Is Kirkuk safe? Iraq travel risk
Is Kirkuk safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Kirkuk scores 75/100 on our travel risk index (Extreme). The US State Department rates Iraq Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 29 Aug 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 22 Jul 2026); Canada says: avoid all travel. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Kirkuk scores 75/100 (Extreme). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Iraq (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Kirkuk: nearest emergency and transport facilities, local climate normals, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km, frequently asked questions.
Driven by: The US State Department and Government of Canada advise against all travel here, so the score is held at 75 or higher. Governments disagree: US Level 4, UK Level 2, Canada Level 4.
A score of 75 is higher than the scores of 91% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Iraq travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Territorial & Position Context
In the Karkūk territory, Kirkuk is established at 35.4667° N, 44.4000° E. It lies 239.2 km S relative to Baghdad. Time zone observed: Asia/Baghdad.
Karkūk
35.4667° N, 44.4000° E
346 m
Asia/Baghdad
975,000
Critical Services & Regional Transit
Adjacent Localities in Iraq
Climate by Month
Hottest: July (43 °C avg high); Wettest: January (90 mm).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 13° | 15° | 20° | 26° | 33° | 39° | 43° | 42° | 38° | 31° | 21° | 14° |
| Low °C | 3° | 5° | 8° | 13° | 19° | 24° | 28° | 28° | 23° | 17° | 11° | 5° |
| Rain mm | 90 | 74 | 68 | 64 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 76 | 72 |
Normals: Kirkuk (0 km away).
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Most flood events within 100 km of Kirkuk happened in December (3 of 8 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Iraq travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Iraq entry requirements.
Regional Centers with Threat Ratings
Questions travellers ask about Kirkuk
Is Kirkuk safe?
Kirkuk currently scores 75/100 on our composite travel risk index (extreme risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Iraq (Level 4 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — Kirkuk · Methodology
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