Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 57.9% in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
57.9%
Change on year
up 3.7%
World rank
21st
of 72 countries
All-time high
57.9%
in 2019
All-time low
5.5%
in 1999
Years of data
12
1993–2019

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso, 1993–2019

02040601993200620191993: 9.2 % of children under 6 months1999: 5.5 % of children under 6 months2003: 18.3 % of children under 6 months2006: 5.9 % of children under 6 months2009: 16 % of children under 6 months2010: 24.8 % of children under 6 months2012: 38.2 % of children under 6 months2013: 47.2 % of children under 6 months2014: 50.1 % of children under 6 months2017: 47.8 % of children under 6 months2018: 55.8 % of children under 6 months2019: 57.9 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

In 2019, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso stood at 57.9%. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.7% on the previous year and up 261.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso peaked at 57.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1999.

That places Burkina Faso 21st out of 72 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 7.3% 5.5% 9.2% 2
2000s 13.4% 5.9% 18.3% 3
2010s 46.0% 24.8% 57.9% 7

Countries ranked near Burkina Faso

  1. 18 Ethiopia 58.8% compare
  2. 19 India 58.0% compare
  3. 19 Mongolia 58.0% compare
  4. 22 Tanzania 57.8% compare
  5. 23 Bolivia 55.7% compare
  6. 24 Liberia 55.2% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Burkina Faso

All data for Burkina Faso →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Burkina Faso was 57.9% in 2019, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Burkina Faso?
The highest recorded value was 57.9% in 2019.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Burkina Faso?
The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1999.
How does Burkina Faso rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Burkina Faso ranks 21st out of 72 countries with data for 2019.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
Over the last ten years it is up 261.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.