Burkina Faso

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Coordinates: 12°20′N 1°50′W
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Burkina)
Burkina Faso
Burkĩna Faso (Mossi)
𞤮𞥅𞤧𞤢𞤊 𞤢𞤲𞤭𞤳𞤪𞤵𞤄
[

(Burkina Faso) (Fula)

]1

]2[ ߏ߫ߛߊ߬ߝ ߊ߫ߣߌߞߎߙߓ (Burukina

Faso) (Dyula)

Flag
 Coat of arms

Motto: "La Patrie ou la Mort, Nous

Vaincrons" (French)
("Homeland or Death, we will
Conquer")

Anthem: "Une Seule Nuit" /

"Ditanyè" (French)
("One Single Night" / "Hymn of
Victory")
Duration: 1 minute and 48 seconds.1:48

Show globe
 Show map of Africa Show
all

Capital Ouagadougou
and largest 12°22′N 1°32′W
city

Official lang Mooré

uages Bissa
Dyula
Fula
Working English
languages French
Ethnic grou 52% Mossi
ps 8.4% Fula
(2010 est.)[3] 7% Gurma
4.9% Bobo
4.6% Gurunsi
4.5% Senufo
2.4% Lobi
1.9% Tuareg
0.8% Dyula
Demonym(s) Burkinabè
Burkinese
Government Unitary republic unde
r a military junta[5][6][7]
• Interim Ibrahim Traoré
President and
 MPSR
President
• Prime Apollinaire Joachim
Minister Kyélem de Tambèla
Legislature Transitional
Legislative Assembly
History
• Republic of 11 December 1958
Upper
Volta proclai
med
• Independence 5 August 1960
from France
• 1966 Upper 3 January 1966
Voltan coup
d'état
• 2014 Burkina 28 October – 3
Faso uprising November 2014
• Jan 2022 23–24 January 2022
Burkina Faso
coup d'état
• Sep 2022 30 September 2022
Burkina Faso
coup d'état
Area
• Total 274,223[8] km2 (105,87
8 sq mi) (74th)
• Water (%) 0.146%
Population
• 2023 estimate 22,489,126[8] (58th)
• Density 64/km2 (165.8/sq mi)
 GDP (PPP) 2023 estimate
• Total $62.788
billion[9] (114th)
• Per capita $2,682[9] (171st)
GDP (nomin 2023 estimate
al)
• Total $20.785
billion[9] (124th)
• Per capita $888[9] (180th)
Gini (2020) 38.9[10]
medium inequality
HDI (2022) 0.438[11]
low (185th)
Currency West African CFA
franc[12] (XOF)
Time zone UTC+00:00
Date format dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on right
Calling code +226
ISO 3166 BF
code
Internet .bf
TLD

Burkina Faso[a] is a landlocked country in West Africa. It

covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,878 sq mi),
[8]
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.
[14]
Previously called the 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.
Since the mid-2010s, Burkina Faso has been severely
affected by the rise of insurgencies in the Sahel.
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 and 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.[15]
Burkina Faso remains one of the least developed
countries in the world, with a GDP of $16.226 billion in
2022. Approximately 63.8% of its population
practices Islam, while 26.3% practices Christianity.[4] The
country's official language of government and business
was French, until January 2024, by ratification of a
constitutional amendment, the status of French was
demoted to that of a "working language" of the country,
alongside English.[16][17] While the Burkinabè government
officially recognizes 60 indigenous languages,
the Mooré language is spoken by over half the
population.[18][19]
The country’s territory is geographically biodiverse, and
includes plentiful reserves
of gold, manganese, copper and limestone. Due to its
multicultural make-up, Burkinabè art has a rich and long
history, and is globally renowned for its orthodox style.
[20]
The country is governed as a semi-presidential
republic, with executive, legislative and judicial powers. It
is a member of the United Nations, La Francophonie and
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. On 18 January
2024, Burkina Faso announced its exit
from ECOWAS and the African Union.
Etymology
[edit]

