Burkina Faso

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. <br><br>The country 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. In 1987 Blaise COMPAORE deposed the president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In 2014, COMPAORE resigned after protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition, organizing presidential and legislative elections. In 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president, and he was reelected in 2020. In 2022, the military conducted two takeovers: In January, army colonel Paul Henri DAMIBA overthrew KABORE in a coup d'etat, and then in September, army captain Ibrahim TRAORE deposed DAMIBA and declared himself transition president. The transition government planned to hold elections by July 2024, but they may be delayed due to security concerns.<br><br>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 early 2023, insecurity in Burkina Faso had displaced more than 2 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.

Land

273,800 sq km

Total

274,200 sq km

Water

400 sq km

slightly larger than Colorado

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

0 km (landlocked)

Africa

Highest point

Tena Kourou 749 m

Lowest point

Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

Mean elevation

297 m

13 00 N, 2 00 W

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

550 sq km (2016)

Border countries

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

number of neighbors

6

Total

3,611 km

Agricultural land

53.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 28.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 21.9% (2023 est.)

arable land

28.9%

Forest

12.7% (2023 est.)

Other

33.9% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

2.57%

Yes

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Volta river source (shared with Ghana [m]) - 1,600 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/rKRmpcMbFher2ozb7

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/192783

Africa

none (landlocked)

recurring droughts

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

most of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map (2019)

Western Africa

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

UTC

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

41.6% (male 4,868,488/female 4,727,316)

15-64 years

55.1% (male 6,116,674/female 6,590,775)

65 years and over

3.2% (2024 est.) (male 312,587/female 426,359)

Beer

1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

5.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

7.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

31.74 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

1.6% (2015)

Women married by age 15

8.9% (2015)

Women married by age 18

51.3% (2015)

21.1%

16.9% (2021 est.)

74.3% (2021 est.)

7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

214 per 1,000

adult male

304 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

5.8 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

17.3 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

79 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

73.2 (2025 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: 34.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 49.5% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 80.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 65.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 50.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 19.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

20.3% national budget (2023 est.)

5 % of GDP

Mossi 53.7%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.8%, Gurunsi 5.9%, Bissa 5.4%, Gurma 5.2%, Bobo 3.4%, Senufo 2.2%, Bissa 1.5%, Lobi 1.5%, Tuareg/Bella 0.1%, other 12.8%, foreign 0.7% (2021 est.)

1.98 (2025 est.)

8 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.4% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

8.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.18%

0.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Female

42.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

51.1 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

25 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

48 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.)

languages

French

number of languages

1

Female

66.1 years

Male

62.3 years

Total population

64.2 years (2024 est.)

Female

35.7% (2023 est.)

Male

48.4% (2023 est.)

Total population

41.4% (2023 est.)

3.204 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.129 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2023)

242 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

19.5 years

Male

17.9 years

Total

19 years (2025 est.)

20.1 years (2021 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Adjective

Burkinabe

Noun

Burkinabe (singular and plural)

-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.6% (2016)

0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Female

11,960,321

Male

11,529,979

Total

23,490,300 (2025 est.)

2.39% (2025 est.)

Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.)

improved total

24.72%

Improved: rural

rural: 42.6% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 58.1% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 91.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 57.4% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 41.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 8.8% of population (2022 est.)

Female

7 years (2023 est.)

Male

7 years (2023 est.)

Total

7 years (2023 est.)

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female

At birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

4.6% (2025 est.)

Male

20.4% (2025 est.)

Total

12.4% (2025 est.)

4.02 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

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

Urban population

32.5% of total population (2023)

measles

88%

13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest

Etymology

Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of the native name "Wogodogo," which may come from the personal name "Waga" or "Woga" and the Dyula word "dugu," meaning "village"

Geographic coordinates

12 22 N, 1 31 W

Name

Ouagadougou

Time difference

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

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/bf.svg

Amendment process

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

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 was postponed; on 1 March 2022 a transition charter was adopted, allowing military authorities to rule for three years and barring the transitional president from being an electoral candidate after the transition

alternative spellings

BF

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

Burkina Faso

Etymology

name translates as "Land of the Worthy Men," from the Dyula words <em>burkina</em>, or "worthy," and <em>faso</em>, which means "land" or literally "father village," from <em>fa</em>, or "father," and <em>so</em>, or "village"

