Form of Government: Republic
Area: 270 764 sq km
Population: 21 510 181 inhab. (estimate 2020)
Density: 79.44 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 15° - 9° N; long. 5° W - 2° E
Capital: Ouagadougou (capital) 2 453 496 inhab. (2019);
Currency: CFA franc (100 centimes)
Human development index: 0.452 (rank: 182)
Head of State: Roch Marc Kaboré (MPP), elected 29 November 2015, in office since 29 December 2015, reconfirmed 22 November 2020
Prime Minister: Christophe Dabiré (CDP), since 24 January 2019
National Assembly: seats based on the elections of 22 November 2020: MPP (People's Movement for Progress), 56; CDP (Congress for Democracy and Progress), 20; NTD (New Era for Democracy), 13; UPC (Union for Progress and Reform), 12; others, 26
Internet: www.insd.bf (Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie)
Member of AU, ECOWAS, OIC, UN, WTO
Burkina Faso

International license plate code BF
International dialling code 00226
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (required); malaria prophylaxis (recommended)
Electricity (Voltage) 220
Driving side rigth
Internet code .bf
GMT 0
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Ouagadougou 28.3
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Ouagadougou 25/27
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Ouagadougou 8.5/8.5
Annual average precipitation (mm) Ouagadougou 855
Days of rainfall (annual average) Ouagadougou 59

President R.M. Kaboré (MPP) maintained his leadership at the general elections held on 22 November 2020 and his party obtained a relative parliamentary majority. Between 4 and 5 June 2021, an attack near the Nigerian border resulted in more than 130 deaths.
Geography.
It is bordered by Mali to the north and west, with Niger and Benin to the east and with Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to the south. The country is predominantly made up of a vast plateau fringed by low-lying hills to the east and Mount Téna Kourou (747 m) to the south-west, being crossed by numerous streams which flow into the River White Volta. The climate is tropical and very dry, especially in the north.
Government
A former French colony known as Upper Volta, the country achieved independence on 5 August 1960. After a period of democratic leadership under T. Sankara (1983-1987), who gave the country its name (“the land of honest people”, 4 August 1984), a coup d’état brought Captain B. Compaoré to power on 17 October 1987. He was forced to step down in 2014 following violent protests. After a transition period and a failed coup d’état, new elections were held in 2015. Since 2016, there have been serious attacks by various fundamentalist groups, which overlap with the conflict between the community of breeders and farmers. According to the Constitution of 1991, last amended in 2015, the President of the Republic is elected through a direct election for a term of five years and can only be re-elected once. The National Assembly is made up of 127 members, elected by direct suffrage for five-year terms. The judicial system is based on French law and local custom.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Air force | 5.4 | % | 2015 |
Army | 57.1 | % | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Crimes | 42.9 | per 100 000 pop. | 2017 |
Homicides | 1.2 | per 100 000 pop. | 2017 |
Administrative division
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Ouagadougou | 2 453 496 | inhab. | 2019 |
Bobo-Dioulasso | 903 887 | inhab. | 2019 |
Population
Population by age and gender (% - 2020) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
MALE | AGE | FEMALE |
The violence has resulted in more than one million internally displaced people. There is steady emigration towards neighbouring countries and Europe.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Birth rate | 37.453 | ‰ | 2019 |
Death rate | 7.914 | ‰ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Mossi | 52.5 | % | 2010 |
other | 14.7 | % | 2010 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Muslim | 61.6 | % | 2010 |
Catholic | 23.2 | % | 2010 |
DESCRIPTION |
---|
Dioula |
French (official) |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
0-14 years | 43.6 | % | 2020 |
15-29 years | 28.1 | % | 2020 |
Economy
Recurring droughts cause serious damage to agricultural output. The principle commercial crop is cotton. Livestock farming is practised mainly by the semi-nomadic Fulbe tribes in the north of the country. The main mineral resource is gold (at Essakane, Bissa, Mana, Inata, Taparko-Bouroum, Youga), which brings in foreign capital for mining and extraction, followed by zinc (near Koudougou). There are cotton mills at Koudougou, shoe factories, cement plants at Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, cigarette factories and breweries at Bobo-Dioulasso as well as sugar factories at Banfora.
