Burkina Faso: plugs, voltage, currency, time & travel facts

Plugs and voltage

Burkina Faso uses Types C and E sockets. Mains supply is 220 V at 50 Hz.

At 220 V, devices made only for 100–127 V (many American and Japanese hair dryers, curling irons and some shavers) will be damaged without a step-down converter. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.

Money

F CFA West African CFA Franc XOF

Average in 2025: 1 USD = 581.9 XOF (World Bank). No daily reference rate is published for this currency by the ECB; check a live rate before exchanging.

West African CFA Franc: where it's used

Price level 33 (US = 100, 2025)

Everyday household prices in Burkina Faso are about 33% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: cheaper than the median country (50). All countries

Language

Frenchofficial25%

Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).

Time

UTC+0

Burkina Faso is on UTC+0, with no daylight saving time.

Driving

Traffic in Burkina Faso drives on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left.

Public holidays in the next 12 months

19 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.