Burkina Faso ranked 122/197 by economy size with a GDP of $23.3B and 179/197 by GDP per capita at $987. Burkina Faso has $12.2B in government debt, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 50.2%.
In 2025, Burkina Faso made up 0.02% of the world's economy, compared to 0.02% in 1960.
The chart below shows GDP in nominal terms, GDP adjusted for inflation (in constant dollars), and a bar chart of year-over-year inflation-adjusted growth.
| Year | GDP | GDP growth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current $ | Constant $ | ||
| 1960 | $330,442,816 | $1,166,782,786 | - |
| 1961 | $350,247,234 | $1,213,966,642 | 5.99% |
| 1962 | $379,567,099 | $1,288,368,214 | 8.37% |
| 1963 | $394,040,667 | $1,272,031,494 | 3.81% |
| 1964 | $410,321,645 | $1,301,069,674 | 4.13% |
| 1965 | $422,916,790 | $1,350,049,032 | 3.07% |
| 1966 | $433,889,766 | $1,357,307,072 | 2.59% |
| 1967 | $450,753,924 | $1,477,066,551 | 3.89% |
| 1968 | $460,442,689 | $1,522,423,925 | 2.15% |
| 1969 | $478,298,645 | $1,553,269,468 | 3.88% |
| 1970 | $458,404,269 | $1,555,087,098 | -4.16% |
| 1971 | $482,411,179 | $1,577,065,764 | 5.24% |
| 1972 | $578,595,522 | $1,613,519,619 | 19.9% |
| 1973 | $674,773,570 | $1,620,769,605 | 16.6% |
| 1974 | $751,133,430 | $1,755,073,487 | 11.3% |
| 1975 | $939,972,703 | $1,807,697,310 | 25.1% |
| 1976 | $976,547,188 | $1,961,982,376 | 3.89% |
| 1977 | $1,131,224,878 | $1,969,248,648 | 15.8% |
| 1978 | $1,475,583,645 | $2,059,988,180 | 30.4% |
| 1979 | $1,748,480,621 | $2,135,478,950 | 18.5% |
| 1980 | $1,928,719,888 | $2,152,496,130 | 10.3% |
| 1981 | $1,775,842,334 | $2,244,091,371 | -7.93% |
| 1982 | $1,754,450,096 | $2,458,675,800 | -1.2% |
| 1983 | $1,600,278,605 | $2,467,182,444 | -8.79% |
| 1984 | $1,459,880,132 | $2,423,298,751 | -8.77% |
| 1985 | $1,552,493,196 | $2,629,699,951 | 6.34% |
| 1986 | $2,036,303,358 | $2,838,902,120 | 31.2% |
| 1987 | $2,369,834,950 | $2,832,192,750 | 16.4% |
| 1988 | $2,616,040,479 | $2,996,335,114 | 10.4% |
| 1989 | $2,615,587,734 | $3,060,764,327 | -0.02% |
| 1990 | $3,101,300,779 | $3,042,310,108 | 18.6% |
| 1991 | $3,135,045,584 | $3,318,247,161 | 1.09% |
| 1992 | $3,356,692,505 | $3,325,969,080 | 7.07% |
| 1993 | $3,199,536,465 | $3,441,093,673 | -4.68% |
| 1994 | $1,895,290,637 | $3,486,344,305 | -40.8% |
| 1995 | $2,379,517,975 | $3,685,636,779 | 25.5% |
| 1996 | $2,586,550,595 | $4,091,600,230 | 8.7% |
| 1997 | $2,447,669,102 | $4,350,059,855 | -5.37% |
| 1998 | $2,804,902,367 | $4,667,950,033 | 14.6% |
| 1999 | $3,389,566,713 | $5,013,156,038 | 20.8% |
| 2000 | $2,968,370,088 | $5,107,828,181 | -12.4% |
| 2001 | $3,190,371,081 | $5,445,629,584 | 7.48% |
| 2002 | $3,622,350,063 | $5,682,675,870 | 13.5% |
| 2003 | $4,740,768,143 | $6,126,066,307 | 30.9% |
| 2004 | $5,451,688,538 | $6,400,419,255 | 15% |
| 2005 | $6,146,353,173 | $6,954,815,456 | 12.7% |
| 2006 | $6,547,419,820 | $7,389,711,521 | 6.53% |
| 2007 | $7,625,722,837 | $7,693,530,570 | 16.5% |
| 2008 | $9,451,435,490 | $8,139,754,707 | 23.9% |
| 2009 | $9,450,696,873 | $8,380,850,242 | -0.008% |
| 2010 | $10,109,619,741 | $9,088,720,452 | 6.97% |
| 2011 | $12,080,295,978 | $9,690,626,654 | 19.5% |
| 2012 | $12,561,015,157 | $10,315,931,044 | 3.98% |
| 2013 | $13,444,300,486 | $10,913,490,102 | 7.03% |
| 2014 | $13,943,016,077 | $11,385,699,970 | 3.71% |
| 2015 | $11,832,159,316 | $11,832,159,316 | -15.1% |