FIFA code

BFA

Former

Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Local long form

none

local long form (fra)

République du Burkina

Local short form

Burkina Faso

Chief of mission

Ambassador Joann M. LOCKARD (since 28 June 2024)

Email address and website

<br>AmembOuaga@state.gov<br><br>https://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&nbsp; 20521-2440

Telephone

(226) 25-49-53-00

Chancery

2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Kassoum COULIBALY (since 24 July 2025)

Email address and website

<br>contact@burkina-usa.org<br><br>https://burkina-usa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-1882

Telephone

[1] (202) 332-5577

Cabinet

prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

Chief of state

Transitional President Capt. Ibrahim TRAORE (since 30 September 2022)

Election results

<em><br>2020:</em> 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%

Election/appointment process

prior to the 2022 coups and ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly

Expected date of next election

were to be held by July 2024, but were delayed

Head of government

Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel OUEDRAOGO (since 9 December 2024)

Most recent election date

22 November 2020

Note

<strong>note:</strong> on 30 September 2022, a military junta led by TRAORE took power and ousted Transition President Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo DAMIBA

<strong>description:</strong> two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a five-pointed yellow star in the center<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red stands for the country's struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and yellow for the country's mineral wealth<br><br><strong>history:</strong> uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

The flag of Burkina Faso features two equal horizontal bands of red and green, with a yellow five-pointed star in the center.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/bf.svg

presidential republic

5 August 1960 (from France)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Highest court(s)

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 after a proposal from 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

civil law based on the French model and customary law

Chamber name

Transitional Legislative Assembly (Assembl&eacute;e l&eacute;gislative de la transition)

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

June 2029

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Parliament (Parlement)

Most recent election date

11/11/2022

Note

<strong>note:</strong> a series of coups in 2022 led to the ad hoc suspension of laws and constitutional provisions, including the unicameral National Assembly; a military junta in 2022 appointed the 71-member Transnational Legislative Assembly (ALT); a Transitional Charter, adopted in October 2022, provided for a transitional period that was extended in May 2024 until July 2029

Number of seats

71

Percentage of women in chamber

18.3%

red, yellow, green

Selected World Heritage Site locales

<p>Ruins of Loropéni (c); Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Royal Court of Tiébélé (c)</p>

Total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

note

<strong>note:</strong> commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community

white stallion

Act Together<br>African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA<br>Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP<br>Convergence for Progress and Solidarity-Generation 3 or CPS-G3<br>Movement for the Future Burkina Faso or MBF<br>National Convention for Progress or CNP<br>New Era for Democracy or NTD<br>Pan-African Alliance for Refoundation or APR<br>Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba<br>Party for Development and Change or PDC<br>Patriotic Rally for Integrity or RPI<br>Peoples Movement for Progress or MPP<br>Progressives United for Renewal or PUR<br>Union for Progress and Reform or UPC<br>Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-PS

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$6.308 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$5.174 billion (2023 est.)

code

XOF

name

West African CFA franc (XOF) [Fr]

$-1,017,189,769

Current account balance 2021

$77.255 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$1.404 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.017 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$10.85 billion

Debt - external 2023

$3.565 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

highly agrarian, low-income economy; limited natural resources; widespread poverty; terrorism disrupting potential economic activity; improving trade balance via increases in gold exports; economy inflating after prior deflation; growing public debt but still manageable

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

606.345 (2024 est.)

$6.6 billion

Exports 2021

$6.234 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$5.814 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$5.912 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Switzerland 72%, UAE 10%, India 3%, Mali 3%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$82.94 million

Exports of goods and services

28.5% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

18.8% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

60.6% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-34.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

16.5% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

10.6% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

18.6% (2024 est.)

Industry

29.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

40.2% (2024 est.)

$23.25 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$982

35.3 (2014)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

37.4 (2021 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$21.74 billion

$850

22 % of GDP

Highest 10%

30.2% (2021 est.)

Lowest 10%

3% (2021 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$7.39 billion

Imports 2021

$5.835 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.761 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$6.834 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, plastic products, cement, electricity, packaged medicine (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Cote d'Ivoire 14%, China 13%, Ghana 9%, Russia 9%, France 7% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-5.4% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

4.19%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

14.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

6.461 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

9.91 million persons

agriculture

51.78%

industry

16.67%

services

31.56%

43.2% (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

62 % of GDP

Note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2023

61.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

$68.19 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$55.508 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$57.152 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$60.001 billion (2024 est.)

