Moving to Sierra Leone from Iraq

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Iraq to Sierra Leone? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iraq to Sierra Leone, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Iraq to Sierra Leone.

Living there in 2010
1

people born in Iraq live in Sierra Leone · UN DESA

Who's moving to Sierra Leone?

Top countries of origin for Sierra Leone's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Sierra Leone compared to Iraq.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
SL
2.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
SL
13.8

Sierra Leone performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IQ
$843
SL
$159
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
SL
0.4

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IQ
87.0
SL
97.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
SL
0.2t

Iraq generally does better on environment, though Sierra Leone leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IQ
14.4
SL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
SL
0.5%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
SL
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
SL
$1,700

Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Sierra Leone leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
SL
58.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
SL
73.4

Iraq generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone 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.

Baghdad Rain: 4.8 in/yr (123 mm)
87° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Freetown
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 87°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Freetown
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Sierra Leone. To live, work, or study long-term in Sierra Leone, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sierra Leone's immigration authority.

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa Required
Iraq passport holders need a visa to enter Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Required
Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa to enter Iraq.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sierra Leone?

Connectivity is usually fine (Sierra Leone: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sierra Leone offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Sierra Leone safe for expats?

Sierra Leone performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to Iraq?

The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?

The official language in Sierra Leone is English. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.

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At a Glance

IQ SL
Population 40,462,701 8,692,606
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +232
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104