Moving to Burkina Faso from Latvia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Latvia to Burkina Faso — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Latvia to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Latvia and Burkina Faso stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LV
9.8
BF
27.8

Latvia performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LV
$3,034
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LV
33.8
BF
1.5

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LV
40.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LV
3.6t
BF
0.3t

Latvia generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LV
26.4
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LV
1.1%
BF
7.8%

Latvia performs better than Burkina Faso across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LV
6.5%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LV
$37,800
BF
$2,500

Latvia generally does better on employment & economy, though Burkina Faso leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LV
75.9 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LV
4.8
BF
49.4

Latvia performs better than Burkina Faso across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ouagadougou Rain: 29.3 in/yr (744 mm)
95° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riga Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Riga Ouagadougou
Jan 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia and Burkina Faso. To live, work, or study long-term in Burkina Faso, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Burkina Faso's immigration authority.

Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Latvia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Required
Burkina Faso passport holders need a visa to enter Latvia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Burkina Faso?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Burkina Faso can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Latvia and Burkina Faso.

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

Latvia performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Latvia?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).

What's the weather like in Burkina Faso compared to Latvia?

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.

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At a Glance

LV BF
Population 1,842,226 21,935,389
Currency Euro (€) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Latvian French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +371 +226
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112