Formerly the Republic of Upper Volta, the country was

renamed "Burkina Faso" on 4 August 1984 by then-
President Thomas Sankara. The words "Burkina" and
"Faso" stem from different languages spoken in the
country: "Burkina" comes from Mooré and means
"upright", showing how the people are proud of their
integrity, while "Faso" comes from the Dioula
language (as written in N'Ko: ߏ߫ߛߊ߬ߝ faso) and means
"fatherland" (literally, "father's house"). The "-bè" suffix
added onto "Burkina" to form the demonym "Burkinabè"
comes from the Fula language and means "women or
men".[21] The CIA summarizes the etymology as "land of
the honest (incorruptible) men".[22]
The French Colony of Upper Volta was named for its
location on the upper courses of the Volta
River (the Black, Red and White Volta).[23]
History
[edit]
Main article: History of Burkina Faso
Early history
[edit]

The northwestern part of present-day Burkina Faso was

populated by hunter-gatherers from 14,000 BCE to 5,000
BCE. Their tools,
including scrapers, chisels and arrowheads, were
discovered in 1973 through archaeological excavations.
[24]
Agricultural settlements were established between
3600 and 2600 BCE.[24] The Bura culture was an Iron-
Age civilization centred in the southwest portion of
modern-day Niger and in the southeast part of
contemporary Burkina Faso.[25] Iron industry,
in smelting and forging for tools and weapons, had
developed in Sub-Saharan Africa by 1200 BCE.[26][27] To
date, the oldest evidence of iron smelting found in
Burkina Faso dates from 800 to 700 BCE and forms part
of the Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy World Heritage Site.
[28]
From the 3rd to the 13th centuries CE, the Iron
Age Bura culture existed in the territory of present-day
southeastern Burkina Faso and southwestern Niger.
Various ethnic groups of present-day Burkina Faso, such
as the Mossi, Fula and Dioula, arrived in successive
waves between the 8th and 15th centuries. From the
11th century, the Mossi people established several
separate kingdoms.

West Africa circa 1875

8th to 18th centuries
[edit]

There is debate about the exact dates when Burkina

Faso's many ethnic groups arrived to the area.
The Proto-Mossi arrived in the far eastern part of what is
today Burkina Faso sometime between the 8th and 11th
centuries,[29] they accepted Islam as their religion in the
11th century, the Samo arrived around the 15th century,
[30]
the Dogon lived in Burkina Faso's north and northwest
regions until sometime in the 15th or 16th
centuries[31] and many of the other ethnic groups that
make up the country's population arrived in the region
during this time.

The cavalry of the Mossi

Kingdoms were experts at raiding deep into enemy
territory, even against the formidable Mali Empire.
 Armed men prevent the French
explorer Louis-Gustave Binger from entering Sia (Bobo-
Dioulasso) during his stay in April 1892.
During the Middle Ages, the Mossi established several
separate kingdoms including those of Tenkodogo,
Yatenga, Zandoma, and Ouagadougou.[32] Sometime
between 1328 and 1338, Mossi warriors
raided Timbuktu but the Mossi were defeated by Sonni
Ali of Songhai at the Battle of Kobi in Mali in 1483.[33]
During the early 16th century, the Songhai conducted
many slave raids into what is today Burkina Faso.
[30]
During the 18th century, the Gwiriko Empire was
established at Bobo Dioulasso and ethnic groups such
as the Dyan, Lobi, and Birifor settled along the Black
Volta.[34]
From colony to independence (1890s–1958)
[edit]
Main articles: Upper Senegal and Niger and French
Upper Volta
This section needs additional citations
for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable
sources in this section. Unsourced
material may be challenged and
 removed. (December 2017) (Learn how and
when to remove this message)
Starting in the early 1890s during the
European Scramble for Africa, a series of European
military officers made attempts to claim parts of what is
today Burkina Faso. At times these colonialists and their
armies fought the local peoples; at times they forged
alliances with them and made treaties. The colonialist
officers and their home governments also made treaties
among themselves. The territory of Burkina Faso was
invaded by France, becoming a French protectorate in
1896.[35]