The country also boasts electrical and telecommunications industries as well as oil plants. The construction of the Ziga dam has eased the chronic shortage of water in the capital. Burkina Faso exports gold, cotton, zinc, livestock, sesame, cashew nuts and timber. The CFA franc is pegged to the Euro at a fixed exchange rate.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 125.12 | index | 2016 |
Agricultural prod. index (2014-16=100) | 107.19 | index | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Active population | 7 708 000 | units | 2020 |
Active population, Females | 44.5 | % | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Unemployment rate | 5$ | % | 2020 |
Unemployment rate, Females | 65.7 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 2 184 621 | M LCU | 2019 |
Revenues | 1 932 000 | M LCU | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 25.2 | % | 2019 |
industry | 33.7 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 22.345 | % | 2019 |
industry | 28.333 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Currency in circulation | 809.809 | BN LCU | 2020 |
International reserves | 50.1 | M US$ | 2016 |
Agriculture
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
arable land | 22.295 | % | 2018 |
forests | 23.086 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cereals, total | 4 939.63 | 1000 t | 2019 |
maize | 1 710.898 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 4.046 | 1000 t | 2019 |
potatoes | 69.379 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
chillies and peppers | 8.921 | 1000 t | 2019 |
tomatoes | 19.539 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, green | 10.559 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 396.129 | 1000 t | 2019 |
sesame seed | 374.703 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 490.77 | 1000 t | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.389 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
seed cotton | 724.232 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fruits, total | 115.213 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
almonds | 2.077 | 1000 t | 2019 |
cashew nuts | 136.558 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 1.538 | 1000 t | 2019 |
grapefruits | 0.267 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
mangoes | 16.375 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
maize | 1 014.907 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
millet | 1 176.512 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 4.722 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
potatoes | 5.599 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
chillies and peppers | 1.686 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
tomatoes | 1.799 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, green | 0.721 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 485.703 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
sesame seed | 617.749 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 4.86 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.43 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
seed cotton | 590.999 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
almonds | 3.691 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
cashew nuts | 130.011 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 0.243 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
grapefruits | 0.018 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
mangoes | 1.538 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
timber | 15 529 830 | m³ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cattle | 10 003.682 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
cattle and buffaloes | 10 003.682 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
pigs | 2 587.862 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sheep | 10 693.285 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
goats | 16 071.756 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asses | 1 253.587 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
asses and mules | 1 253.587 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
camels | 20.345 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
birds | 38 865 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
butter | 1.58 | 1000 t | 2018 |
eggs | 57.986 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
freshwater fishes | 25 205 | t | 2019 |
total catch | 25 345 | t | 2019 |
Minerals
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
lead | 2.5 | 1000 t | 2015 |
manganese | 22.5 | 1000 t | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
phosphate rock | 2.4 | 1000 t | 2011 |
salt | 5$ | 1000 t | 2011 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
marble - t | 100 | 1000 t | 2011 |
pumice | 10$ | 1000 t | 2012 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
gold | 36 000 | kg | 2018 |
silver | 1 000 | kg | 2018 |
Energy
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 1 000 | M kWh | 2018 |
- hydro | 128 | M kWh | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 293 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
- other renew. | 62.9 | 1000 kW | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
total net generation | 1 182.3 | M kWh | 2018 |
total installed capacity | 387.9 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
Industry
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
bikes | 20 800 | no. | 2002 |
mopeds | 19 700 | no. | 2002 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
soap | 9.9 | 1000 t | 2002 |
tyres | 670 000 | no. | 2002 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beer of barley | 210 | 1000 t | 2018 |
cottonseed oil | 64.257 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cigarettes, packs | 78$ | M units | 2002 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
other paper | 0.944 | 1000 t | 2019 |
paper | 0.944 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cement | 310 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
chemicals production | 4.6 | M US$ | 2004 |
food, beverages and tobacco production | 303 | M US$ | 2004 |
Trade
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agricultural raw materials | 10.87 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
food products | 9.894 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Switzerland | 817.3 | M US$ | 2010 |
South Africa | 144.3 | M US$ | 2010 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | 328 | M US$ | 2010 |
France | 211.5 | M US$ | 2010 |
Tourism
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenditures | 191 | M US$ | 2018 |
Number of arrivals | 143 000 | units | 2019 |
Social and welfare
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expected years of schooling | 9.262 | years | 2019 |
Graduates | 10 392 | units | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Students, primary level | 3 233 784 | units | 2019 |
Students, secondary level | 1 342 143 | units | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Hospital beds | 0.7 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
Physicians | 0.09 | per 1000 pop. | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
HIV | 0.7 | % of adults | 2019 |
HIV, total | 3.7 | % | 2001 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Museums | 21$ | units | 2014 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Research and development spending | 0.611 | % of GDP | 2017 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 10.2 | % | 2019 |
Access to electricity | 18.379 | % | 2019 |