Skip to main content
Country comparison

Burkina FasovsSierra Leone

See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.

This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.

The biggest differences first

Population

Burkina Faso is higher

Burkina Faso records 23,548,781, about 2.72× the other value.

Surface area

Burkina Faso is higher

Burkina Faso records 274,200 km², about 3.79× the other value.

Nominal GDP

Burkina Faso is higher

Burkina Faso records $23.12 billion, about 3.32× the other value.

What stands out

Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.

Population

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso23,548,781
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone8,642,022

Burkina Faso’s population is 172% larger than that of Sierra Leone, a difference of 14,906,759.

Surface area

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso274,200 km²
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone72,300 km²

Burkina Faso’s surface area is 279% larger than that of Sierra Leone, a difference of 201,900 km².

Population density

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso85.9 /km²
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone120 /km²

Sierra Leone’s population density is 39% higher than that of Burkina Faso, a difference of 33.6 /km².

Nominal GDP

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso$23.12 billion · 2024
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone$6.97 billion · 2024

Burkina Faso’s nominal GDP is 232% larger than that of Sierra Leone, a difference of $16.15 billion.

GDP per capita

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso$982 · 2024
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone$807 · 2024

Burkina Faso’s GDP per capita is 22% higher than that of Sierra Leone, a difference of $175.

Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.

Full side-by-side comparison

Capital

Ouagadougou

Freetown

Population

23,548,781

8,642,022

Surface area

274,200 km²

72,300 km²

Population density

85.9 /km²

120 /km²

Nominal GDP

$23.12 billion · 2024

$6.97 billion · 2024

GDP per capita

$982 · 2024

$807 · 2024

Region

Africa

Africa

Subregion

Western Africa

Western Africa

Currency

West African CFA franc · XOF · CFA

Sierra Leonean leone · SLL · Le

Nationality

Burkinabe

Sierra Leonean

Phone code

+226

+232

Internet domain

.bf

.sl

ISO codes

BF / BFA

SL / SLE

Time zone

Africa/Ouagadougou

Africa/Freetown

Native name

Burkina Faso

Sierra Leone

Compare a different pair

Keep one country, change both, or start a completely new comparison.

Choose two countries to compare

Tip: open a menu and type a country name to jump through the list.

About Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, dazzles visitors with its warm hospitality, vibrant markets, and a tapestry of cultures woven from over 60 ethnic groups.

Full Burkina Faso profile →

About Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, officially known as the Republic of Sierra Leone. It is bordered by Guinea to the north, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest.

Full Sierra Leone profile →

Burkina Faso & Sierra Leone: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Burkina Faso?

The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou.

What is the population of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has a recorded population of approximately 23,548,781 people.

How big is Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso covers an area of about 274,200 km².

What is the population density of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has a population density of roughly 85.9 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $23.12 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of approximately $982.

What currency is used in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), with the symbol CFA.

Where is Burkina Faso located?

Burkina Faso is located in Western Africa, Africa.

What are people from Burkina Faso called?

People from Burkina Faso are referred to as Burkinabe.

What is the phone calling code for Burkina Faso?

The international dialing code for Burkina Faso is +226.

What is the internet domain for Burkina Faso?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Burkina Faso is .bf.

What time zone is Burkina Faso in?

Burkina Faso uses the Africa/Ouagadougou time zone.

What is Burkina Faso known for?

Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, dazzles visitors with its warm hospitality, vibrant markets, and a tapestry of cultures woven from over 60 ethnic groups.

What is the capital of Sierra Leone?

The capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown.

What is the population of Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone has a recorded population of approximately 8,642,022 people.

How big is Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone covers an area of about 72,300 km².

What is the population density of Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone has a population density of roughly 120 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $6.97 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone has a GDP per capita of approximately $807.

What currency is used in Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone uses the Sierra Leonean leone (SLL), with the symbol Le.

Where is Sierra Leone located?

Sierra Leone is located in Western Africa, Africa.

What are people from Sierra Leone called?

People from Sierra Leone are referred to as Sierra Leonean.

What is the phone calling code for Sierra Leone?

The international dialing code for Sierra Leone is +232.

What is the internet domain for Sierra Leone?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Sierra Leone is .sl.

What time zone is Sierra Leone in?

Sierra Leone uses the Africa/Freetown time zone.

What is Sierra Leone known for?

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, officially known as the Republic of Sierra Leone. It is bordered by Guinea to the north, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest.