01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Phone coverage is limited, especially on the road; a satellite phone is worth considering.Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Burkina Faso
West African CFA Franc · XOF
Ecobank cash machines accept both Visa and Mastercard for withdrawals.
Set up a PIN for the card before travelling, as cash machines ask for one.
Porters at the airport baggage belt expect around CFA500 per bag, so carry small CFA change.
Collect West African CFA Franc in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Fri, 11 Dec 2026 · Proclamation of Independence Day
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day
Sun, 3 Jan 2027 · Revolution Day
Mon, 8 Feb 2027–8 Mar · Ramadan (expected date)
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · International Women’s Day
Tue, 9 Mar 2027 · Eid al-Fitr (expected date)
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day
Sat, 15 May 2027 · Day of Customs and Traditions
Sun, 16 May 2027 · Eid al-Adha (expected date)
Thu, 5 Aug 2027 · Independence Day
Sun, 15 Aug 2027 · Assumption Day
Sun, 31 Oct 2027 · Martyrs' Day
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Burkina Faso say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning for some regions
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Do not travel
Calm
Caution
Serious
Don’t go ●
Level 4 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 3 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 3 May 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
Advises against all travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 10 Dec 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 10 Dec 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Yellow fever vaccine is required for entry; hepatitis A and B, typhoid and malaria tablets are advised.
Vaccinations
Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry from 9 months of age; hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and routine shots are recommended, plus meningococcal vaccine for the dry season.
Malaria
RiskTalk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
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Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $27.6 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $1,148Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 24.1 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 19 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 64.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2019 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 274,200 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara DesertSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast; occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the southSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +226Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Umm al-Qura calendar (computed with ICU) · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
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