French West Africa c. 1913

The eastern and western regions, where a standoff
against the forces of the powerful ruler Samori
Ture complicated the situation, came under French
occupation in 1897. By 1898, the majority of the territory
corresponding to Burkina Faso was nominally
conquered; however, French control of many parts
remained uncertain.[24]
The Franco-British Convention of 14 June 1898 created
the country's modern borders. In the French territory, a
war of conquest against local communities and political
powers continued for about five years. In 1904, the
largely pacified territories of the Volta basin were
integrated into the Upper Senegal and Niger colony
of French West Africa as part of the reorganization of the
French West African colonial empire. The colony had its
capital in Bamako.
The language of colonial administration and schooling
became French. The public education system started
from humble origins. Advanced education was provided
for many years during the colonial period in Dakar.
The indigenous population was highly discriminated
against. For example, African children were not allowed
to ride bicycles or pick fruit from trees, "privileges"
reserved for the children of colonists. Violating these
regulations could land parents in jail.[36]
Draftees from the territory participated in the European
fronts of World War I in the battalions of the Senegalese
Rifles. Between 1915 and 1916, the districts in the
western part of what is now Burkina Faso and the
bordering eastern fringe of Mali became the stage of one
of the most important armed oppositions to colonial
government: the Volta-Bani War.[37]
The French government finally suppressed the
movement but only after suffering defeats. It also had to
organize its largest expeditionary force of its colonial
history to send into the country to suppress the
insurrection. Armed opposition wracked the Sahelian
north when the Tuareg and allied groups of the Dori
region ended their truce with the government.

The capital, Ouagadougou, in 1930

French Upper Volta was established on 1 March 1919.
The French feared a recurrence of armed uprising and
had related economic considerations. To bolster its
administration, the colonial government separated the
present territory of Burkina Faso from Upper Senegal
and Niger.
The new colony was named Haute Volta for its location
on the upper courses of the Volta
River (the Black, Red and White Volta), and François
Charles Alexis Édouard Hesling became its
first governor. Hesling initiated an ambitious road-making
program to improve infrastructure and promoted the
growth of cotton for export. The cotton policy – based
on coercion – failed, and revenue generated by the
colony stagnated. The colony was dismantled on 5
September 1932, being split between the French
colonies of Ivory Coast, French Sudan and Niger. Ivory
Coast received the largest share, which contained most
of the population as well as the cities of Ouagadougou
and Bobo-Dioulasso.
France reversed this change during the period of intense
anti-colonial agitation that followed the end of World War
II. On 4 September 1947, it revived the colony of Upper
Volta, with its previous boundaries, as a part of
the French Union. The French designated its colonies as
departments of metropolitan France on the European
continent.
On 11 December 1958 the colony achieved self-
government as the Republic of Upper Volta; it joined the
Franco-African Community. A revision in the organization
of French Overseas Territories had begun with the
passage of the Basic Law (Loi Cadre) of 23 July 1956.
This act was followed by reorganization measures
approved by the French parliament early in 1957 to
ensure a large degree of self-government for individual
territories. Upper Volta became an autonomous republic
in the French community on 11 December 1958. Full
independence from France was received in 1960.[38]
Upper Volta (1958–1984)
[edit]
Main article: Republic of Upper Volta
Maurice Yaméogo, the first president of Upper Volta,
examines documents pertaining to the ratification of the
country's independence in 1960
The Republic of Upper Volta (French: République de
Haute-Volta) was established on 11 December 1958 as
a self-governing colony within the French Community.
The name Upper Volta related to the nation's location
along the upper reaches of the Volta River. The river's
three tributaries are called the Black, White and Red
Volta. These were expressed in the three colors of
the former national flag.
Before attaining autonomy, it had been French Upper
Volta and part of the French Union. On 5 August 1960, it
attained full independence from France. The first
president, Maurice Yaméogo, was the leader of
the Voltaic Democratic Union (UDV). The 1960
constitution provided for election by universal suffrage of
a president and a national assembly for five-year terms.
Soon after coming to power, Yaméogo banned all
political parties other than the UDV. The government
lasted until 1966. After much unrest, including mass
demonstrations and strikes by students, labor unions,
and civil servants, the military intervened.
Lamizana's rule and multiple coups
[edit]

