2021 Edition

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 area 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. The last successful coup occurred in 1987 when Blaise COMPAORE deposed the former president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In October 2014, COMPAORE resigned following protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition period organizing presidential and legislative elections. In November 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president; he was reelected in November 2020.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 late 2021, insecurity in Burkina Faso had displaced 1.4 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.  

Area

land

273,800 sq km

total

274,200 sq km

water

400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Colorado

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Tena Kourou 749 m

lowest point

Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

mean elevation

297 m

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Irrigated land

550 sq km (2016)

Land boundaries

border countries

Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 km

total

3,611 km

Land use

agricultural land

44.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.)

forest

19.3% (2018 est.)

other

36.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Major rivers (by length in km)

Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 kmnote – [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)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts

Natural resources

gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt

Population distribution

Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map (2019)

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. (2019)

Age structure

0-14 years

43.58% (male 4,606,350/female 4,473,951)

15-24 years

20.33% (male 2,121,012/female 2,114,213)

25-54 years

29.36% (male 2,850,621/female 3,265,926)

55-64 years

3.57% (male 321,417/female 423,016)

65 years and over

3.16% (male 284,838/female 374,057) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

34.34 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.4% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

30.1% (2020)

Current Health Expenditure

5.6% (2018)

Death rate

7.92 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Burkina Faso has a young age structure – the result of declining mortality combined with steady high fertility – and continues to experience rapid population growth, which is putting increasing pressure on the country’s limited arable land. More than 65% of the population is under the age of 25, and the population is growing at 3% annually. Mortality rates, especially those of infants and children, have decreased because of improved health care, hygiene, and sanitation, but women continue to have an average of almost 6 children. Even if fertility were substantially reduced, today’s large cohort entering their reproductive years would sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future. Only about a third of the population is literate and unemployment is widespread, dampening the economic prospects of Burkina Faso’s large working-age population. Migration has traditionally been a way of life for Burkinabe, with seasonal migration being replaced by stints of up to two years abroad. Cote d’Ivoire remains the top destination, although it has experienced periods of internal conflict. Under French colonization, Burkina Faso became a main labor source for agricultural and factory work in Cote d’Ivoire. Burkinabe also migrated to Ghana, Mali, and Senegal for work between the world wars. Burkina Faso attracts migrants from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the Burkinabe. Despite its food shortages and high poverty rate, Burkina Faso has become a destination for refugees in recent years and hosts about 33,500 Malians as of May 2017. (2018)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.5

potential support ratio

22.1 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

87.9

youth dependency ratio

83.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 67.9% of population

improved: total

total: 75.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 94.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 32.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 24.4% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.5% of population

Education expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Mossi 52%, Fulani 8.4%, Gurma 7%, Bobo 4.9%, Gurunsi 4.6%, Senufo 4.5%, Bissa 3.7%, Lobi 2.4%, Dagara 2.4%, Tuareg/Bella 1.9%, Dioula 0.8%, unspecified/no answer 0.3%, other 7.2% (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,300 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

97,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

46.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

55.05 deaths/1,000 live births

total

50.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Life expectancy at birth

female

64.89 years (2021 est.)

male

61.28 years

total population

63.06 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

31% (2018)

male

49.2%

total population

39.3%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

2.915 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.020 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

320 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

18.7 years (2020 est.)

male

17 years

total

17.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.4 years (2010 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Burkinabe

noun

Burkinabe (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.6% (2016)

Physicians density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

21,382,659 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map (2019)

Population growth rate

2.58% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim 63.2%, Roman Catholic 24.6%, Protestant 6.9%, traditional/animist 4.2%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2017-18 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 30.2% of population

improved: total

total: 46.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 88.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 69.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 11.8% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

9 years (2020)

male

9 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.76 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.39 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

8.4% (2019)

male

8.9%

total

8.6%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.2% of total population (2021)

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

Capital

etymology

Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of the native name "Wogodogo," meaning "where people get honor and respect"

geographic coordinates

12 22 N, 1 31 W

name

Ouagadougou

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

amendments

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; amended several times, last in 2012

