Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso: Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted was 21.1% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
21.1%
Change on year
up 20.6%
World rank
45th
of 97 countries
All-time high
41.4%
in 1999
All-time low
17.5%
in 2020
Years of data
15
1993–2021

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso, 1993–2021

0102030401993200720211993: 38.7 %1999: 41.4 %2009: 35.1 %2010: 34.9 %2011: 34.6 %2012: 32.8 %2013: 31.3 %2014: 29 %2015: 30.1 %2016: 26.8 %2017: 21.1 %2018: 24.9 %2019: 23.8 %2020: 17.5 %2021: 21.1 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso is 21.1%, measured in 2021.

That represents a change of up 20.6% on the previous year and down 39.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso peaked at 41.4% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 2020.

Burkina Faso ranks 45th of 97 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso, year by year

Annual values for Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso, 1993 to 2021.
Year % Change
1993 38.7%
1999 41.4% +7.0%
2009 35.1% -15.2%
2010 34.9% -0.6%
2011 34.6% -0.9%
2012 32.8% -5.2%
2013 31.3% -4.6%
2014 29.0% -7.3%
2015 30.1% +3.8%
2016 26.8% -11.0%
2017 21.1% -21.3%
2018 24.9% +18.0%
2019 23.8% -4.4%
2020 17.5% -26.5%
2021 21.1% +20.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 40.0% 38.7% 41.4% 2
2000s 35.1% 35.1% 35.1% 1
2010s 28.9% 21.1% 34.9% 10
2020s 19.3% 17.5% 21.1% 2

Countries ranked near Burkina Faso

  1. 42 Cambodia 21.9% compare
  2. 43 South Africa 21.3% compare
  3. 44 Malaysia 21.2% compare
  4. 46 Eswatini 20.0% compare
  5. 47 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 19.1% compare
  6. 48 Honduras 18.7% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for Burkina Faso

All data for Burkina Faso →

Frequently asked questions

What is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso?
Malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso was 21.1% in 2021, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Burkina Faso?
The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 1999.
What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Burkina Faso?
The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 2020.
How does Burkina Faso rank for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted?
Burkina Faso ranks 45th out of 97 countries with data for 2021.
Is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Burkina Faso. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-younger-than-5-who-suffer-from-stunting/burkina-faso/

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About this data

Indicator
Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
97 places, 955 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

Share of children younger than five years old who are defined as stunted. Stunting is when a child is significantly shorter than the average for their age. It is a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.