| 2016 | $12,833,363,045 | $12,537,116,612 | 8.46% |
| 2017 | $14,106,955,615 | $13,314,855,313 | 9.92% |
| 2018 | $15,890,066,221 | $14,194,244,129 | 12.6% |
| 2019 | $16,032,813,503 | $15,030,172,259 | 0.9% |
| 2020 | $17,725,010,533 | $15,332,394,849 | 10.6% |
| 2021 | $19,697,516,284 | $16,396,850,183 | 11.1% |
| 2022 | $18,820,218,691 | $16,642,350,340 | -4.45% |
| 2023 | $20,324,617,845 | $17,134,994,111 | 7.99% |
| 2024 | $23,250,214,910 | $17,989,191,218 | 14.4% |
Economic Statistics of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$23.3B
2024 |
122/197 |
| GDP growth |
14.4%
2023-2024 |
19/196 |
| GDP per capita |
$987
2024 |
179/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$2,896
2024 |
182/197 |
| Government debt |
$12.2B
2024 |
119/185 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
50.2%
2025 |
110/185 |
| Government debt per person |
$520
2024 |
166/185 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$2,810
2025 |
143/197 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
30.2%
2021 |
56/169 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
3%
2021 |
58/169 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
24.1%
2025 |
127/195 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
4.19%
2023-2024 |
67/195 |
| Unemployment rate |
3.44%
2024 |
138/196 |
| Population |
24497999
|
59/197 |
Burkina Faso's GDP per capita
Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $987, ranking 179/197, a GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) of $2,896, ranking 182/197, and a median annual after tax income of $2,810, ranking 143/197.
| Year | Current $ | |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1960 | $69.2 | - |
| 1961 | $72.2 | - |
| 1962 | $77.2 | - |
| 1963 | $78.9 | - |
| 1964 | $80.9 | - |
| 1965 | $82.1 | - |
| 1966 | $82.8 | - |
| 1967 | $84.6 | - |
| 1968 | $85 | - |
| 1969 | $86.8 | - |
| 1970 | $81.7 | - |
| 1971 | $84.5 | - |
| 1972 | $99.6 | - |
| 1973 | $114.1 | - |
| 1974 | $124.7 | - |
| 1975 | $152.9 | - |
| 1976 | $155.5 | - |
| 1977 | $176 | - |
| 1978 | $223.9 | - |
| 1979 | $258.5 | - |
| 1980 | $277.6 | - |
| 1981 | $248.7 | - |
| 1982 | $239 | - |
| 1983 | $211.9 | - |
| 1984 | $187.8 | - |
| 1985 | $194.1 | - |
| 1986 | $247.5 | - |
| 1987 | $280.2 | - |
| 1988 | $301 | - |
| 1989 | $293.2 | - |
| 1990 | $339 | $567 |
| 1991 | $334 | $623 |
| 1992 | $349 | $623 |
| 1993 | $324 | $644 |
| 1994 | $187.2 | $650 |
| 1995 | $229.1 | $684 |
| 1996 | $242.7 | $753 |
| 1997 | $223.9 | $794 |
| 1998 | $249.5 | $838 |
| 1999 | $292.8 | $886 |
| 2000 | $248.9 | $896 |
| 2001 | $259.5 | $948 |
| 2002 | $285.7 | $974 |
| 2003 | $362 | $1,038 |
| 2004 | $404 | $1,079 |
| 2005 | $441 | $1,172 |
| 2006 | $456 | $1,244 |
| 2007 | $515 | $1,290 |
| 2008 | $619 | $1,351 |
| 2009 | $602 | $1,360 |
| 2010 | $625 | $1,449 |
| 2011 | $725 | $1,531 |
| 2012 | $731 | $1,572 |
| 2013 | $760 | $1,643 |
| 2014 | $765 | $1,661 |
| 2015 | $630 | $1,692 |
| 2016 | $664 | $1,882 |
| 2017 | $709 | $2,042 |
| 2018 | $777 | $2,073 |
| 2019 | $765 | $2,232 |
| 2020 | $825 | $2,381 |
| 2021 | $896 | $2,486 |
| 2022 | $836 | $2,642 |
| 2023 | $883 | $2,755 |
| 2024 | $987 | $2,896 |
Burkina Faso's government spending, deficit, and chart
This chart shows Burkina Faso's government spending, budget balance, and debt over time, each expressed as a share of GDP.