The 1966 military coup deposed Yaméogo, suspended

the constitution, dissolved the National Assembly, and
placed Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana at the head of a
government of senior army officers. The army remained
in power for four years. On 14 June 1976, the Voltans
ratified a new constitution that established a four-year
transition period toward complete civilian rule. Lamizana
remained in power throughout the 1970s as president of
military or mixed civil-military governments. Lamizana's
rule coincided with the beginning of the Sahel
drought and famine which had a devastating impact on
Upper Volta and neighboring countries. After conflict
over the 1976 constitution, a new constitution was written
and approved in 1977. Lamizana was re-elected by open
elections in 1978.
Lamizana's government faced problems with the
country's traditionally powerful trade unions, and on 25
November 1980, Col. Saye Zerbo overthrew President
Lamizana in a bloodless coup. Colonel Zerbo
established the Military Committee of Recovery for
National Progress as the supreme governmental
authority, thus eradicating the 1977 constitution.
Colonel Zerbo also encountered resistance from trade
unions and was overthrown two years later by Maj.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo and the Council of Popular
Salvation (CSP) in the 1982 Upper Voltan coup d'état.
The CSP continued to ban political parties and
organizations, yet promised a transition to civilian rule
and a new constitution.[39][40]
1983 coup d'état
[edit]

Infighting developed between the right and left factions

of the CSP. The leader of the leftists, Capt. Thomas
Sankara, was appointed prime minister in January 1983,
but was subsequently arrested. Efforts to free him,
directed by Capt. Blaise Compaoré, resulted in a military
coup d'état on 4 August 1983.
The coup brought Sankara to power and his government
began to implement a series of revolutionary programs
which included mass-vaccinations, infrastructure
improvements, the expansion of women's rights,
encouragement of domestic agricultural consumption,
and anti-desertification projects.[41]
Burkina Faso (since 1984)
[edit]

On 2 August 1984, on Sankara's initiative, the country's

name changed from "Upper Volta" to "Burkina Faso",
or land of the honest men; (the literal translation is land
of the upright men).[42][43][need quotation to verify][44][45] The presidential
decree was confirmed by the National Assembly on 4
August 1984.
Sankara's government comprised the National Council
for the Revolution (CNR – French: Conseil national
révolutionnaire), with Sankara as its president, and
established popular Committees for the Defense of the
Revolution (CDRs). The Pioneers of the
Revolution youth programme was also established.
Sankara launched an ambitious socioeconomic
programme for change, one of the largest ever
undertaken on the African continent.[41] His foreign
policies centred on anti-imperialism, with his government
rejecting all foreign aid, pushing for odious
debt reduction, nationalising all land and mineral wealth
and averting the power and influence of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. His domestic
policies included a nationwide literacy campaign, land
redistribution to peasants, railway and road construction
and the outlawing of female genital mutilation, forced
marriages and polygamy.[41][46]
Sankara pushed for agrarian self-sufficiency and
promoted public health by vaccinating 2,500,000 children
against meningitis, yellow fever, and measles.[46] His
national agenda also included planting over 10,000,000
trees to halt the growing desertification of the Sahel.
Sankara called on every village to build a medical
dispensary and had over 350 communities build schools
with their own labour.[41][47]
In the 1980s, when ecological awareness was still very
low, Sankara was one of the few African leaders to
consider environmental protection a priority. He engaged
in three major battles: against bush fires "which will be
considered as crimes and will be punished as such";
against cattle roaming "which infringes on the rights of
peoples because unattended animals destroy nature";
and against the anarchic cutting of firewood "whose
profession will have to be organized and regulated". As
part of a development program involving a large part of
the population, ten million trees were planted in Burkina
Faso in fifteen months during the revolution. To face the
advancing desert and recurrent droughts, Sankara also
proposed the planting of wooded strips about fifty
kilometers wide, crossing the country from east to west.
Cereal production, close to 1.1 billion tons before 1983,
was predicted to rise to 1.6 billion tons in 1987. Jean
Ziegler, former UN special rapporteur for the right to
food, said that the country "had become food self-
sufficient."[48]
Compaoré presidency
[edit]

