Country Profile: Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso, located in Western Africa, is a landlocked country bordered by six nations. It has a diverse population of approximately 23 million, predominantly comprising the Mossi ethnic group. The economy is primarily agrarian with increasing gold exports, yet the nation faces significant challenges such as terrorism, a high poverty rate, and food insecurity. Governance has been unstable, marred by military coups, but efforts are underway to stabilize and organize future elections.

Geography

Burkina Faso spans an area of 274,200 sq km, characterized by mostly flat terrain with dissected plains and a few hills. The country experiences a tropical savanna climate in the south and a hot semi-arid steppe in the north. Being landlocked, it has no coastline but is traversed by several significant rivers including the Volta.

Elevation range: Highest point at 749 m (Tena Kourou), lowest at 200 m (Mouhoun River).
Natural resources: Includes gold, manganese, and zinc.
Climate zones: Three distinct areas, ranging from a hot tropical savanna to desert conditions.
Agricultural land: 53.2% (2022) of total land is used for agriculture.
Major rivers: Includes the 1,600 km Volta river system.

People and Society

The population of Burkina Faso is approximately 23 million, with a large youth demographic, where 41.6% are aged 0-14 years. The country is ethnically diverse, with the Mossi constituting about 53.7% of the population. French is the official language, while several local languages are spoken.

Urbanization rate: 32.5% of the population lives in urban areas (2023).
Literacy rate: 40.9% (2022) across the total population.
Life expectancy: 64.2 years at birth (2024).
Total fertility rate: 4.02 children per woman (2024).
Dependency ratio: Total dependency ratio at 80.7 (2024).

Economy

Burkina Faso's economy is classified as low-income and highly dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 18.6% of its GDP. The country has seen improvements in its trade balance thanks to gold exports, though it struggles with poverty and high inflation rates.

GDP (PPP): Approximately $60.001 billion (2024).
GDP per capita: Estimated at $2,500 (2024).
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2024).
Inflation rate: 4.2% (2024).
Public debt: 61.3% of GDP (2023).

Government

Burkina Faso is a presidential republic, currently led by Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE following a military coup in September 2022. The political landscape has been unstable, with the government seeking to hold elections by July 2024.

Capital: Ouagadougou, the largest city and administrative center.
Suffrage: Citizens may vote at 18 years of age.
Current election status: Previous elections were held in 2020, with future elections planned amid security concerns.
Administrative divisions: The country is divided into 13 regions.

Military and Security

The Armed Forces of Burkina Faso are engaged in combatting terrorism and insecurity stemming from extremist groups. The military has a history of involvement in politics and has seen an increase in budget allocations to address security challenges.

Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2024).
Strength: Estimated 20,000 personnel in Armed Forces, alongside 50,000 volunteers.
Military service age: Open to men and women aged 18-26 for voluntary service.
Recent military focus: Joint forces with Mali and Niger to fight extremism.

Energy

Burkina Faso's energy infrastructure is underdeveloped, with electrification reaching only 19.5% of the population. Fossil fuels dominate electricity generation, though there are ongoing efforts to increase renewable sources.

Installed capacity: 749,000 kW (2023).
Electricity consumption: Approximately 3.096 billion kWh (2023).
Electrification rate: Urban areas at 60.5%, rural areas at 3.4%.
Energy consumption per capita: 3.481 million Btu/person (2023).

Environment

Burkina Faso faces various environmental challenges, including recurring droughts, desertification, and deforestation. The government is a party to multiple international environmental agreements aimed at addressing these issues.

Land use: 53.2% of land is agricultural (2022).
Water resources: Total renewable water resources estimated at 13.5 billion cubic meters (2020).
Air quality concerns: Particulate matter emissions at 40.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019).

Transportation

The country’s transportation infrastructure includes a network of roads and railways, though it remains limited due to economic constraints and geographic challenges.

Airports: 49 operational airports (2025).
Railways: Totaling 622 km (2014).
Civil aircraft registration: Uses the prefix XT.

Communications

Burkina Faso has made strides in telecommunications, with a growing number of mobile subscriptions. However, internet access remains limited.

Mobile subscriptions: Approximately 24.7 million (2021).
Internet users: About 17% of the population (2023).
Broadcast media: Over 140 national radio stations and 14 digital TV channels.

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	23,042,199	2024 estimate
Area	274,200 sq km
GDP (PPP)	$60.001 billion	2024 estimate
Unemployment Rate	5.2%	2024 estimate
Birth Rate	31.9 births/1,000 population	2024 estimate
Life Expectancy at Birth	64.2 years	2024 estimate
Urbanization Rate	32.5%	2023 estimate
Total Fertility Rate	4.02 children born/woman	2024 estimate
Military Expenditures	4.5% of GDP	2024 estimate