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 has been postponed

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Burkina Faso

etymology

name translates as "Land of the Honest (Incorruptible) Men"

former

Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

local long form

none

local short form

Burkina Faso

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Sandra E. CLARK (since 25 September 2020)

email address and website

ouagaACS@state.govhttps://bf.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Secteur 15, Ouaga 2000, Avenue Sembene Ousmane, Rue 15.873, Ouagadougou

FAX

(226) 25-49-56-23

mailing address

2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC  20521-2440

telephone

(226) 25-49-53-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Seydou KABORE (since 18 January 2017)

email address and website

contact@burkina-usa.orghttps://burkina-usa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-1882

telephone

[1] (202) 332-5577

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Roch Marc Christian KABORE (since 29 December 2015; reelected 22 November 2020)

election results

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%

elections/appointments

president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second); last held on 22 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2025); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Lassina ZERBO (since 10 December 2021); note - on 8 December 2021, President KABORE accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Christophe DABIRE; on 10 December 2021 Kaboré named ZERBO prime minister. (2021)

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth

note

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

5 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, 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, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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 upon the proposal of 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

Legal system

civil law based on the French model and customary law; in mid-2019, the National Assembly amended the penal code

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (127 seats; 111 members directly elected in 13 multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote and 26 members elected in a nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; all member serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (preliminary results) - MPP 56, CDP 20, NTD 13, UPC 12

elections

last held on 22 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Thomas SANKARA

name

"Le Ditanye" (Anthem of Victory)

note

note: adopted 1974; also known as "Une Seule Nuit" (One Single Night); written by the country's former president, an avid guitar player

National holiday

Republic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community

National symbol(s)

white stallion; national colors: red, yellow, green

Political parties and leaders

African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA [Gilbert Noel OUEDRAOGO]African People’s Movement or MAP [Victorien TOUGOUMA]Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Eddie KOMBOIGO]Le Faso Autrement [Ablasse OUEDRAOGO]New Alliance of the Faso or NAFA [Mahamoudou DICKO]New Time for Democracy or NTD [Vincent DABILGOU]Organization for Democracy and Work or ODT [Anatole BONKOUNGOU]Party for Development and Change or PDC [Aziz SEREME]Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Drabo TORO]Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]Party for National Renaissance or PAREN [Michel BERE]People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Simon COMPAORE]Rally for Democracy and Socialism or RDS [Francois OUEDRAOGO]Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE]Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Adama SERE]Soleil d’Avenir [Abdoulaye SOMA]Union for a New Burkina or UBN [Diemdioda DICKO]Union for Progress and Change or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE]Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA]Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]Youth Alliance for the Republic and Independence or AJIR [Adama KANAZOE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sorghum, maize, millet, cotton, cow peas, sugar cane, groundnuts, rice, sesame seed, vegetables

Budget

expenditures

3.655 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

2.666 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-7.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Standard & Poors rating

B (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$820 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$1.019 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.88 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$3.056 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. Irregular patterns of rainfall, poor soil, and the lack of adequate communications and other infrastructure contribute to the economy’s vulnerability to external shocks. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base.Cotton and gold are Burkina Faso’s key exports - gold has accounted for about three-quarters of the country’s total export revenues. Burkina Faso’s economic growth and revenue depends largely on production levels and global prices for the two commodities. The country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and exports.In 2016, the government adopted a new development strategy, set forth in the 2016-2020 National Plan for Economic and Social Development, that aims to reduce poverty, build human capital, and to satisfy basic needs. A new three-year IMF program (2018-2020), approved in 2018, will allow the government to reduce the budget deficit and preserve critical spending on social services and priority public investments.While the end of the political crisis has allowed Burkina Faso’s economy to resume positive growth, the country’s fragile security situation could put these gains at risk. Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term challenges.

Exchange rates

currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

494.42 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

591.45 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

593.01 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

593.01 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

605.3 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$4.51 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$4.47 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, cotton, zinc, cashews, sesame seeds (2019)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 59%, India 21% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

28.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

23.9% (2017 est.)

household consumption

56.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-34.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

31% (2017 est.)

industry

23.9% (2017 est.)

services

44.9% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.271 billion (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1994

48.2 (1994)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

35.3 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.2% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9%

Imports

Imports 2017

$5.3 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$5.17 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$5.02 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, delivery trucks, packaged medicines, electricity, aircraft (2019)

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 15%, China 9%, Ghana 8%, France 8%, India 6%, United States 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

10.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.4% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

1.9% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-3.2% (2019 est.)

