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West Africa

Burkina Faso

Western Africa, north of Ghana.

Muslim population63.8%of the population

Population22.5 millionpeople (current)

CapitalOuagadougouUTC 0

Currency606 = $1Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) (2024)

Country basics

Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African country bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo and Ghana.

Burkina Faso is a country with Ouagadougou as its capital, where French is used in administration alongside several national languages. The West African CFA franc is the currency, and gold and cotton make up the bulk of its exports.

Official name

Burkina Faso

Region

Africa · Western Africa

Government

Unitary semi-presidential republic under a military junta

Time zonesCheck the offset for your own city

UTC

Driving side

Right

Phone code

+226

Currency

West African CFA franc (XOF, Fr)

Member of

UN; African Union

Website

https://www.gouvernement.gov.bf

Faith and language

Religions

Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7%

Languages

French

People and cities

Population

22.5 million (current)

Median ageHalf the population is younger than this

19 years (2025)

Living in cities

32.5% (2023)

Largest cities

Ouagadougou (capital) 3.204 million · Bobo-Dioulasso 1.129 million

Money and cost of living

Exchange rateYearly average; check today’s rate before you budget

606 Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar (2024)

Income per personGDP per person, adjusted for local prices (2021 dollars)

$2,500 (2024)

InflationHow much prices rose over the year

4.2% (2024)

Unemployment

5.2% (2024)

Health and daily life

Life expectancy

64.2 years (2024)

Doctors

0.15 per 1,000 people (2022)

Hospital beds

0.2 per 1,000 people (2020)

Safe drinking water

49.5% of people (2022)

Electricity

19.5% of people (2022)

Internet users

17% of people (2023)

Literacy

41.4% of adults (2023)

Land and climate

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

SizeSlightly larger than Colorado

272,967 sq km

Natural hazards

Recurring droughts

National holiday

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)