Burkina Faso Trade Balance
External balance on goods and services NE.RSB.GNFS.CD
Burkina Faso's trade balance was $-1.6B in 2025, ranked 115th globally. This represents a 105.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Burkina Faso's trade balance stood at $-1.6B in 2025, a decline of +$822.9M from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach $-1.6B by 2025. Burkina Faso ranked 115th globally.
Burkina Faso’s trade balance has swung dramatically over the 66‑year series, moving from a modest deficit of ‑36,274,159.08 in 1960 to a historic surplus of 625,157,481.32 in 2021 before plunging to a trough of ‑1,606,152,363.43 in 2025, the most negative value among the 215 economies tracked and ranking 115th globally. The 2025 deficit is marginally deeper than Rwanda’s ‑1,603,655,021.18 and Côte d’Ivoire’s ‑1,630,153,010.73, indicating that Burkina Faso now faces a trade imbalance comparable to its regional peers. The surge to surplus in 2021 reflected a brief window of strong export performance, yet the subsequent reversal suggests a contraction in export volumes, rising import bills, or both. Structural constraints such as limited diversification and reliance on commodity exports likely underpin the recent deterioration. If policy reforms succeed in expanding value‑added production and improving terms of trade, the downward trajectory could be halted and a more balanced trade position restored in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Trade Balance | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | $-2.5B | - | - |
| 2026* trend | $-2.0B | - | - |
| 2025* trend | $-1.6B | - | - |
| 2025 | $-1.6B | −$822.9M | #115 |
| 2024 | $-783.2M | +$273.1M | #66 |
| 2023 | $-1.1B | −$109.6M | #69 |
| 2022 | $-946.8M | −$1.6B | #81 |
| 2021 | $625.2M | +$126.4M | #114 |
| 2020 | $498.8M | +$802.3M | #121 |
| 2019 | $-303.5M | +$401.6M | #83 |
| 2018 | $-705.2M | +$192.6M | #82 |
| 2017 | $-897.8M | −$119.9M | #70 |
| 2016 | $-777.9M | +$35.5M | #77 |
| 2015 | $-813.3M | −$121.8M | #90 |
| 2014 | $-691.5M | +$637.0M | #82 |
| 2013 | $-1.3B | −$318.3M | #72 |
| 2012 | $-1.0B | −$393.4M | #82 |
| 2011 | $-616.9M | +$196.1M | #89 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Burkina Faso matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw trade balance improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Burkina Faso's trade balance was $-1.6B in 2025. Ranked 115th globally. This represents a 105.1% decrease from the previous year.
Burkina Faso's trade balance peaked at $625.2M in 2021.
The lowest trade balance in Burkina Faso was $-1.6B in 2025.
Burkina Faso ranks 115th globally in trade balance as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is NE.RSB.GNFS.CD. Data sourced from World Bank.
Burkina Faso's trade balance is projected to reach $-1.6B by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The trade balance of Burkina Faso in 2025 was $-1.6B. This ranks 115th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_burkina-faso_trade-balance,
title = {Burkina Faso Trade Balance},
url = {https://historysaid.com/burkina-faso/trade-balance/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}