Map of Burkina Faso | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 274,200 km²
Land: 273,800 km²
Water: 400 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Colorado
Country comparison total: 3,611 km
Country comparison border countries: (6) Benin 386 km; Cote d'Ivoire 545 km; Ghana 602 km; Mali 1325 km; Niger 622 km; Togo 131 km

Land boundaries
Total: 3,611 km
Border countries: (6) Benin 386 km; Cote d'Ivoire 545 km; Ghana 602 km; Mali 1325 km; Niger 622 km; Togo 131 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert

Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast; occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south

Elevation
Highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
Lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
Mean elevation: 297 m

Natural resources: gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 22% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 19.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 36.5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 550 km² (2016)

Major rivers
By length in km: Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 km²), Volta (410,991 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 380 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 420 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 13.5 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas


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Population
Distribution: Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map; (2019)
Total: 23,042,199
Male: 11,297,749
Female: 11,744,450 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 43.2% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
Adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups: Mossi 53.7%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.8%, Gurunsi 5.9%, Bissa 5.4%, Gurma 5.2%, Bobo 3.4%, Senufo 2.2%, Bissa 1.5%, Lobi 1.5%, Tuareg/Bella 0.1%, other 12.8%, foreign 0.7% (2021 est.)

Languages: Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.)

Religions: Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.6% (male 4,868,488/female 4,727,316)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 6,116,674/female 6,590,775)
65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 312,587/female 426,359)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 87.4
Youth dependency ratio: 82.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.8
Potential support ratio: 20.9 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 17.9 years
Female: 19.5 years

Population growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 31.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map; (2019)

Urbanization
Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.204 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.129 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2023)

Environment
Current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019)
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 40.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.42 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 12.85 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.1 years (2021 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 264 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 47 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 51.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 42.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 62.3 years
Female: 66.1 years

Total fertility rate: 4.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 35.3% (2020/21)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 94.7% of population
Unimproved rural: 28.7% of population
Unimproved total: 21.5% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 5.3% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 90.8% of population
Improved rural: 37.7% of population
Improved total: 54% of population
Unimproved urban: 9.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 62.3% of population
Unimproved total: 46% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 7.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 5.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 14.3% (2020 est.)
Male: 22.1% (2020 est.)
Female: 6.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.5% (2021)

Education expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 46%
Male: 54.5%
Female: 37.8% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 9 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 8.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Burkina Faso
Local long form: none
Local short form: Burkina Faso
Former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
Etymology: name translates as 'Land of the Honest (Incorruptible) Men'

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Ouagadougou
Geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of the native name 'Wogodogo,' meaning 'where people get honor and respect'

Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 11 December (1958)
Note: commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991, temporarily suspended late October to mid-November 2014; initial draft of a new constitution to usher in the new republic was completed in January 2017 and a final draft was submitted to the government in December 2017; a constitutional referendum originally scheduled for adoption in March 2019 was postponed; on 1 March 2022 a transition charter was adopted, allowing military authorities to rule for three years and barring the transitional president from being an electoral candidate after the transition
Amendments: proposed by the president, by a majority of National Assembly membership, or by petition of at least 30,000 eligible voters submitted to the Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in the Assembly; failure to meet that threshold requires majority voter approval in a referendum; constitutional provisions on the form of government, the multiparty system, and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended several times

Legal system: civil law based on the French model and customary law; in mid-2019, the National Assembly amended the penal code

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Burkina Faso
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE (since 30 September 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister Joachim KYLEM DE TAMBELA (since 21 October 2022)
Cabinet: prior to the 2022 coups and adhoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections/appointments: prior to the 2022 coups and adhoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 22 November 2020 (next were to be held by July 2024, but may be delayed by the transitional government due to security concerns); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly
Election results: 2020: Roch Marc Christian KABORE reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Roch Marc Christian KABORE (MPP) 57.9%, Eddie KOMBOIGO (CDP) 15.5%, Zephirin DIABRE (UPC) 12.5%, other 14.1%; 2015: Roch Marc Christian KABORE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Roch Marc Christian KABORE (MPP) 53.5%, Zephirin DIABRE (UPC) 29.6%, Tahirou BARRY (PAREN) 3.1%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA (UNIR-MS) 2.8%, other 10.9%
Note: Transitional President TRAORE appointed KYLEM DE TAMBELA Prime Minister on 21 October 2022; the position had been vacant since 30 September 2022 when the military ousted former Prime Minister Albert OUEDRAOGO

Legislative branch
Description: prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, unicameral National Assembly (127 seats; 111 members directly elected in 13 multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote and 26 members elected in a nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); 71-member Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) appointed by the military junta in 2022 indefinitely replaced the National Assembly
Elections: last held on 22 November 2020 (an amended Transitional Charter, adopted at a national forum in May 2024, extends the transitional period by 60 months as of 2 July 2024, to July 2,029)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; men 58, women 13, percentage women 18.3%
Note: a series of coups in 2022 led to the ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, including the unicameral National Assembly; a military junta in 2022 appointed the 71-member Transnational Legislative Assembly (ALT); a Transitional Charter, adopted in October 2022, provided for a transitional period that was extended in May 2024 until July 2,029

