Burkina Faso: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Burkina Faso's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rose 31.1% on 2024 (from 1,493 to 1,957).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +1,301.5% and a typical year strayed about 6,384.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 31,276.7% in 2021 and the biggest yearly fall was 94.1% in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 8% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Burkina Faso had the 87th highest value of the 166 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Burkina Faso in the 2025 ranking

• Thailand — 84th of 166: 2,880
• Denmark — 85th of 166: 2,738
• Kyrgyz Republic — 86th of 166: 1,981
• Finland — 88th of 166: 1,879
• Belize — 89th of 166: 1,836
• Paraguay — 90th of 166: 1,659

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in nearby economies

• Angola — 30,261 (2025)
• Benin — 11,947 (2025)
• Botswana — 21 (2025)
• Burundi — 1,466 (2025)
• Cameroon — 18,553 (2025)
• Central African Republic — 8,454 (2025)
• Chad — 9,371 (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 100,112 (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — 8,109 (2025)
• Côte d'Ivoire

More social protection & labor data for Burkina Faso

• Net migration — -27,130 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum — 40,996 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin — 351,209 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 45.27% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 58.12% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 51.77% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 65.5% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Burkina Faso's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?

1,957 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 533.33% from 309 in 2000 (7.66% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 9,413 in 2021 and the lowest 29 in 2019.

How does Burkina Faso rank?

87th highest of 166 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum unusual for Burkina Faso?

In 2025, Burkina Faso's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rose 31.1% on 2024 (from 1,493 to 1,957). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +1,301.5% and a typical year strayed about 6,384.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EA, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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