Travel Safety in Iraq
Overview
Iraq is involved in an ongoing regional conflict primarily between Iran, Israel and the United States. Although a peace agreement between the US and Iran has lowered the risk of conflict; the accord is tentative and could collapse at any time.
Generally the security environment in Iraq is unpredictable and volatile. In most areas of the country, foreign nationals face a significant risk of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and conflict. Foreign nationals have been specifically targeted in acts of violence.
Social discrimination, particularly towards female travellers, is also a concern.
Medical facilities are very limited outside of Baghdad and the cities of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.
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Basic information
Medical:
There is no national emergency service in Iraq.
Money:
The currencies in use are the Iraqi dinar (ID) and the United States dollar (USD).
ATMs that accept foreign bank cards are not widespread.
Credit cards are only accepted in some international hotels.
Language:
The country's main languages are Arabic and Kurdish. English is not widely spoken.
Water:
Tap water is generally not safe to consume
Connectivity:
3G and 4G available.