan) as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.

What are the most common scams in Basra?

  • Scams related to unofficial guides or transportation services, especially around border crossings or transport hubs.
  • Potential for inflated prices or fraudulent transactions due to limited tourist infrastructure and potential for corruption.

How does Basra compare with other places in Iraq?

Basra ranks #1 of 4 Iraq destinations we've assessed, scoring 18/100. See the Iraq safety overview for the full list.

How is this Basra safety score calculated?

The score blends 12+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry 82% of the weight; the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries 18%. Full methodology.

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Browse the Iraq safety overview or all destinations. Raw data: basra.json (CC BY 4.0).