MigrantoBurkinabé Diaspora
2.1M Burkinabé live abroad — the #38 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 96% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Ivory Coast | 1820882 |
| Ghana | 75339 |
| Mali | 69919 |
| Niger | 31858 |
| Italy | 15279 |
| Togo | 13866 |
| Benin | 13704 |
| Gabon | 7582 |
| Guinea | 545 |
| Brazil | 396 |
| Liberia | 161 |
| Denmark | 140 |
| Luxembourg | 80 |
| Namibia | 77 |
| Australia | 68 |
| Greece | 37 |
| Norway | 36 |
| Finland | 34 |
| Bulgaria | 18 |
| Hungary | 14 |
| Sierra Leone | 7 |
| Slovenia | 6 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Liechtenstein | 1 |
| Iceland | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 99%
2M
15.6K
396
68
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Burkina Faso.
Ivory Coast is the primary destination for emigrants
Ivory Coast attracts 89% of all emigrants from Burkina Faso, while the second-largest destination receives just 4%.
Niger is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Niger has increased by 65% since 2015, rising from 19.3K to 31.9K in 9 years.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 11 residents of Burkina Faso has emigrated — 2.1M out of 23.5M, representing 8.7% of the population.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1015890 |
| 1995 | 1152082 |
| 2000 | 1297567 |
| 2005 | 1443306 |
| 2010 | 1601296 |
| 2015 | 1759971 |
| 2020 | 1919400 |
| 2024 | 2050050 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Ivory Coast | Ghana | Mali | Niger | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 927902 | 41668 | 23024 | 9596 | 823 |
| 1995 | 1059222 | 41526 | 20221 | 13956 | 1390 |
| 2000 | 1190543 | 46451 | 20155 | 18432 | 2250 |
| 2005 | 1321864 | 50321 | 22283 | 18771 | 5125 |
| 2010 | 1453184 | 48452 | 43132 | 19068 | 8812 |
| 2015 | 1584505 | 58704 | 53080 | 19323 | 11052 |
| 2020 | 1715826 | 67431 | 62291 | 24683 | 13898 |
| 2024 | 1820882 | 75339 | 69919 | 31858 | 15279 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Burkina Faso as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Burkina Faso
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Burkinabé move to?
Most Burkinabé have moved to Ivory Coast, Ghana and Mali — these three countries account for about 96% of all Burkinabé living abroad.
How many Burkinabé live abroad?
Around 2.1M Burkinabé live abroad, making it the #38-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Burkina Faso lives abroad?
About 9% of the population of Burkina Faso lives abroad — that's 2.1M out of a total population of 23.5M.
How has emigration from Burkina Faso changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Burkina Faso has grown from 1.8M to 2.1M people, a growth of about 16%.
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