Burkina Faso
in Western Africa
Africa

National active POI Bordering countries
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Franc - XOF
Spoken languages:
French
Local electricity:
220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, E)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 3G
ISO 2-Letter code:
BF
Internet top level domain:
.bf
Country phone prefix:
+226
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Burkina Faso in Western Africa

Safety Score: 4,1 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning please reconsider your need to travel to Burkina Faso.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Burkina Faso. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso with its capital Ouagadougou is located in Africa (Western Africa, north of Ghana). It covers some 274,201 square kilometers (slightly larger than Colorado) with 20,107,500 citizens. French is the language commonly spoken used by the people in Burkina Faso. Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Togo are bordering countries.

Burkina Faso is one of the safest and friendliest countries in all of Africa. Although it receives only a small number of tourists per year, it is an excellent destination for anyone interested in seeing beautiful West African country and exploring African culture and music. You should always take precautions when traveling, but Burkina is a remarkably safe and respectful country. Women travelers rarely experience any problems. Greeting is a very important part of Burkinabé culture, it is virtually a slap in the face to ignore someone that has greeted you, or to not greet at all so it is a good idea to greet everyone you pass by.

Popular Destinations in Burkina Faso

 

Ouahigouya
 

Ouagadougou
 

Koudougou
 

Dédougou
 

Bobo-Dioulasso
 

Banfora

Administrative regions of Burkina Faso

About the country

The landscape is mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains and hills in west and southeast. The average density of population is about 73 per km². The climate in Burkina Faso can be described as tropicalwarm, dry winters, hot, wet summers. Potential threats by nature are recurring droughts.

To reach someone Burkina Faso dial +226 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".bf". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, E). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is XOF.

Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth.

Flag of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Former President Blaise COMPAORE (1987-2014) resigned in late October 2014 following popular protests against his efforts to amend the Constitution's two-term presidential limit. By mid-November, a framework for an interim government was adopted under the terms of the National Transition Charter. An interim administration, led by President Michel KAFANDO and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac ZIDA, began organizing presidential and legislative elections planned for October 2015, but these were postponed during a weeklong failed coup in September. The rescheduled elections were held on 29 November, and Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president in the first round. Burkina Faso's high population growth and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 76) 274,200sq km
Land (World Rank: 74) 273,800sq km
Water (World Rank: 123) 400sq km
Forest (World Rank: 80) 21.90%
Comparative slightly larger than Colorado
Landborder
3611
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 17) 200m
Highest point (World Rank: 183) 749m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 95) 43.00%
Arable (World Rank: 50) 20.80%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 165) 0.30%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 80) 21.90%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 114) 550sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues
  • - and the economy
  • - deforestation
  • - overgrazing
  • - population distribution
  • - recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities
  • - soil degradation
Agreement party
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Endangered Species
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Law of the Sea
  • - Marine Life Conservation
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Wetlands
Hazzards recurring droughts
Location
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Climate
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 59) 20,107,500
Deathrate (World Rank: 28) 1.12%
Birthrate (World Rank: 7) 4.12%
Growthrate (World Rank: 9) 3.00%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 6) 5.71%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 216) 17.00
Female (World Rank: 218) 17.30
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 42) 4,519,960
0 14 female (World Rank: 41) 4,503,940
15 24 male (World Rank: 54) 2,024,500
15 24 female (World Rank: 53) 2,012,050
25 54 male (World Rank: 65) 2,999,940
25 54 female (World Rank: 65) 2,915,260
55 64 male (World Rank: 93) 284,374
55 64 female (World Rank: 84) 359,159
65 x male (World Rank: 107) 181,996
65 x female (World Rank: 97) 306,324
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 7) 7.38%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 210) 56years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 208) 58years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 210) 53years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 174) 0.05
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 176) 0.40
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 195) 19.70%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 181) 5.20%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 156) 82.30%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 156) 700,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 151) 1,200,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 77) 600,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 74) 86.60%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 105) 13.40%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 135) 22,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 116) 20,890bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 126) 26m³
Carbon footprint
1400000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 110) 4% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 94) 1% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 142) 5% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 116) -3% of GDP
National symbol
white stallion
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Burkinabe
Noun
Burkinabe (singular and plural)
Background
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Former President Blaise COMPAORE (1987-2014) resigned in late October 2014 following popular protests against his efforts to amend the Constitution's two-term presidential limit. By mid-November, a framework for an interim government was adopted under the terms of the National Transition Charter. An interim administration, led by President Michel KAFANDO and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac ZIDA, began organizing presidential and legislative elections planned for October 2015, but these were postponed during a weeklong failed coup in September. The rescheduled elections were held on 29 November, and Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president in the first round. Burkina Faso's high population growth and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 126) 32,830,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 33) 5.40%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 209) 1,800USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 16) 32.60%
Source industry (World Rank: 131) 22.20%
Source service (World Rank: 192) 45.20%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 59) 8,501,000
In poverty (World Rank: 38) 40.10%
Products
Industries
  • - agricultural processing
  • - beverages
  • - cigarettes
  • - cotton lint
  • - gold
  • - soap
  • - textiles
Agriculture
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - livestock
  • - millet
  • - peanuts
  • - rice
  • - sesame
  • - shea nuts
  • - sorghum
Exports
  • - cotton
  • - gold
  • - livestock
Imports
  • - capital goods
  • - foodstuffs
  • - petroleum

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 151) 64,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 189) 1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 165) 79.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 98) 2,723,950
Population (World Rank: 197) 14.00%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 195) 2.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 100) 21.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 109) 622
Road
Total length (World Rank: 124) 15,272
Popular places in this country

This is a list of famous places in this country in alphabetical order.