4.8%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5% (2024 est.)

$2,896

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,500 (2024 est.)

$590 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

21 % of GDP

19 % of GDP

18.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

3.48%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

5.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

5.2% (2024 est.)

Female

8.5% (2024 est.)

Male

7.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

8.1% (2024 est.)

Exports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

74 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

3.096 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

131 kWh

Imports

1.577 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

749,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

212.254 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

3.4%

Electrification - total population

19.5% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

60.5%

Biomass and waste

5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

82.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

4.91%

Hydroelectricity

6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

13.98%

Solar

5.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

313 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

3.481 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

71.4%

per 100 inhabitants

0 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

Total

15,000 (2022 est.)

14 digital TV channels, of which 2 are state-owned; over 140 national radio stations (commercial, religious, community), including a national and regional state-owned network; state-owned Radio Burkina and private Radio Omega are among the most widely available and broadcast in both French and local languages (2019)

.bf

Percent of population

17% (2023 est.)

+226

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

Total subscriptions

72,700 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100

119 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

119 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

26.9 million (2022 est.)

passengers carried

103,592 passengers

registered carrier departures

2,437 departures

49 (2025)

XT

Right

Narrow gauge

622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Note

<strong>note:</strong> another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire

Total

622 km (2014)

BF

armored vehicles

tanks

the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF) are responsible for external defense but also have an internal security role and can be called out to assist internal security forces in restoring public order, combating crime, securing the border, and conducting counterterrorism/counterinsurgency/internal defense operations; the FABF has a history of involvement in the country’s politics, having conducted eight coups since its formation in 1960-61, including the most recent in September 2022<br><br>the FABF's primary focus is combatting militants of the al-Qa'ida and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist groups, which have operated in Burkina Faso for more than a decade and control portions of the country; Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups that act as al-Qa'ida in the Land of the Islamic Magreb's (AQIM) arm in the Sahel, is strongest in the north but active in nearly all of the country's 13 provinces, while ISIS in the Greater Sahara (aka ISIS-Sahel) operates in the eastern part of the country (2025)

Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF; aka National Armed Forces (FAN), aka Defense and Security Forces (Forces de Défense et de Sécurité or FDS)): Army of Burkina Faso, Air Force of Burkina Faso, National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade (Brigade Nationale de Sapeurs-Pompiers or BNSP); Homeland Defense Volunteers (Forcés de Volontaires de Défense pour la Patrie or VDP)<br><br>Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale, de la Décentralisation et de la Sécurité): National Police of Burkina Faso (includes Border Police, Judicial Police, and Intervention Units, as well as State and Public Security forces) (2025)

active duty personnel

11,000

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> the National Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Security; the Gendarmerie's primary mission is counterterrorism<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the VDP is a lightly armed civilian defense/militia force established in 2019 to act as auxiliaries to the Army; the volunteers receive two weeks of training and typically assist with carrying out surveillance, information-gathering, and escort duties, as well as local defense; they are based in each of the country's municipalities

percent of total labor force

0.12 %

estimated 20,000 Armed Forces; estimated 50,000 Homeland Defense Volunteers (2025)

the FABF has a mix of older and some modern armaments from a variety of suppliers, including China, Egypt, France, Russia, South Africa, T&uuml;rkiye, the UK, and the UAE (2025)

5 % of GDP

current USD

$1,023,672,220

Military Expenditures 2020

2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

4.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

17.00 %

percent of GDP

4.68 % of GDP

generally, 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; citizens 18-77 years of age are eligible to volunteer for the VDP (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the military regime implemented an emergency law in 2023 that allows the president extensive powers to combat terrorist groups operating in the country, including conscripting citizens into the security services; the VDP reportedly has been used by the military regime as a platform for the forced recruitment of dissidents and activists to silence critics

PowerIndex score

2.9213

IDPs

2,065,358 (2024 est.)

Refugees

41,408 (2024 est.)

Tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Burkina Faso remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/burkina-faso/

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

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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 the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

7 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

5.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

droughts; desertification; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019)

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

38.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

17 % of total land area

6 % of total

13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

7 % of internal resources

Agricultural

420.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

21.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

375.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.575 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

23% (2022 est.)