Labor force

8.501 million (2016 est.)

note

note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

90%

industry and services

10% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

41.4% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

38.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

38.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$41.88 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$44.27 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$45.16 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

5.9% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

6.4% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$2,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$2,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$2,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$50.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$49 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2004

77% (2004)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

8.4% (2019)

male

8.9%

total

8.6%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

1.551 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

80% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

12% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

630 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

342,400 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

990 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

2% (2019)

electrification - total population

22% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

69% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

23,580 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total

13,979 (2020)

Broadcast media

since the official inauguration of Terrestrial Digital Television (TNT) in December 2017, Burkina Faso now has 14 digital TV channels among which 2 are state-owned; there are more than 140 radio stations (commercial, religious, community) available throughout the country including a national and regional state-owned network; the state-owned Radio Burkina and the private Radio Omega are among the most widespread stations and both include broadcasts in French and local languages (2019)

Internet country code

.bf

Internet users

percent of population

16% (2019 est.)

total

5.46 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage 100 per 100, with multiple providers there is competition and the hope for growth from a low base; Internet penetration is 11% countrywide, but higher in urban areas (2019)

general assessment

Burkina Faso’s telecom services are some of the most expensive in the world, hindered by regulatory procedures, insufficient mobile spectrum, poor fixed-line networks; mobile telephony but below African average; Internet is provided by mobile operators; Internet penetration is low and expensive, despite improved international bandwidth via fiber links through submarine cables to adjacent countries; increased telecom tax; government infrastructure project largely completed; parliament launched inquiry on mobile network infrastructure coverage, pricing of services, and quality of service; government began computer subsidy program for university students; government progressed with large project to provide metropolitan fiber-optic infrastructure (2020)

international

country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

75,039 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

105.8 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

22,117,218 (2020)

Airports

total

23 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2019)

over 3,047 m

1

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

13

total

21

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

XT

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

100,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

151,531 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

3

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Railways

narrow gauge

622 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

note

note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire

total

622 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

3,642 km (2014)

total

15,304 km (2014)

unpaved

11,662 km (2014)

Military - note

since at least 2016, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso have been actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS; military operations have occurred in the Centre‐Est, Centre‐Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel administrative regionsBurkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries (2021)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF): Army of Burkina Faso (L’Armee de Terre, LAT), Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie; Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (a civilian defense force established in 2019 to act as auxiliaries to the military in the fight against militants) (2021)

note

note - the National Gendarmerie officially reports to the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Security and the Ministry of Justice; Gendarmerie troops are typically integrated with Army forces in anti-terrorism operations; for example, Gendarmerie, Army, and police forces were combined to form a 1,500-member task force known as the Groupement des Forces Anti-Terroristes (GFAT) to address terrorist activities along the country's northern border in 2013

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF) have approximately 12,000 personnel (7,000 Army; 500 Air Force; 4,500 National Gendarmerie) (2021)

Military deployments

900 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)

note

note - Burkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FABF has a mix of foreign-supplied weapons; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of mostly donated second-hand equipment from more than 10 countries (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.2% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.4% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.4% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2021)

Disputes - international

adding to illicit cross-border activities, Burkina Faso has issues concerning unresolved boundary alignments with its neighbors; demarcation is currently underway with Mali; the dispute with Niger was referred to the ICJ in 2010, and a dispute over several villages with Benin persists; Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso around the town of Koualou

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

1,407,685 (2021)

refugees (country of origin)

24,538 (Mali) (2021)

Terrorist group(s)

Ansarul Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin

note

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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3.42 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

12.85 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

36.78 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

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

Environment - current issues

recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; 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

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to civil insecurity in the north - according to the latest analysis, about 2.87 million people are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in the June−August 2021; in Centre-Nord and Sahel regions, insecurity continues to cause population displacements, further deteriorating the food security situation (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

44.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.)

forest

19.3% (2018 est.)

other

36.5% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major rivers (by length in km)

Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

4.54% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

13.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

420.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

21.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

375.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.2% of total population (2021)

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.)