Blaise Compaoré, President 1987–

2014
On 15 October 1987, Sankara and twelve other
government officials were assassinated in a coup d'état
organized by Blaise Compaoré, Sankara's former
colleague, who took over as Burkina Faso's president.
He held the position until October 2014.[49] After the coup
and although Sankara was known to be dead, some
CDRs mounted an armed resistance to the army for
several days.[50][51][52] A majority[quantify] of Burkinabè citizens
hold that France's foreign ministry, the Quai d'Orsay,
was behind Compaoré in organizing the coup. There is
some evidence for France's support of the coup.[53]
Compaoré gave the deterioration in relations with
neighbouring countries as one of the reasons for the
coup.[54] He argued that Sankara had jeopardised foreign
relations with the former colonial power (France) and
with neighbouring Ivory Coast.[55] Following the coup,
Compaoré immediately reversed the nationalizations,
overturned nearly all of Sankara's policies, returned the
country back into the IMF fold, and ultimately spurned
most of Sankara's legacy. Following an alleged coup-
attempt in 1989, Compaoré introduced limited
democratic reforms in 1990. Under the new
(1991) constitution, Compaoré was re-elected without
opposition in December 1991. In 1998 Compaoré
won election in a landslide. In 2004, 13 people were tried
for plotting a coup against President Compaoré and the
coup's alleged mastermind was sentenced to life
imprisonment.[56]
In 2000, the constitution was amended to reduce the
presidential term to five years and set term limits to two,
preventing successive re-election. The amendment took
effect during the 2005 elections. If passed beforehand, it
would have prevented Compaoré from being reelected.
Other presidential candidates challenged the election
results. But in October 2005, the constitutional council
ruled that, because Compaoré was the sitting president
in 2000, the amendment would not apply to him until the
end of his second term in office. This cleared the way for
his candidacy in the 2005 election. On 13 November
2005, he was reelected in a landslide, because of a
divided political opposition.
In the 2010 presidential election, Compaoré was re-
elected. Only 1.6 million Burkinabè voted, out of a total
population 10 times that size. In February 2011, the
death of a schoolboy provoked the 2011 Burkinabè
protests, a series of popular protests, coupled with a
military mutiny and a magistrates' strike, that called for
Compaoré's resignation, democratic reforms, higher
wages for troops and public servants and economic
freedom.[57][58][59] As a result, governors were replaced and
wages for public servants were raised.[60][61] In April 2011,
there was an army mutiny; the president named new
chiefs of staff, and a curfew was imposed
in Ouagadougou.[62]
Compaoré's government played the role of negotiator in
several West-African disputes, including the 2010–2011
Ivorian crisis, the Inter-Togolese Dialogue (2007), and
the 2012 Malian Crisis. As of 2014, Burkina Faso
remained one of the least-developed countries in the
world.[63]
Kafando presidency
[edit]
Main article: 2014 Burkinabè uprising

Thousands of protesters march

through Ouagadougou
Starting on 28 October 2014 protesters began to march
and demonstrate in Ouagadougou against President
Compaoré, who appeared[need quotation to verify] ready to amend
the constitution and extend his 27-year rule. On 30
October some protesters set fire to the parliament
building[64] and took over the national TV headquarters.
[65]
Ouagadougou International Airport closed and MPs
suspended the vote on changing the constitution (the
change would have allowed Compaoré to stand for re-
election in 2015). Later in the day, the military dissolved
all government institutions and imposed a curfew.[66]
On 31 October 2014, Compaoré resigned.[67] Lt. Col.
Isaac Zida said that he would lead the country during its
transitional period before the planned 2015 presidential
election, but there were concerns[by whom?] over his close ties
to the former president.[68] In November 2014 opposition
parties, civil-society groups and religious leaders
adopted a plan for a transitional authority to guide
Burkina Faso to elections.[69] Under the plan Michel
Kafando became the transitional president and Lt. Col.
Zida became the acting Prime Minister and Defense
Minister.
On 16 September 2015, the Regiment of Presidential
Security (RSP) carried out a coup d'état, seizing the
president and prime minister and then declaring
the National Council for Democracy the new national
government.[70] However, on 22 September 2015, the
coup leader, Gilbert Diendéré, apologized and promised
to restore civilian government.[71] On 23 September 2015
the prime minister and interim president were restored to
power.[72]
Kaboré presidency and Jihadist insurgency (2015–2023)
[edit]
Main articles: Jihadist insurgency in Burkina
Faso and Terrorism in Burkina Faso
General elections took place on 29 November
2015. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré won the election in
the first round with 53.5% of the vote, defeating
businessman Zéphirin Diabré, who took 29.7%.[73] Kaboré
was sworn in as president on 29 December 2015.
[74]
Kaboré was re-elected in the general election of 22
November 2020, but his party Mouvement du Peuple
pour le Progrès (MPP), failed to reach absolute
parliamentary majority. It secured 56 seats out of a total
of 127. The Congress for Democracy and Progress
(CDP), the party of former President Blaise Compaoré,
was distant second with 20 seats.[75]

