Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median was 17.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso, 1994–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso is 17.6%, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso peaked at 20.1% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 2014.
That places Burkina Faso 70th out of 120 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 19.2% | — |
| 1998 | 19.9% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 20.1% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 18.8% | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 12.2% | -35.0% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | +52.1% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | -5.6% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 17.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 17.6%, 100% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 17.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 97% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.6% | 19.2% | 19.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 18.8% | 20.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 12.2% | 18.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
- 67 Tanzania, United Republic of 17.7% compare
- 68 Latvia 17.7% compare
- 69 Madagascar 17.6% compare
- 71 Thailand 17.5% compare
- 72 Russian Federation 17.4% compare
- 73 Benin 17.4% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Burkina Faso
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.19 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,198 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 18.4 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 18.4% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso?
- Relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median in Burkina Faso was 17.6% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 20.1% in 2003.
- What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 2014.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median?
- Burkina Faso ranks 70th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is relative poverty: share of population below 60% of the median rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Relative poverty: Share of population below 60% of the median. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 60% of the median.