Identity
- Official name
- Burkina Faso
- Status
- Sovereign country profile
- Demonym
- Burkinabe
- Codes
- BF / BFA
Daily discoveryDid you know?
Listed official languages include French.
BFBurkina FasoSovereign country profile
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is in Western Africa. This profile brings its status, flag, geography, people, languages, and latest available indicators into one clear visual story.
FlagBFA · 028 / 207
🇧🇫 The flag shown for Burkina Faso. Profile code: BF / BFA.
01Population24.6M
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
02CapitalOuagadougou
Burkina Faso
03CurrencyXOF
West African CFA franc (XOF)
04Life expectancy61.6 years
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
Basic info
Expanded country facts
Core identity, people, geography, government, and practical reference data in one scan-friendly board.
People
- Population
- 24.6M · UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
- Median age
- 18.0 years · UN DESA 2026 medium projection
- Languages
- French
- Largest cities
- Ouagadougou
Place
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Area
- 272,967 km²
- Coordinates
- 13.0° N, 2.0° W
Practical
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Calling code
- +226
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Government
- Type
- military junta
- Head of state
- Ibrahim Traoré
- Head of government
- Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
- Constitution
- Comparable date pending
Geography
- Connections
- This profile has land borders and no coastline.
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Highest point
- Mount Tenakourou
- Driving side
- Right
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See Burkina Faso
in context.
Start with a neighbor or a similar regional profile, then adjust the matchup across the complete atlas.
At a glance
Meet
Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked profile in Western Africa. Its status is sovereign country profile.
RegionWestern Africa
DemonymBurkinabe
Area272,967 km²
Calling code+226
Economy
The latest available indicators.
Economic values use the latest non-empty World Bank year from 2019–2026, shown below each figure.
GDP$27.6B2025 · current USD
GDP per person$1.1K2025 · current USD
GDP growth5.3%2025 annual growth
A deeper profile
People, systems
& everyday life.
Comparable facts are shown with clear dates and neutral framing. Gaps stay visible instead of being filled with guesses.
How people live
Urban 28.9%Rural 71.1%
World Bank · 2025- Median age
- 18.0 years
- Languages
- French
- Capital / principal city
- Ouagadougou
Ethnic and religious categories vary by national census and are not presented without a directly comparable, dated source.
Placed in context
Population0.6× atlas average
GDP#118 of 192
Population compares the 207 atlas profiles. GDP ranking includes profiles with a published World Bank value.
A concise timeline
Wikidata records the current state as dating from 1960. Earlier state forms, independence milestones, and later constitutional changes may use different dates, so this is a starting point rather than a complete national timeline.
- Government
- military junta
- Head of state
- Ibrahim Traoré
- Head of government
- Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
- Current constitution
- Comparable date pending
Land and climate
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Geography
- Burkina Faso is in Western Africa and has no coastline. Its listed area is 272,967 km².
- Highest point
- Mount Tenakourou
- Major rivers
- Profile-specific value pending
- Natural resources
- Profile-specific value pending
Practical essentials
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +226
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Plug types
- Profile-specific value pending
- Tipping
- Local customs vary by setting
- Emergency numbers
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Remember Burkina Faso
- Ouagadougou is the capital city.
- Burkina Faso covers 272,967 km².
- Burkina Faso is landlocked.
- It shares land borders with Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, Niger and 1 more.
- Listed official languages include French.
- Its international calling code is +226.
- The latest published population in this atlas is 24.1M (2025).
- The listed currency code is XOF.
Connected places
Neighboring profiles
Continue exploring across each listed land border or connected geography.
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
Visual atlas
Burkina Faso in view
People & place
Country
essentials.
French
Languages listed in the open country catalog for Burkina Faso.
6 listed connections
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
West African CFA franc (XOF)
The primary currency code and name used in the country catalog.
Identity card
Four essentials
BFTwo-letter country code
BFAThree-letter country code
OuagadougouCapital city
AfricaWorld region
Sources & notes
Numbers you can trace.
Statistics show their reference year because country data changes. Unavailable values are clearly marked instead of estimated.
Verified data & AI projection
Burkina Faso
Special Report.
Burkina Faso is profiled through long-run World Bank indicators covering the economy, population, health, work, technology, and environment. Western Africa context, landlocked geography, demographic direction, and long-run development indicators.
Current demographic baselineUN DESA · 2026
Medium projection from World Population Prospects, 2024 Revision
Executive read
What the numbers suggest
- Population has moved up since 2000, giving the report a clear demographic baseline.
- Life expectancy is higher than in 2000, showing the direction of health and longevity conditions.
- Recent GDP growth averages 4.3% across the latest 5 available observations.
Human development pressure
30.9MPopulation base
64.1 yrsLife expectancy
2.33Fertility rate
57.8%Internet access
2035 scenarios are simple educational trend projections from recent historical observations. They are not official forecasts.
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
HighGDP growth
20001.89%
20255.29%
2035 base4.84%
Low5.00%Base4.84%High4.68%
recent average · % annual
people · SP.POP.GROW
HighPopulation growth
20002.98%
20252.21%
2035 base1.39%
Low1.67%Base1.39%High1.10%
linear trend · % annual
people · SP.POP.TOTL
HighPopulation
200011.9M
202524.1M
2035 base30.9M
Low28.3MBase30.9MHigh33.6M
compound trend · people
health · SP.DYN.LE00.IN
HighLife expectancy
200050.8 yrs
202461.3 yrs
2035 base64.1 yrs
Low63.1 yrsBase64.1 yrsHigh65.1 yrs
linear trend · years
people · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
HighFertility rate
20006.52
20244.11
2035 base2.33
Low2.95Base2.33High1.70
linear trend · births per woman
people · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
HighUrban population
200018.0%
202528.9%
2035 base32.4%
Low31.2%Base32.4%High33.6%
linear trend · % of total
economy · FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
HighInflation
2000-0.30%
2025-0.59%
2035 base2.48%
Low1.41%Base2.48%High3.56%
recent average · % annual
work · SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
HighUnemployment
20002.69%
20253.48%
2035 base4.19%
Low3.94%Base4.19%High4.44%
recent average · % labor force
economy · NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
HighGDP per capita
2000$248.9
2025$1.1K
2035 base$2.1K
Low$1.7KBase$2.1KHigh$2.6K
compound trend · current US$
environment · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
HighCO2 per person
20000.07
20240.27
2035 base0.37
Low0.34Base0.37High0.41
linear trend · t CO2e/capita
technology · IT.NET.USER.ZS
HighInternet access
20000.08%
202428.3%
2035 base57.8%
Low47.5%Base57.8%High68.2%
linear trend · % of people
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
HighGDP
2000$3B
2025$27.6B
2035 base$64.5B
Low$48.3BBase$64.5BHigh$85.4B
compound trend · current US$
Educational projection, not an official forecast.Historical values are World Bank observations retrieved 2026-08-13. The 2026 demographic baseline is the official UN DESA medium projection from World Population Prospects 2024. The atlas's 2035 scenarios use simple trend math.