Burkina Faso / 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮 – Let’s explore here
Burkina Faso is a mostly very flat, landlocked country in West Africa, although in the South West there are sandstone cliffs. It has a long, rich and very troubled history, involving much political instability, resulting in it being one of the least developed and poorest countries on the planet.
Its capital, Ouagadougou (Ouaga for short), has one of West Africa’s largest markets. It shares land borders with Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
Its population is around 22½ million people (2023), around three million of whom live in the capital, Ouagadougou. Its highest point is Mount Tenakourou, in the west of the country, at 2,451 ft (747 m) above sea level.
What currency do they use in Burkina Faso?
In Burkina Faso they use the West African CFA franc. Cash is widely used. The use of credit / debit cards is not widely accepted outside of tourist areas. Traveller’s cheques are not readily accepted. There are very few ATMs in cities and towns throughout the country.
The West African CFA franc is used in Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.
What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?
They speak French in Botswana, although Mossi is also widely spoken.
What time zone is Burkina Faso in?
Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.
Do I need a visa to visit Burkina Faso?
We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!
What’s it like to drive in Burkina Faso?
We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂
Current travels
Our current planned route takes us close to Burkina Faso, and we may make a detour to visit the country. Although due to the current turbulence in the region, we may visit at another time. Whenever we do visit, hopefully our journey will improve our knowledge of this intriguing and beautiful country, and enable us to meet some interesting people. We’ll be updating this page at that time – don’t forget to check back 🙂
Is wild camping legal in Burkina Faso?
Yes, wild camping is fine in Burkina Faso.
If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know!
And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!