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Council of State (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of the council president and 9 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge appointments mostly controlled by the president of Burkina Faso; judges have no term limits; Council of State judge appointment and tenure NA; Constitutional Council judges appointed by the president of Burkina Faso upon the proposal of the minister of justice and the president of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts: Appeals Court; High Court; first instance tribunals; district courts; specialized courts relating to issues of labor, children, and juveniles; village (customary) courts

Political parties and leaders: Act Together, African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA, Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP, Convergence for Progress and Solidarity-Generation 3 or CPS-G3, Movement for the Future Burkina Faso or MBF, National Convention for Progress or CNP, New Era for Democracy or NTD, Pan-African Alliance for Refoundation or APR, Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba, Party for Development and Change or PDC, Patriotic Rally for Integrity or RPI, Peoples Movement for Progress or MPP, Progressives United for Renewal or PUR, Union for Progress and Reform or UPC, Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-PS

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Edouard BOUDA (since 1 February 2024)
In the us chancery: 2,340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-5,577
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-1882
In the us email address and website: contact@burkina-usa.org; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Joann M. LOCKARD (since 28 June 2024)
From the us embassy: Secteur 15, Ouaga 2000, Avenue Sembene Ousmane, Rue 15.873, Ouagadougou
From the us mailing address: 2,440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20,521-2,440
From the us telephone: (226) 25-49-53-00
From the us fax: (226) 25-49-56-23
From the us email address and website: AmembOuaga@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols: white stallion; national colors: red, yellow, green

National anthem
Name: 'Le Ditanye' (Anthem of Victory)
Lyrics/music: Thomas SANKARA
Note: adopted 1974; also known as 'Une Seule Nuit' (One Single Night); written by the country's former president, an avid guitar player

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: highly agrarian, low-income economy; limited natural resources; widespread poverty; terrorism disrupting potential economic activity; improving trade balance via increases in gold exports; economy inflating after prior deflation; growing public debt but still manageable

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $57.152 billion (2023 est.); $55.508 billion (2022 est.); $54.539 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.96% (2023 est.); 1.78% (2022 est.); 6.94% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $2,500 (2023 est.); $2,400 (2022 est.); $2,500 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.6% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 20% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 28.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -36% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 29.3% (2023 est.)
Services: 43.6% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sorghum, maize, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate: 1.95% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 8.577 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.29% (2023 est.); 5.35% (2022 est.); 5.11% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 8.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 43.2% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.649 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $4.018 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 17.67% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 62.53% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 4.54% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.74% (2023 est.); 14.29% (2022 est.); 3.65% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$1.404 billion (2022 est.); $77.255 million (2021 est.); $743.232 million (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $5.814 billion (2022 est.); $6.234 billion (2021 est.); $5.356 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Switzerland 74%, UAE 7%, Mali 4%, Singapore 2%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/Brazil nuts/cashews, zinc ore (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $6.761 billion (2022 est.); $5.835 billion (2021 est.); $4.779 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Cote d'Ivoire 16%, China 12%, Russia 7%, France 7%, Ghana 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, electricity, packaged medicine, plastic products, natural gas (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $49 million (31 December 2017 est.); $50.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $3.234 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 19.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 60.5%
Access electrification rural areas: 3.4%
Installed generating capacity: 449,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 2.11 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.546 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 218.033 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 68.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 16% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 15.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
Imports: 3 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 36,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 4.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 3.419 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 81,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 24.678 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 4% of GDP (2023 est.); 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.); 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 2.4% of GDP (2020 est.); 2.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF; aka National Armed Forces (FAN), aka Defense and Security Forces (Forces de Défense et de Sécurité or FDS)): Army of Burkina Faso (L’Armee de Terre, LAT), Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso), National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade (Brigade Nationale de Sapeurs-Pompiers or BNSP); Homeland Defense Volunteers (Forcés de Volontaires de Défense pour la Patrie or VDP); Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale, de la Décentralisation et de la Sécurité): National Police (2024)
Note 1: the National Gendarmerie officially reports to the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Security; the Gendarmerie's primary mission is counterterrorism; it is comprised of “legions” and mobile squadrons, including a Special Legion for combating organized crime and terrorism and providing security for high-level officials and government institutions; other government forces specializing in counterterrorism include the Army's Special Forces and the Multipurpose Intervention Unit of the National Police
Note 2: the VDP is a lightly-armed civilian defense/militia force established in 2019 to act as auxiliaries to the Army; the volunteers receive two weeks of training and typically assist with carrying out surveillance, information-gathering, and escort duties, as well as local defense, and were to be based in each of the country's more than 300 municipalities; in 2022, the military government created a 'Patriotic Watch and Defense Brigade' (La Brigade de Veille et de Défense Patriotique or BVDP) under the FABF to coordinate the VDP recruits

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; citizens 18-77 years of age are eligible to volunteer for the VDP (2023)
Note: the military government implemented an emergency law in 2023 that allows the president extensive powers to combat terrorist groups operating in the country, including conscripting citizens into the security services

Space program

Terrorist groups: Ansarul Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 151,531 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 100,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: XT

Airports: 49 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 15,304 km (2017)
Paved: 3,642 km (2014)
Unpaved: 11,662 km (2014)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 36,372 (Mali) (2023)

Illicit drugs