Over the past 41 years, Burkina Faso recorded a fiscal deficit in 39 years — average annual deficit equal to -3.4% of GDP. In 2024, government spending reached $6.21B (24.1% of GDP), with a deficit of -4.31%.
The national debt reached $12.2B, ranking 119th out of 185 countries by total size, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 50.2%, ranking 110th.
| Year | % of GDP | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government spending | Government debt | Government deficit/surplus | |
| 1985 | 11.5% | 28.5% | -1.21% |
| 1986 | 16.3% | 27.6% | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 19.2% | 30.7% | -5.27% |
| 1988 | 16.2% | 28.8% | -4.32% |
| 1989 | 14.2% | 25.5% | 1.96% |
| 1990 | 18.4% | 25.6% | -7.54% |
| 1991 | 17% | 28.7% | -2.77% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | 29.6% | -2.51% |
| 1993 | 17.9% | 33.6% | -3.81% |
| 1994 | 17.8% | 55.1% | -1.89% |
| 1995 | 19.4% | 48.9% | -2.65% |
| 1996 | 19.8% | 45.8% | -1.67% |
| 1997 | 20% | 48.4% | -2.64% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | 47.7% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | 46.4% | -3.29% |
| 2000 | 19.8% | 47.5% | -3.03% |
| 2001 | 19.7% | 46.6% | -3.56% |
| 2002 | 19.5% | 43.3% | -4.43% |
| 2003 | 17.6% | 39.7% | -1.79% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | 40.7% | -4.19% |
| 2005 | 20.2% | 39.2% | -4.89% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | 20.1% | 14.3% |
| 2007 | 22.8% | 22.4% | -5.01% |
| 2008 | 18.6% | 24.9% | -3.63% |
| 2009 | 21.5% | 25.9% | -4.16% |
| 2010 | 21.7% | 22.7% | -4.06% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | 28.4% | -2.04% |
| 2012 | 22.7% | 25.2% | -2.76% |
| 2013 | 25.3% | 25.9% | -3.55% |
| 2014 | 20.9% | 26.1% | -1.74% |
| 2015 | 20.4% | 31.3% | -2.09% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | 32.9% | -3.08% |
| 2017 | 26.3% | 33.9% | -6.92% |
| 2018 | 24.2% | 38.1% | -4.43% |
| 2019 | 23.3% | 41.7% | -3.39% |
| 2020 | 24.4% | 43.6% | -5.16% |
| 2021 | 27.8% | 55.4% | -7.43% |
| 2022 | 31.3% | 56.4% | -10.4% |
| 2023 | 27.9% | 52.7% | -6.56% |
| 2024 | 26.7% | 52.7% | -5.68% |
| 2025 | 24.1% | 50.2% | -4.31% |
Inflation rate by year
Over the past 20 years, Burkina Faso has had an average annual inflation rate of 2.7%. In 2024, inflation was 4.19%. The bar chart below shows consumer price inflation by year.
