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.
Geography
Location
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area
total : 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km
comparison ranking: total 76
Area – comparative
slightly larger than Colorado
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: 53.2% (2022 est.)
arable land: 28.9% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 2.4% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 21.9% (2022 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2022 est.)
other: 24.4% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
550 sq km (2016)
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 of the population lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map
(2019)
Natural hazards
recurring droughts
Geography – note
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas
People and Society
Population
total: 23,042,199 (2024 est.)
male: 11,297,749
female: 11,744,450
comparison rankings: total 59; female 59; male 59
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.)
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)
2024 population pyramid:
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
comparison ranking: total 218
Population growth rate
2.4% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 22
Birth rate
31.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 22
Death rate
7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 110
Net migration rate
-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 123
Population distribution
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: 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)
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.)
Mother’s 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.)
comparison ranking: 33
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
comparison ranking: total 20
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 62.3 years
female: 66.1 years
comparison ranking: total population 208
Total fertility rate
4.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 23
Gross reproduction rate
1.98 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
35.3% (2020/21 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 94.7% of population
rural: 71.3% of population
total: 78.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 5.3% of population
rural: 28.7% of population
total: 21.5% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
6.4% of GDP (2021)
8.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
0.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 90.8% of population
rural: 37.7% of population
total: 54% of population
unimproved:
urban: 9.2% of population
rural: 62.3% of population
total: 46% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
5.6% (2016)
comparison ranking: 175
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.)
comparison ranking: total 57
Tobacco use
total: 12.4% (2025 est.)
male: 20.4% (2025 est.)
female: 4.6% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 110
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
17.5% (2021)
comparison ranking: 25
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
73.5% (2023)
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)
Education expenditure
5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
20.3% national budget (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 52
Literacy
total population: 40.9% (2022 est.)
male: 49.8% (2022 est.)
female: 33.7% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years
male: 9 years
female: 9 years (2020)
Environment
Environment – current issues
droughts; desertification; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019)
Environment – 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
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
Land use
agricultural land: 53.2% (2022 est.)
arable land: 28.9% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 2.4% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 21.9% (2022 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2022 est.)
other: 24.4% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,575,251 tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 309,030 tons (2005 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12% (2005 est.)
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)
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 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
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”
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,” 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
Legal system
civil law based on the French model and customary law
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
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 ad hoc 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 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); last held on 22 November 2020 (next were to be held by July 2024, but were delayed); 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: 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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Edouard BOUDA (since 1 February 2024)
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
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
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red stands for the country’s struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and yellow for the country’s mineral wealth
note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National symbol(s)
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:
Ruins of Loropéni (c); Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Royal Court of Tiébélé (c)
Economy
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$57.152 billion (2023 est.)
$55.508 billion (2022 est.)
$54.69 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 117
Real GDP growth rate
2.96% (2023 est.)
1.5% (2022 est.)
6.94% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 110
Real GDP per capita
$2,500 (2023 est.)
$2,500 (2022 est.)
$2,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 207
GDP (official exchange rate)
$20.325 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.2% (2024 est.)
0.7% (2023 est.)
14.3% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 133
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
comparison rankings: services 182; industry 70; agriculture 49
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
Agricultural products
maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate
5.29% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 45
Labor force
6.461 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 73
Unemployment rate
5.2% (2024 est.)
5.3% (2023 est.)
5.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 98
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
comparison ranking: total 146
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
comparison ranking: 59
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 30.2% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
2.85% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.78% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
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
Public debt
62.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 76
Taxes and other revenues
17.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 106
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
comparison ranking: 140
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
comparison ranking: 133
Exports – partners
Switzerland 72%, UAE 10%, India 3%, Mali 3%, Cote d’Ivoire 2% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
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
comparison ranking: 141
Imports – partners
Cote d’Ivoire 14%, China 13%, Ghana 9%, Russia 9%, France 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$49 million (2017 est.)
$50.9 million (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 192
Debt – external
$3.565 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 82
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
606.345 (2024 est.)
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 19.5% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 60.5%
electrification – rural areas: 3.4%
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.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 67; imports 70; consumption 141; installed generating capacity 144
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 82.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
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.)
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.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 136
Energy consumption per capita
3.481 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 176
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 81,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 141
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 24.7 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 56
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)
Internet country code
.bf
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
comparison ranking: total 177
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
XT
Airports
49 (2025)
comparison ranking: 89
Railways
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
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), 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 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 more than 300 municipalities
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 service personnel strengths
estimated 20,000 Armed Forces; estimated 50,000 Homeland Defense Volunteers (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FABF has a mix of older, secondhand, and some modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, Egypt, France, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2024)
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
Military deployments
note: in 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced they were forming joint force of 5,000 troops to combat extremist groups in the Sahel
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 operations
the FABF’s primary focus is combatting militants affiliated with the al-Qa’ida and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist groups, which have operated in the country for more than a decade and are estimated to control at least 30 percent of Burkina Faso as of 2025; 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
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; several combat units were disbanded in 2011 following mutinies (2025)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 36,372 (Mali) (2023)
IDPs:
2,062,534 (2023)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: 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/
