What is press freedom in Burkina Faso?

Press freedom in Burkina Faso was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom recorded in Burkina Faso?

The highest recorded value was 1 in 1979.

What is the lowest press freedom recorded in Burkina Faso?

The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1983.

How does Burkina Faso rank for press freedom?

Burkina Faso ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.

Is press freedom rising or falling in Burkina Faso?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?

The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Press freedom in Burkina Faso

Name: Press freedom in Burkina Faso
Creator: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Burkina Faso: Press freedom was 1 in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

61st

of 194 countries

All-time high

in 1979

All-time low

in 1983

Years of data

1979–2016

Press freedom in Burkina Faso, 1979–2016

Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for press freedom in Burkina Faso is 1, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom in Burkina Faso peaked at 1 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1983.

That places Burkina Faso 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	1	1	1	1
1980s	0.25	0	1	8
1990s	0.9	0	1	10
2000s	1	1	1	10
2010s	1	1	1	7

Countries ranked near Burkina Faso

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More social development data for Burkina Faso

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 40,996 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 351,209 (2025)
Physical Integrity Rights Score -1.91 (2019)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 69,817 (2025)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 1,957 (2025)
Forcibly displaced people 2.11 million (2025)
Self-reported life satisfaction 4.46 (2025)
Internally displaced people (IDP) by country or territory of asylum / 2.06 million (2025)

All data for Burkina Faso →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom in Burkina Faso?: Press freedom in Burkina Faso was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom recorded in Burkina Faso?: The highest recorded value was 1 in 1979.
What is the lowest press freedom recorded in Burkina Faso?: The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1983.
How does Burkina Faso rank for press freedom?: Burkina Faso ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.
Is press freedom rising or falling in Burkina Faso?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?: The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Press freedom
Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 194 places, 6,417 data points, 1979–2016
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Based on the classification and data by Freedom House. It captures the legal, political, and economic environment of the press.