| Year | Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.79% |
| 1961 | 18.6% |
| 1962 | 1.68% |
| 1963 | 5.57% |
| 1964 | 1.85% |
| 1965 | -0.73% |
| 1966 | 2.36% |
| 1967 | -4.33% |
| 1968 | -0.29% |
| 1969 | 9.66% |
| 1970 | 1.77% |
| 1971 | 2.06% |
| 1972 | -2.92% |
| 1973 | 7.6% |
| 1974 | 8.72% |
| 1975 | 18.8% |
| 1976 | -8.4% |
| 1977 | 30% |
| 1978 | 8.27% |
| 1979 | 15% |
| 1980 | 12.2% |
| 1981 | 7.56% |
| 1982 | 12.1% |
| 1983 | 8.15% |
| 1984 | 4.85% |
| 1985 | 6.91% |
| 1986 | -2.61% |
| 1987 | -2.68% |
| 1988 | 4.26% |
| 1989 | -0.48% |
| 1990 | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 2.16% |
| 1992 | -1.99% |
| 1993 | 0.55% |
| 1994 | 25.2% |
| 1995 | 7.46% |
| 1996 | 6.1% |
| 1997 | 2.32% |
| 1998 | 5.08% |
| 1999 | -1.07% |
| 2000 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 5.01% |
| 2002 | 2.18% |
| 2003 | 2.03% |
| 2004 | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 6.42% |
| 2006 | 2.33% |
| 2007 | -0.23% |
| 2008 | 10.7% |
| 2009 | 2.61% |
| 2010 | -0.76% |
| 2011 | 2.76% |
| 2012 | 3.82% |
| 2013 | 0.53% |
| 2014 | -0.26% |
| 2015 | 0.72% |
| 2016 | 0.44% |
| 2017 | 1.48% |
| 2018 | 1.96% |
| 2019 | -3.23% |
| 2020 | 1.88% |
| 2021 | 3.65% |
| 2022 | 14.3% |
| 2023 | 0.74% |
| 2024 | 4.19% |
Balance of trade
|
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
-$1.02B
2023 |
121/189 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
-5%
2023 |
136/189 |
| Goods imports |
$5.38B
2023 |
132/188 |
| Goods exports |
$5.29B
2023 |
117/188 |
| Service imports |
$1.45B
2023 |
134/188 |
| Service exports |
$621M
2023 |
140/188 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
34.9%
2024 |
113/180 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
28.5%
2024 |
118/193 |
Burkina Faso's top 10 trading partners
Burkina Faso's biggest trading partner accounting for 26.3%% of all exports and imports is Switzerland, with a trade balance between the two of +$3.16B — Burkina Faso exports $3.17B worth of goods and services to Switzerland and imports $13M.
Below is the list of the top 10 trade partners of Burkina Faso.
| Rank | Country | Trade value | Share of total trade | Export to | Import from | Top export to | Top import from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Switzerland
|
$3.18B | 26.3% | $3.17B | $13M | Precious metals & jewellery | Raw materials & minerals |
| 2 |
UAE
|
$1.55B | 12.8% | $1.48B | $76.1M | Precious metals & jewellery | Raw materials & minerals |
| 3 |
Ivory Coast
|
$1.15B | 9.46% | $164M | $982M | Textiles & consumer goods | Raw materials & minerals |
| 4 |
China
|
$1.04B | 8.63% | $23.7M | $1.02B | Raw agricultural goods | Machinery & equipment |
| 5 |
Russia
|
$754M | 6.23% | $1.99M | $752M | Raw materials & minerals | Raw materials & minerals |
| 6 |
Ghana
|
$658M | 5.44% | $84.3M | $574M | Raw agricultural goods | Raw materials & minerals |
| 7 |
India
|
$350M | 2.89% | $54.3M | $296M | Precious metals & jewellery | Chemicals & pharma |
| 8 |
France
|
$345M | 2.85% | $41.2M | $304M | Textiles & consumer goods | Chemicals & pharma |
| 9 |
Belgium
|
$265M | 2.19% | $18.1M | $247M | Raw agricultural goods | Raw materials & minerals |
| 10 |
United States
|
$200M | 1.65% | $18.5M | $182M | Textiles & consumer goods | Raw materials & minerals |
Burkina Faso's top 10 exports
|
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Precious metals & jewellery | $4.65B | 29/190 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $342M | 95/193 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $284M | 96/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $168M | 148/188 |
| Business & finance services | $134M | 122/188 |
| Raw materials & minerals | $130M | 147/193 |
| Manufacturing & construction services | $121M | 80/164 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $90.3M | 133/192 |
