Global InformationBurkina Faso information
Burkina Faso BurkÄ©na Faso (Mossi) 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳đž¤đž¤˛đž¤˘ 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮 (Fula) ߓߎߙߞߌߣߊ ߝߊߛߏ (Dyula) | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "Unité–Progrès–Justice" (French) ("Unity–Progress–Justice") | |
| Anthem: "Une Seule Nuit" / "Ditanyè" (French) ("One Single Night" / "Hymn of Victory") | |
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| Capital and largest city | Ouagadougou 12°22′N 1°32′W / 12.367°N 1.533°W |
| Official languages | Mooré, Bissa, Dyula, Fula |
| Working languages | English, French |
| Ethnic groups (2010 est.)[1] |
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| Demonym(s) |
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| Government | Unitary republic under a military junta[2][3][4] |
• Interim President and MPSR President | Ibrahim Traoré |
• Prime Minister | Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla |
| Legislature | Transitional Legislative Assembly |
| History | |
• Republic of Upper Volta proclaimed | 11 December 1958 |
• Independence from France | 5 August 1960 |
• 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état | 3 January 1966 |
• 2014 Burkina Faso uprising | 28 October – 3 November 2014 |
• Jan 2022 Burkinabè coup d'état | 23–24 January 2022 |
• Sep 2022 Burkinabè coup d'état | 30 September 2022 |
| Area | |
• Total | 274,223[5] km2 (105,878 sq mi) (74th) |
• Water (%) | 0.146% |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 22,489,126[5] (60th) |
• Density | 64/km2 (165.8/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total |  $62.788 billion[6] (114th) |
• Per capita | $2,682[6] (171st) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $20.785 billion[6] (124th) |
• Per capita | $888[6] (180th) |
| Gini (2020) |  38.9[7]medium |
| HDI (2021) |  0.449[8]low (184th) |
| Currency | West African CFA franc[9] (XOF) |
| Time zone | UTC+00:00 |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +226 |
| ISO 3166 code | BF |
| Internet TLD | .bf |
Burkina Faso[a] is a landlocked country in West Africa. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,878 sq mi),[5] bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. As of 2021, the country had an estimated population of 23,674,480.[12] Previously called Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed Burkina Faso by President Thomas Sankara. Its citizens are known as Burkinabè,[b] and its capital and largest city is Ouagadougou.
The largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso is the Mossi people, who settled the area in the 11th and 13th centuries. They established powerful kingdoms such as the Ouagadougou, Tenkodogo, and Yatenga. In 1896, it was colonized by the French as part of French West Africa; in 1958, Upper Volta became a self-governing colony within the French Community. In 1960, it gained full independence with Maurice Yaméogo as president. Since it gained its independence, the country has been subject to instability, droughts, famines and corruption. There have also been various coups, in 1966, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, and twice in 2022 (January and September). There were also unsuccessful coup attempts in 1989, 2015, and 2023.
Thomas Sankara came to power following a successful coup in 1983. As president, Sankara embarked on a series of ambitious socioeconomic reforms which included a nationwide literacy campaign, land redistribution to peasants, vaccinations for over 2 million children, railway and road construction, equalized access to education, and the outlawing of female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and polygamy. He served as the country's president until 1987 when he was deposed and assassinated in a coup led by Blaise Compaoré, who became president and ruled the country until his removal on 31 October 2014.
Burkina Faso has been severely affected by the rise of Islamist terrorism in the Sahel since the mid-2010s. Several militias, partly allied with the Islamic State (IS) or al-Qaeda, operate in Burkina Faso and across the border in Mali and Niger. More than one million of the country's 21 million inhabitants are internally displaced persons. Burkina Faso's military seized power in a coup d'état on 23–24 January 2022, overthrowing President Roch Marc Kaboré. On 31 January, the military junta restored the constitution and appointed Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba as interim president, but he was himself overthrown in a second coup on 30 September and replaced by military captain Ibrahim Traoré.[13]
Burkina Faso is one of the least developed countries in the world, with a GDP of $16.226 billion. Approximately 63.8 percent of its population practices Islam, while 26.3 percent practice Christianity.[10] The country's official language of government and business was formerly French; its status was relegated by a constitutional amendment ratified in January 2024, turning French into a "working language" of the country, alongside English.[14][15] There are 60 indigenous languages officially recognized by the Burkinabè government, with the most common language, Mooré, spoken by over half the population.[16][17] The country has a strong culture and is geographically biodiverse, with plentiful reserves of gold, manganese, copper and limestone. Burkinabè art has a rich and long history, and is globally renowned for its orthodox style.[18] The country is governed as a semi-presidential republic with executive, legislative and judicial powers. Burkina Faso is a member of the United Nations, La Francophonie and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. It is currently suspended from ECOWAS and the African Union.
- ^ "Burkina Faso". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 22 December 2019. (Archived 2019 edition.)
- ^ Ndiaga, Thiam; Mimault, Anne (30 September 2022). "Burkina Faso soldiers announce overthrow of military government". Ouagadougou. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
Traore appeared on television surrounded by soldiers and announced the government was dissolved, the constitution suspended and the borders closed.
- ^ "Appolinaire Jean Kyelem de Tembela : "j'ai toujours voulu faire un livre sur la révolution"". thomassankara.net (in French). 4 April 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Sylvestre-Treiner, Anna; Wendpouiré Nana, Michel (25 October 2022). "Burkina Faso: Apollinaire Kyélem de Tambèla, Captain Traoré's surprise prime minister". The Africa Report. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b c "Burkina Faso". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (BF)". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Distribution of family income – Gini index". The World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 8 September 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ CFA Franc BCEAO. Codes: XOF / 952 ISO 4217 currency names and code elements Archived 7 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. ISO.
- ^ a b Aib, Az (1 July 2022). "Burkina: 48,1% de la population du Sud-ouest pratique l'Animisme (officiel)". AIB - Agence d'Information du Burkina (in French). Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "burkina-faso noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ "Burkina Faso Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)". worldpopulationreview.com.
- ^ "Burkina Faso restores constitution, names coup leader president". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Toe, Olivier (26 January 2024). "Burkina Faso: Captain Ibrahim Traoré formalises constitutional amendment in line with national realities". AfrikTimes. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Decret Promulguant La Loi Constitutionnelle N° 045-2023/ALT" [Decree Promulgating Constitutional Law No. 045-2023/ALT] (PDF) (in French). 22 January 2024.
- ^ Brion, Corinne (November 2014). "Global voices Burkina Faso: Two languages are better than one". Phi Delta Kappan. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Burkina Faso § People and Society". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 11 March 2020. (Archived 2020 edition.)
- ^ Roy, Christopher D. "Countries of Africa: Burkina Faso," Art and Life in Africa, "Countries Resources". Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
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