Map of Burkina Faso | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Many of Burkina Faso’s ethnic groups arrived in the region between the 12th and 15th centuries. The Gurma and Mossi peoples established several of the largest kingdoms in the area and used horse-mounted warriors in military campaigns. Of the various Mossi kingdoms, the most powerful were Ouagadougou and Yatenga. In the late 19th century, European states competed for control of the region. France eventually conquered the area and established it as a French protectorate.
The country achieved independence from France in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups were common in the country’s first few decades. In 1987 Blaise COMPAORE deposed the president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In 2014, COMPAORE resigned after protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition, organizing presidential and legislative elections. In 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president, and he was reelected in 2020. In 2022, the military conducted two takeovers: In January, army colonel Paul Henri DAMIBA overthrew KABORE in a coup d'etat, and then in September, army captain Ibrahim TRAORE deposed DAMIBA and declared himself transition president. The transition government planned to hold elections by July 2024, but they may be delayed due to security concerns. Terrorist groups -- including groups affiliated with Al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State -- began attacks in the country in 2016 and conducted attacks in the capital in 2016, 2017, and 2018. By early 2023, insecurity in Burkina Faso had displaced more than 2 million people and led to significant jumps in humanitarian needs and food insecurity. In addition to terrorism, the country faces a myriad of problems including high population growth, recurring drought, pervasive and perennial food insecurity, and limited natural resources. It is one of the world’s poorest countries.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 274,200 km²
Land: 273,800 km²
Water: 400 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries
Total: 3,611 km
Border countries (6): (6) Benin 386 km; Côte 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

Land use
Agricultural land: 53.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 28.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 21.9% (2023 est.)
Forest: 12.7% (2023 est.)
Other: 33.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 550 km² (2016)

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

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

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


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Population
Total: 23,042,199 (2024 est.)
Male: 11,297,749
Female: 11,744,450
Distribution: most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map (2019)
Growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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: 80.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 74.9 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 17.2 (2024 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

Population distribution: most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), 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

Air pollutants

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 242 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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

Drinking water source
Urban: 19.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 65.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 50.5% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 8.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 57.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 41.9% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.9% (2021 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.2% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

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,' which may come from the personal name 'Waga' or 'Woga' and the Dyula word 'dugu,' meaning 'village'

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

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil law based on the French model and customary law

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

Citizenship

Suffrage

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 ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Election/appointment process: prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc 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); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly
Most recent election date: 22 November 2020
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%
Expected date of next election: were to be held by July 2024, but were delayed
Note: on 30 September 2022, a military junta led by TRAORE took power and ousted Transition President Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo DAMIBA

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Parlement)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Chamber name: Transitional Legislative Assembly (Assemblée législative de la transition)
Number of seats: 71
Electoral system: proportional representation
Most recent election date: 11/11/2022
Percentage of women in chamber: 18.3%
Expected date of next election: June 2,029
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

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a five-pointed yellow star in the center

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Le Ditanye' (Anthem of Victory)
Lyrics/music: Thomas SANKARA
History: 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

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 1.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 5% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 1.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 60.6% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 18.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 10.6% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 28.5% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -34.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 18.6% (2024 est.)
Industry: 29.7% (2024 est.)
Services: 40.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: -5.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 6.461 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.4% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.2% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $5.174 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $6.308 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 18.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate 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

Exports: $5.912 billion (2023 est.); $5.814 billion (2022 est.); $6.234 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $6.834 billion (2023 est.); $6.761 billion (2022 est.); $5.835 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 749,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 3.096 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.577 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 212.254 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 19.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 60.5%
Access electrification - rural areas: 3.4%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 82.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 74 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.243 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 7 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 5.243 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 3.481 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 81,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 24.7 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 17% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 15,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1


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Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 4% of GDP (2023 est.); 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.); 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 49 (2025)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 622 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Côte d'Ivoire

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs