Africa

Burkina Faso

Quick facts

  • Full name: Burkina Faso
  • Capital: Ouagadougou
  • Largest city: Ouagadougou
  • Official language: French
  • Area: 274,200 km2
  • Population: 20,107,509 (2017)
  • Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF) 1 (XOF) = 100 centime
  • Foreign tourists: 150 thousand (2016)
  • Travel risks and hazards: Terrorism, crime, dangerous animals.

Burkina Faso is a country located in the west of Africa. Like most African countries, there are numerous ethnic groups making Burkina Faso quite a diverse country. Despite French being the official language, there are many different local languages however many speak Moore dialect.

Traveling info

All visitors to Burkina Faso are required to have a valid passport. Entry requirements vary depending on visitors nationality. Citizens of some West African countries may visit the country without the requirement of a visa. Visitors from many countries around the world, mostly Europe and the Americas enjoy the option to obtain a visa on arrival at one of the airports or border crossings. All others must obtain a visa prior to their departure. (List of nations in sources). Visitors who wish to drive in Burkina Faso may do so using their national driving permit. An international driving permit is not required but is strongly recommended. IDP will aid drivers when dealing with the local police or renting a vehicle. Holders must beware that IDP cannot be used alone and must always be complemented by the original driving permit.

Traveling hazards

Travelers should exercise great caution when traveling by road in Burkina Faso. While major urban and intercity roads are paved, they can be narrow and full of potholes. Dirt roads are common, even in large cities. Rural roads outside of major arteries are often in poor condition and roadside assistance is not available. Some rural roads are impassable in the rainy season. Road travel at night is especially dangerous and should be avoided. At night, there is a high volume of truck traffic passing through the country, and pedestrians, bicycles, and donkey carts pose a major hazard on unlit, unmarked roads. Vehicles are often dangerously overloaded and poorly maintained. Drivers, including motorcyclists and bicyclists, are at times careless. Vehicles will often enter oncoming traffic to pass or maneuver around obstacles. Broken down vehicles may be abandoned on the road. Livestock and children may dart onto the road without warning. The police rarely enforce traffic laws and are virtually absent from rural roads. Emergency services in case of accidents are scarce, underequipped, and practically nonexistent in most rural areas. Caution is urged while using any form of public transportation to travel by road, and travelers should remain aware of their personal belongings at all times.

Environmental hazards

Northmost part of Burkina Faso is located in the Sahel region whilst most of central and southern part is part of tropical savannah. African bush elephants can be found in Burkina Faso. These are the largest land roaming animals on earth. They are not aggressive however their sheer size makes them dangerous. When angered or startled, they can easily trample people, flip over cars or even break trees. The apex predators of Africa, lions inhabit parts of Burkina Faso. These giant felines are responsible for over 250 deaths across Africa each year. Because they are apex predators they are not afraid to attack even an elephant. Hippopotamuses dwell in Burkina Faso’s rivers. These are only second in size to Elephants. Despite their docile look they’re fiercely territorial and will attack anyone who approaches them. West African crocodiles in Burkina Faso are way less dangerous than their Nile crocodile cousins. Some villagers in Burkina Faso even live almost side by side with these large reptiles. Despite that, these animals can still be lethally dangerous. West African Carpet Viper, the Puff Adder and the Blacked Necked Spitting Cobra are the most common lethally venomous snakes found in Burkina Faso. Surviving a bite of any of these snakes often depends on the efficiency of the emergency services or the proximity of the nearest hospital.
In Burkina Faso, floods are the sole reason for economic damage and deaths due to natural hazards.

Health hazards

Everyone visiting Burkina Faso is recommended to get a yellow fever vaccine. The government of Burkina Faso also requires proof of yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever. There are several other vaccines which are recommended. These are the routine vaccines aka MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, meningitis and rabies vaccines. Zika and malaria are spread in Burkina Faso by infected mosquitoes. Since there are no approved vaccines against either of these two, visitors are advised to use mosquito repellents and mosquito nets to protect themselves. There is also medicine on prescription against malaria which should be available to anyone after consulting their local general practitioner. In cities access to potable water is good at around 82 %, but in rural areas, less than half the population has access to clean sources of water. The government of Burkina Faso is dedicated to improving the healthcare situation by attempting to provide services for all. Hospitals capable to cope with emergencies are mostly located in the capital. Outside of the capital services are rather basic. Private facilities also exist only in the capital and generally provide a better quality service. Visitors should consider purchasing medical insurance which covers emergency airlift. Regular emergency services are generally inefficient.
In case of an emergency dial 112.

Crime

Street crime such as pickpocketing, purse snatching, backpack, cell phone theft is pervasive in major cities. Cellular telephones, jewelry, laptops, money and other items of value are frequent targets of thieves. The majority of street crime is committed after dark and is often perpetrated by one or two individuals on motorbikes. Street crime typically increases in Ouagadougou around the holidays. While most streets in Ouagadougou are safe and non-threatening during daylight hours, they become less safe at night, especially in isolated areas around bars and nightclubs that tend to attract unsavory individuals after dark. Crime is known to occur in affluent residential areas such as Ouaga 2000, Zone du Bois, and Coulomba. Criminals in urban areas may carry an edged weapon to cut straps on bags, purses, or backpacks. Criminals can become violent if the victim is noncompliant. Ordinarily, thieves do not threaten victims with weapons, although there have been cases of theft and attempted theft involving firearms and knives. There is a high risk of terrorist activity in Burkina Faso as terrorist groups cross from Mali and carry out attacks in the country. Narcotics are strictly illegal and mere possession is a serious criminal offense which usually results in jail time.

Summary

Despite numerous attractions in Burkina Faso, it remains rather unpopular for visitors from outside of Africa. The country also borders Mali which is currently fighting insurgents and terrorist organizations which spill into Burkina Faso making it unsafe especially for western tourists which are often targeted by terrorist groups. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/burkina-faso/passport-visa/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/burkina-faso