Smoke rising from French Embassy

in Ouagadougou, 2 March 2018, during the 2018
Ouagadougou attacks.
A Jihadist insurgency began in August 2015, part of
the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel. Between August
2015 and October 2016, seven different posts were
attacked across the country.[76][77] On 15 January 2016,
terrorists attacked the capital city of Ouagadougou,
killing 30 people. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic
Maghreb and Al-Mourabitoune, which until then had
mostly operated in neighbouring Mali, claimed
responsibility for the attack.[78][79]
In 2016, attacks increased after a new group Ansarul
Islam, led by imam Ibrahim Malam Dicko, was founded.[80]
[81]
Its attacks focused particularly on Soum province[80]
[82]
and it killed dozens of people in the attack on
Nassoumbou on 16 December.[83]
Between 27 March – 10 April 2017, the governments
of Mali, France, and Burkina Faso launched a joint
operation named "Operation Panga", which involved
1,300 soldiers from the three countries, in the Fhero
Forest, near the Burkina Faso-Mali border, considered a
sanctuary for Ansarul Islam.[84][85] The head of Ansarul
Islam, Ibrahim Malam Dicko, was killed in June 2017
and Jafar Dicko became leader.[86]
On 2 March 2018, Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal
Muslimin attacked the French
embassy in Ouagadougou as well as the general staff of
the Burkinabè army. Eight soldiers and eight attackers
were killed, and a further 61 soldiers and 24 civilians
were injured.[87] The insurgency expanded to the east of
the country[88][89][90] and, in early October, the Armed Forces
of Burkina Faso launched a major military operation in
the country's East, supported by French forces.[91][92]
[93]
According to Human Rights Watch, between mid-2018
to February 2019, at least 42 people were murdered by
jihadists and a minimum of 116 mostly Fulani civilians
were killed by military forces without trial.[94] The
attacks increased significantly in 2019. According to
the ACLED, armed violence in Burkina Faso jumped by
174% in 2019, with nearly 1,300 civilians dead and
860,000 displaced.[95] Jihadist groups also began to
specifically target Christians.[96][97][98][99]
On 8 July 2020, the United States raised concerns after
a Human Rights Watch report revealed mass graves with
at least 180 bodies, which were found in northern
Burkina Faso where soldiers were fighting jihadists.
[100]
On 4 June 2021, the Associated Press reported that
according to the government of Burkina Faso, gunmen
killed at least 100 people in Solhan village in northern
Burkina Faso near the Niger border. A local market and
several homes were also burned down. A government
spokesman blamed jihadists. Heni Nsaibia, senior
researcher at the Armed Conflict Location and Event
Data Project said it was the deadliest attack recorded in
Burkina Faso since the beginning of the jihadist
insurgency.[101]
From 4–5 June 2021, unknown militants massacred over
170 people in the villages of Solhan and Tadaryat.
Jihadists killed 80 people in Gorgadji on 20 August.
[102]
On 14 November, the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal
Muslimin attacked a gendarmerie in Inata, killing 53
soldiers, the heaviest loss of life by the Burkinabe
military during the insurgency, and a major morale loss in
the country.[103] In December Islamists killed 41 people in
