Burkina Faso
presidential republicIndependence 5 August 1960 (from France)
Burkina Faso as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 143 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
Published as “Burkina” (1990–1995) and “Burkina Faso” (1996–2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Many of Burkina Faso’s ethnic groups arrived in the region between the 12 th and 15 th 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.
Geography
Western Africa, north of Ghana
19 fieldsLand useshare of 274,200 sq km
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;
- o ccupies an extensive plateau with s avanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south
Major rivers (by length in km)
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 sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
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)
Geography - note
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female(2023 est.)
Ethnic groups(2021 est.)
Religions(2019 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.)
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)
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.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 48 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 51.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 42.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 7.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 5.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 8.9% (2015)
- women married by age 18:
- 51.3% (2015)
- men married by age 18:
- 1.6% (2015)
Environment
10 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
International environmental 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
- signed, but not ratified:
- Nuclear Test Ban
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
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 32.5% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 7 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 2.575 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 23% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 375.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 21.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 420.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE (since 30 September 2022); Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel OUEDRAOGO (since 9 December 2024)
23 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
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 Worthy Men," from the Dyula words burkina , or "worthy," and faso , which means "land" or literally "father village," from fa , or "father," and so , or "village"
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
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
- amendment process:
- 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
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE (since 30 September 2022)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel OUEDRAOGO (since 9 December 2024)
- 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
- 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%
- 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 2029
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 2029
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- 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 after a proposal from 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
- 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
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Kassoum COULIBALY (since 24 July 2025)
- chancery:
- 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 332-5577
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 667-1882
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://burkina-usa.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Joann M. LOCKARD (since 28 June 2024)
- embassy:
- Secteur 15, Ouaga 2000, Avenue Sembene Ousmane, Rue 15.873, Ouagadougou
- mailing address:
- 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440
- telephone:
- (226) 25-49-53-00
- FAX:
- (226) 25-49-56-23
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://bf.usembassy.gov/
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
National holiday
Republic Day, 11 December (1958) note: commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community
Flag
- description:
- two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a five-pointed yellow star in the center
- meaning:
- red stands for the country's struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and yellow for the country's mineral wealth
- history:
- uses the colors of the Pan-African movement
National anthem(s)
- 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:
- Ruins of Loropéni (c);
- Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso (c);
- W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n);
- Royal Court of Tiébélé (c)
Economy
30 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
Budget(2023 est.)
Economic 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
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
Agricultural products
maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
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)
- total:
- 8.1% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 7.8% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 8.5% (2024 est.)
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 coefficient - distribution of family income
37.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Remittances
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.) · 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) · 2.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
18.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
-$1.017 billion (2023 est.) · -$1.404 billion (2022 est.) · $77.255 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
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
Exports - commodities
gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023) 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
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Debt - external
$3.565 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.345 (2024 est.) · 606.57 (2023 est.) · 623.76 (2022 est.) · 554.531 (2021 est.) · 575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
6 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 749,000 kW(2023 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2022–23 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions:
- 72,700 (2022 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Broadcast media
- 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)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- total:
- 15,000 (2022 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Transportation
3 fieldsRailways
- total:
- 622 km (2014)
- narrow gauge:
- 622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 1,000 people · (2025)
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, Air Force of 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 of Burkina Faso (includes Border Police, Judicial Police, and Intervention Units, as well as State and Public Security forces) (2025)
note 1: the National Gendarmerie is under 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
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; they are based in each of the country's municipalities
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FABF has a mix of older and some modern armaments from a variety of suppliers, including China, Egypt, France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, and the UAE (2025)
Military service age and obligation
generally, 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; citizens 18-77 years of age are eligible to volunteer for the VDP (2025)
note: the military regime 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;
the VDP reportedly has been used by the military regime as a platform for the forced recruitment of dissidents and activists to silence critics
Military - note
the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF) are responsible for external defense but also have an internal security role and can be called out to assist internal security forces in restoring public order, combating crime, securing the border, and conducting counterterrorism/counterinsurgency/internal defense operations;
the FABF has a history of involvement in the country’s politics, having conducted eight coups since its formation in 1960-61, including the most recent in September 2022
the FABF's primary focus is combatting militants of the al-Qa'ida and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist groups, which have operated in Burkina Faso for more than a decade and control portions of the country; Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups that act as al-Qa'ida in the Land of the Islamic Magreb's (AQIM) arm in the Sahel, is strongest in the north but active in nearly all of the country's 13 provinces, while ISIS in the Greater Sahara (aka ISIS-Sahel) operates in the eastern part of the country (2025)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- 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
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsTrafficking in persons
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Burkina Faso remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year;
- for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/burkina-faso/
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Burkina Faso.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/burkina-faso.