Burkina Faso: Quick Facts
News •
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• Oct. 18, 2026, 1:28 PM ET (BBC)
Facts
| Also Known As | Republic of Upper Volta • Burkina • République de Haute-Volta |
|---|---|
| Head Of Government | Prime Minister: Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo1 |
| Capital | Ouagadougou |
| Population | (2026 est.) 24,737,000 |
| Head Of State | President: Capt. Ibrahim Traoré (transitional) |
| Form Of Government | transitional military regime1 |
| Official Language | See footnote 2. |
| Official Religion | none |
| Official Name | Burkina Faso |
| Total Area (Sq Km) | 270,764 |
| Total Area (Sq Mi) | 104,543 |
| Monetary Unit | CFA franc (CFAF) |
| Population Rank | (2026) 58 |
| Population Projection 2030 | 27,969,000 |
| Density: Persons Per Sq Mi | (2026) 236.6 |
| Density: Persons Per Sq Km | (2026) 91.4 |
| Urban-Rural Population | Urban: (2019) 26.1% • Rural: (2019) 73.9% |
| Life Expectancy At Birth | Male: (2019) 60 years • Female: (2019) 64 years |
| Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) | (2024) 20,102 |
| Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) | (2024) 850 |
| 1A military coup, led by Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba on January 23–24, 2022, deposed the democratically elected president, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the National Assembly and government. A transitional charter was adopted on March 1, and Damiba was made head of state. He was deposed in a second military coup on September 30 and was replaced by Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.2A constitutional amendment, promulgated in January 2024, declared that all the country’s many national languages would have official language status. The status of the country’s previous official language, French, was changed to that of a working language. English is also a working language. | |
Photos
National anthem of Burkina Faso
Related Topics and References
Topics
Blaise CompaoréThomas SankaraAfricaWestern Africanation-stateEconomic Community of West African StatesBobo DioulassoOrganization of the Islamic CooperationOuagadougouConseil de l’EntenteUnited StatesIndiaUnited KingdomChinaCanadaRussiaGermanyAustraliaJapanFrance
Related People
Blaise Compaoré
president of Burkina Faso
Thomas Sankara
president of Burkina Faso
Related Places
Koudougou
Burkina Faso
Africa
continent
Western Africa
region, Africa
Bobo Dioulasso
Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou
national capital, Burkina Faso
W National Park
national park, Africa
Mali
country, Africa
Niger
country, Africa
Togo
country, Africa
Sudan
region, Africa
French West Africa
historical territory, West Africa
Sahel
region, Africa
Black Volta River
river, Africa
Mossi states
historical empire, Africa
Komoé River
river, Africa
