{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Western Africa, north of Ghana" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "13 00 N, 2 00 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "274,200 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "273,800 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "400 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than Colorado" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "3,611 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Benin 386 km; Cote d'Ivoire 545 km; Ghana 602 km; Mali 1325 km; Niger 622 km; Togo 131 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "0 km (landlocked)" }, "Maritime claims": { "text": "none (landlocked)" }, "Climate": { "text": "
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": { "text": "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": { "text": "Tena Kourou 749 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "297 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "53.2% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 28.9% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 2.4% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 21.9% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "22.4% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "24.4% (2022 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "550 sq km (2016)" }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 kmmost of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third of the population lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map
(2019)" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "recurring droughts" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "23,042,199 (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "11,297,749" }, "female": { "text": "11,744,450" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Burkinabe (singular and plural)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Burkinabe" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "41.6% (male 4,868,488/female 4,727,316)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "55.1% (male 6,116,674/female 6,590,775)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "3.2% (2024 est.) (male 312,587/female 426,359)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "80.7 (2024 est.)" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "74.9 (2024 est.)" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5.8 (2024 est.)" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "17.2 (2024 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "18.7 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "17.9 years" }, "female": { "text": "19.5 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "2.4% (2024 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "31.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third of the population lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map
(2019)" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "32.5% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "3.204 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.129 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.93 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.73 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "20.1 years (2021 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "264 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "47 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "51.1 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "42.7 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "64.2 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "62.3 years" }, "female": { "text": "66.1 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "4.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "1.98 (2024 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "35.3% (2020/21 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 94.7% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 71.3% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 78.5% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 5.3% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 28.7% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 21.5% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Health expenditure": { "Health expenditure (as % of GDP)": { "text": "6.4% of GDP (2021)" }, "Health expenditure (as % of national budget)": { "text": "8.4% of national budget (2022 est.)" } }, "Physician density": { "text": "0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2022)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "0.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 90.8% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 37.7% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 54% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 9.2% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 62.3% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 46% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "5.6% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "7.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "5.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "12.4% (2025 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "20.4% (2025 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "4.6% (2025 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "17.5% (2021)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "73.5% (2023)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "8.9% (2015)" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "51.3% (2015)" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "1.6% (2015)" } }, "Education expenditure": { "Education expenditure (% GDP)": { "text": "5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Education expenditure (% national budget)": { "text": "20.3% national budget (2023 est.)" } }, "Literacy": { "total population": { "text": "40.9% (2022 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "49.8% (2022 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "33.7% (2022 est.)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "9 years" }, "male": { "text": "9 years" }, "female": { "text": "9 years (2020)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "droughts; desertification; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019)" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "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" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "Nuclear Test Ban" } }, "Climate": { "text": "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
" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "53.2% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 28.9% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 2.4% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 21.9% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "22.4% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "24.4% (2022 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "32.5% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "40.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "3.42 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "12.85 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "2,575,251 tons (2015 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "309,030 tons (2005 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "12% (2005 est.)" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 kmRuins of Loropéni (c); Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Royal Court of Tiébélé (c)
" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$57.152 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$55.508 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$54.69 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "2.96% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "1.5% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "6.94% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$2,500 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$2,500 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$2,500 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$20.325 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024": { "text": "4.2% (2024 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "0.7% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "14.3% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "16.3% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "29.3% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "43.6% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "64.6% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "20% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "17.2% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "5.4% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "28.9% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-36% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "5.29% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "6.461 million (2024 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2024": { "text": "5.2% (2024 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "5.3% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "5.4% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "8.1% (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "7.8% (2024 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "8.5% (2024 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "43.2% (2021 est.)", "note": "note: % of population with income below national poverty line" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021": { "text": "37.4 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "3% (2021 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "30.2% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "2.85% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "2.78% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$4.649 billion (2022 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$4.018 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2022": { "text": "62.5% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government debt as a % of GDP" }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "17.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)", "note": "note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$1.017 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$1.404 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "$77.255 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$5.912 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$5.814 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$6.234 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Switzerland 72%, UAE 10%, India 3%, Mali 3%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2023)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$6.834 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$6.761 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$5.835 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Cote d'Ivoire 14%, China 13%, Ghana 9%, Russia 9%, France 7% (2023)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017": { "text": "$49 million (2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016": { "text": "$50.9 million (2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$3.565 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2024": { "text": "606.345 (2024 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "606.57 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "623.76 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "554.531 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "575.586 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "19.5% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "60.5%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "3.4%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "749,000 kW (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "3.096 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "1.577 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "212.254 million kWh (2023 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "82.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "exports": { "text": "1 metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "74 metric tons (2023 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "37,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "7 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": { "text": "3.481 million Btu/person (2023 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "81,000 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "24.7 million (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "112 (2021 est.)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "14 digital TV channels, of which 2 are state-owned; over 140 national radio stations (commercial, religious, community), including a national and regional state-owned network; state-owned Radio Burkina and private Radio Omega are among the most widely available and broadcast in both French and local languages (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".bf" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "17% (2023 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "15,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "XT" }, "Airports": { "text": "49 (2025)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "622 km (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge" }, "note": "note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire" } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "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), 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)2,062,534 (2023)
" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch list — Burkina Faso did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/burkina-faso/" } } } }