Moving to Botswana from Iraq
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iraq to Botswana — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iraq to Botswana, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Tswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Iraq and Botswana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iraq performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Botswana performs significantly better than Iraq across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Botswana generally does better on infrastructure, though Iraq leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Iraq generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Baghdad | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Botswana. To live, work, or study long-term in Botswana, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Botswana's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Botswana passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Botswana?
With 4.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Botswana can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iraq and Botswana.
Is Botswana safe for expats?
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Iraq?
Iraq performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