| Machinery & equipment | $86M | 132/193 |
| Government & miscellaneous services | $69.8M | 86/180 |
Burkina Faso's top 10 imports
|
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials & minerals | $3.09B | 95/193 |
| Machinery & equipment | $1.33B | 133/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $712M | 139/188 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $532M | 132/193 |
| Business & finance services | $417M | 116/188 |
| Metals | $391M | 132/193 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $329M | 139/193 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $304M | 129/193 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $221M | 148/193 |
| Manufacturing & construction services | $160M | 73/163 |
Economic freedom indices
|
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 51 | 157/197 |
| Property rights | 28.1 | 149/182 |
| Government integrity | 40.7 | 149/182 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 35.7 | 149/182 |
| Tax burden | 82 | 73/181 |
| Government spending | 73.3 | 91/180 |
| Fiscal health | 13.7 | 160/181 |
| Business freedom | 38.6 | 156/182 |
| Labor freedom | 61.9 | 50/182 |
| Monetary freedom | 71.9 | 81/180 |
| Trade freedom | 61.4 | 144/181 |
| Investment freedom | 65 | 50/181 |
| Financial freedom | 40 | 106/181 |
Burkina Faso's economic freedom by year
Burkina Faso is ranked 143/180 for economic freedom with a score of 51, compared to 89/163 and a score of 56.6 in 2005.
| Year | Index | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | Judicial effectiveness | Tax burden | Government spending | Fiscal health | |
| 1996 | 49.4 | - | 66.7 | 84.3 | - |
| 1997 | 54 | - | 66.5 | 85.3 | - |
| 1998 | 54.5 | - | 66.3 | 86.9 | - |
| 1999 | 55 | - | 66.1 | 86.4 | - |
| 2000 | 55.7 | - | 69.2 | 85.5 | - |
| 2001 | 56.7 | - | 73.4 | 76.5 | - |
| 2002 | 58.8 | - | 65.9 | 78.1 | - |
| 2003 | 58.9 | - | 77.1 | 78.1 | - |
| 2004 | 58 | - | 77.7 | 84.9 | - |
| 2005 | 56.6 | - | 77.6 | 86.4 | - |
| 2006 | 55.8 | - | 77.6 | 87.3 | - |
| 2007 | 55.1 | - | 77.4 | 86.5 | - |
| 2008 | 55.7 | - | 77.5 | 85.9 | - |
| 2009 | 59.5 | - | 80.7 | 83.7 | - |
| 2010 | 59.4 | - | 80.4 | 80 | - |
| 2011 | 60.6 | - | 80.5 | 86 | - |
| 2012 | 60.6 | - | 80.4 | 84 | - |
| 2013 | 59.9 | - | 81.4 | 82 | - |
| 2014 | 58.9 | - | 83 | 82.3 | - |
| 2015 | 58.6 | - | 82.4 | 79.8 | - |
| 2016 | 59.1 | - | 82.8 | 76.8 | - |
| 2017 | 59.6 | 28.4 | 82.6 | 82.5 | 88.4 |
| 2018 | 60 | 47.1 | 80.6 | 83.7 | 80.4 |
| 2019 | 59.4 | 42.9 | 81.9 | 80 | 61.8 |
| 2020 | 56.7 | 42.6 | 81.3 | 77 | 49.2 |
| 2021 | 56.5 | 36.6 | 80.9 | 81.9 | 60.8 |
| 2022 | 58.3 | 36.3 | 81.8 | 82.3 | 66.1 |
| 2023 | 56.2 | 42.7 | 81.5 | 80.6 | 52 |
| 2024 | 51.9 | 36.4 | 82.2 | 76.3 | 13.2 |
| 2025 | 51 | 35.7 | 82 | 73.3 | 13.7 |
More economic indicators
|
Burkina Faso
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
40.2%
2024 |
177/191 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
29.7%
2024 |
58/194 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
18.6%
2024 |
37/193 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$20.7B
2024 |
120/194 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$2,770
2024 |
178/191 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
-$64.3M
2023 |
64/188 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$82.9M
2024 |
150/193 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$2.73M
2024 |
135/187 |
|
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
|
4.41%
2023 |
52/119 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
43.2%
2021 |
34/176 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
27.1%
2024 |
47/176 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
Relevant pages:
Burkina Faso topic pages:
Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.