Burkina Faso Map: Geographical and Demographic Information

What You Need to Know About Burkina Faso

The State of Burkina Faso is a Constitutional republic located in Africa. The area of Burkinabe territory is 274,400 km2 and its population is 20,835,401 inhabitants, which translates to a density of 76 inhabitants per km2. 

The capital of the country and its largest city is Ouagadougou and the official language of the country is French. The country’s telephone code is 226, either 00226 or +226.

Table – Burkina Faso: Geographic and Demographic Information

Item	Key Information
Total Area	272,967 km²
Capital	Ouagadougou
Neighboring Countries	Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast
Coastline	None (landlocked country)
Estimated Population	~24 million inhabitants (2025)
Population Density	~88 inhabitants/km²
Relief	Plateaus, savannas, some hills
Climate	Sudano-Sahelian tropical, alternating dry season / rainy season
Official Language	French
Economic Resources	Gold (1st export product), cotton, subsistence agriculture
Particularity	Sahelian country without access to the sea, heavily agricultural

Additional Points on the Map of Burkina Faso

• Burkina Faso is located in West Africa, at the heart of the Sahel region.
• Landlocked, it shares its borders with six states: Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
• Its physical map shows an essentially flat relief, with vast savannas.
• The capital Ouagadougou is also the country’s major cultural center, notably with FESPACO (Pan-African Film Festival).
• The economy mainly relies on gold and cotton, but subsistence agriculture remains essential.

Colors of Burkina Faso

The flag of Burkina Faso is a two-color flag arranged in horizontal bands with red on top and green below. In the middle of the flag is a yellow (gold) five-pointed star.

The red symbolizes the arid plateaus of the northern part of the country. The star and the gold symbolize the light that guides the people or the capital. The green symbolizes fertility and the green color of the land.

Main Cities and Best Places to Visit in Burkina Faso ?

Ouagadougou: The capital of Burkina Faso is also the economic and administrative cradle of the country. You will see a Roman Catholic cathedral there and also attend several shows (music, various festivals…). Also visit the craft markets to buy local products.

Bobo-Duoulasso: It is the second largest urban area in the country. It is very lively especially at night and will allow you to attend random festivities in the city’s bars and clubs.

It is a place of relaxation for backpackers and at the same time a welcoming city.

Banfora: It is a very beautiful city appreciated by tourists. You will find the Tengrela lake there, which is a place where you can observe hippos and have a picnic.

There are also waterfalls as well as inns for various vacationers.

Where is Burkina Faso located on the world map?

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country on the African continent. The state of Burkina Faso is located in West Africa. Its neighboring countries are Mali, Niger, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin. Mali borders it to the northwest, Niger to the northwest, the other countries are located to the south.

Climate of Burkina Faso

The climate of Burkina Faso is tropical. It is characterized by inconsistent rainfall throughout the year varying from north to south between 350 mm and 1000 mm. The dominant seasons are: the rainy season and the hot season varying to dry which experiences the breath of the Harmattan coming from the Sahara.

Here are the climatic subdivisions of the Burkinabe territory: the Sahelian zone, the Sudanese-Sahelian zone, the Sudanese-Guinean zone. The seasons are generally divided into two, namely a cold season between June and September and a summer season between October and June. Temperatures throughout the year range between 16 and 45°C and rains occur evenly throughout the year.

Administrative Division of Burkina Faso

The territory of Burkina Faso is divided into 13 regions which are in turn divided into 45 provinces. The last level of subdivision is composed of 351 departments. Here are the 30 regions:

Political map of Burkina Faso

Relief map of Burkina Faso

• Boucle du Mouhoun
• Cascades
• Centre
• Centre-Est
• Centre-Nord
• Centre-Ouest
• Centre-Sud
• East
• Hauts-Bassins
• North
• Central Plateau
• Sahel
• South-West

Here are the 45 provinces of Burkina Faso

• Kadiogo
• Bam
• Namentenga
• Sanmatenga
• Bazèga
• Nahouri
• Zoundwéogo
• Ganzourgou
• Kourwéogo
• Oubritenga
• Boulgou
• Koulpélogo
• Kouritenga
• Gnagna
• Gourma
• Komondjari
• Kompienga
• Tapoa
• Loroum
• Passoré
• Yatenga
• Zondoma
• Oudalan
• Séno
• Soum
• Yagha
• Houet
• Kénédougou
• Tuy
• Bougouriba
• Ioba
• Noumbiel
• Poni
• Balé
• Banwa
• Kossi
• Mouhoun
• Nayala
• Sourou
• Comoé
• Léraba
• Boulkiemdé
• Sanguié
• Sissili
• Ziro

Economy of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is one of the least developed countries in the world. Its economy has always been less developed but currently its economic growth has increased relatively by 6.51%. The reasons for these economic instabilities are the lack of infrastructure, less efficient industries, and the active population which is only 14%. Agriculture is predominant with 86% of the population being farmers. Here are some data:

• Official currency: CFA franc
• Nominal GDP: 11.97 billion USD
• GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP): 34.9 billion USD
• GDP growth rate: 8.5%
• GDP per capita in PPP: 1,600 USD
• Inflation rate: 8.1%
• Population below the poverty line: 50%
• Unemployment rate: 45% of the active population

The economy of Burkina Faso is mainly based on subsistence agriculture, gold (the primary export resource), and cotton. The country is still heavily dependent on its mining and agricultural exports, although efforts to diversify have begun.

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Population of Burkina Faso

The population of Burkina Faso is estimated at 21,510,181 inhabitants with a high population growth rate of 3.07% per year. The average life expectancy is 61.2 years.

The birth rate is 40.0 ‰ while the mortality rate stands at 9.6 ‰. The fertility rate remains high with 5.52 children per woman, reflecting a very young population.

FAQ – Burkina Faso map