an ambush, including the popular vigilante leader Ladji
Yoro. Yoro was a central figure in the Volunteers for the
Defense of the Homeland (VDP) a pro-government
militia that had taken a leading role in the struggle
against Islamists.[104]
In 2023, shortly after the murder of a Catholic priest at
the hands of insurgents, the bishop of Dori, Laurent
Dabiré, claimed in an interview with Catholic charity Aid
to the Church in Need that around 50% of the country
was in the hands of Islamists.[105]
2022 coups d'état
[edit]
Main articles: January 2022 Burkina Faso coup
d'état and September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état
In a successful coup on 24 January 2022, mutinying
soldiers arrested and deposed President Roch Marc
Christian Kaboré following gunfire.[106] The Patriotic
Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR)
supported by the military declared itself to be in power,[107]
[108]
led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo
Damiba.[109] On 31 January, the military junta restored the
constitution and appointed Damiba interim president. In
the aftermath of the coup, ECOWAS and the African
Union suspended Burkina Faso's membership.[110][111] On
10 February, the Constitutional Council declared Damiba
president.[112] He was sworn in as president on 16
February.[113] On 1 March 2022, the junta approved a
charter allowing a military-led transition of 3 years.[114] The
charter provides for the transition process to be followed
by the holding of elections.[115] President Kaboré, who had
been detained since the military junta took power, was
released on 6 April 2022.[116]
The insurgency continued following the coup, with about
60% of the country under government control.
[117]
The Siege of Djibo began in February 2022[118][119] and
continued as of June 2023.[120][121] Between 100 and 165
people were killed in Seytenga Department, Séno
Province on 12–13 June and around 16,000 people fled
their homes.[122][123] In June 2023, the Government
announced the creation of "military zones", which
civilians were required to vacate so that the country's
Armed and Security Forces could fight insurgents without
any "hindrances".[124][125]
On 30 September, Damiba was ousted in a military coup
led by Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.[126][127] This came eight
months after Damiba seized power. The rationale given
by Traoré for the coup d'état was the purported inability
of Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba to deal with an Islamist
insurgency.[128] Damiba resigned and left the country.
[129]
On 6 October 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré was
officially appointed as president.[130] Apollinaire Joachim
Kyélem de Tambèla was appointed interim Prime
Minister on 21 October 2022.[131]
On 13 April 2023, authorities in Burkina Faso declared a
mobilisation in order to give the nation all means
necessary to combat terrorism and create a "legal
framework for all the actions to be taken" against the
insurgents in recapturing 40% of the national territory
from Islamist insurgents.[132] On 20 April, the Rapid
Intervention Brigade committed the Karma massacre,
rounding up and executing civilians en masse. Between
60 and 156 civilians were killed.[133][134][135][136]
Government
[edit]
Main article: Politics of Burkina Faso

The National Assembly building in

downtown Ouagadougou
The constitution of 2 June 1991 established a semi-
presidential government: its parliament could be
dissolved by the President of the Republic, who was to
be elected for a term of seven years. In 2000, the
constitution was amended to reduce the presidential
term to five years and set term limits to two, preventing
successive re-election. The amendment took effect
during the 2005 elections.
The parliament consisted of one chamber known as
the National Assembly, which had 111 seats with
members elected to serve five-year terms. There was
also a constitutional chamber, composed of ten
members, and an economic and social council whose
roles were purely consultative. The 1991 constitution
created a bicameral parliament, but the upper house
(Chamber of Representatives) was abolished in 2002.
The Compaoré administration had worked
to decentralize power by devolving some of its powers to
regions and municipal authorities. The widespread
distrust of politicians and lack of political involvement by
many residents complicated this process. Critics
described this as a hybrid decentralisation.[137]
Political freedoms are severely restricted in Burkina
Faso. Human rights organizations had criticised the
Compaoré administration for numerous acts of state-
sponsored violence against journalists and other
politically active members of society.[138][139]
The prime minister is head of government and is
appointed by the president with the approval of the
National Assembly. He is responsible for recommending
a cabinet for appointment by the president.[140]
Constitution
[edit]
Further information: Constitution of Burkina Faso
In 2015, Kaboré promised to revise the 1991
constitution. The revision was completed in 2018. One
condition prevents any individual from serving as
president for more than ten years either consecutively or
intermittently and provides a method for impeaching a
president. A referendum on the constitution for the Fifth
Republic was scheduled for 24 March 2019.[141]
Certain rights are also enshrined in the revised wording:
access to drinking water, access to decent housing and
a recognition of the right to civil disobedience, for
example. The referendum was required because the
opposition parties in Parliament refused to sanction the
proposed text.[142]
Following the January 2022 coup d'état, the military
dissolved the parliament, government and constitution.
[143]
On 31 January, the military junta restored the
constitution,[144] but it was suspended again following
the September 2022 coup d'état.[145]
Foreign relations
[edit]
Further information: Foreign relations of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a member of the G5 Sahel, Community
of Sahel–Saharan States, La
Francophonie, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and
United Nations. It is currently suspended
from ECOWAS and the African Union.
Military
[edit]
Main article: Military of Burkina Faso
The army consists of some 6,000 men in voluntary
service, augmented by a part-time national People's
Militia composed of civilians between 25 and 35 years of
age who are trained in both military and civil duties.
According to Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessment,
Burkina Faso's Army is undermanned for its force
structure and poorly equipped, but has wheeled light-
armour vehicles, and may have developed useful combat
expertise through interventions in Liberia and elsewhere
in Africa.[146]
In terms of training and equipment, the regular Army is
believed to be neglected in relation to the élite Regiment
of Presidential Security (French: Régiment de la Sécurité
Présidentielle – RSP). Reports have emerged in recent
years of disputes over pay and conditions.[147] There is an
air force with some 19 operational aircraft, but no navy,
as the country is landlocked. Military expenses constitute
approximately 1.2% of the nation's GDP.
Law enforcement
[edit]
Main article: Law enforcement in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso employs numerous police and security
forces, generally modeled after organizations used
by French police. France continues to provide significant
support and training to police forces. The Gendarmerie
Nationale is organized along military lines, with most
police services delivered at the brigade level.
The Gendarmerie operates under the authority of the
Minister of Defence, and its members are employed
chiefly in the rural areas and along borders.[148]
There is a municipal police force controlled by
the Ministry of Territorial Administration; a national police
force controlled by the Ministry of Security; and an
autonomous Regiment of Presidential
Security (Régiment de la Sécurité Présidentielle, or
RSP), a 'palace guard' devoted to the protection of the
President of the Republic. Both the gendarmerie and the
national police are subdivided into both administrative
and judicial police functions; the former are detailed to
protect public order and provide security, the latter are
charged with criminal investigations.[148]
All foreigners and citizens are required to carry photo ID
passports, or other forms of identification or risk a fine,
and police spot identity checks are commonplace for
persons traveling by auto, bush-taxi, or bus.[149][150]
Administrative divisions
[edit]
Main articles: Regions of Burkina Faso, Provinces of
Burkina Faso, and Departments of Burkina Faso
The country is divided into 13 administrative regions.
These regions
encompass 45 provinces and 301 departments. Each
region is administered by a governor.
Geography
[edit]

Satellite image of Burkina Faso

Main article: Geography of Burkina Faso
 Map of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso lies mostly between
latitudes 9° and 15° N (a small area is north of 15°), and
longitudes 6° W and 3° E.
It is made up of two major types of countryside. The
larger part of the country is covered by a peneplain,
which forms a gently undulating landscape with, in some
areas, a few isolated hills, the last vestiges of
a Precambrian massif. The southwest of the country, on
the other hand, forms a sandstone massif, where the
highest peak, Ténakourou, is found at an elevation of
749 meters (2,457 ft). The massif is bordered by sheer
cliffs up to 150 m (492 ft) high. The average altitude of
Burkina Faso is 400 m (1,312 ft) and the difference
between the highest and lowest terrain is no greater than
600 m (1,969 ft). Burkina Faso is therefore a relatively
flat country.
The country owes its former name of Upper Volta to
three rivers which cross it: the Black Volta (or Mouhoun),
the White Volta (Nakambé) and the Red Volta (Nazinon).
The Black Volta is one of the country's only two rivers
which flow year-round, the other being the Komoé, which
flows to the southwest. The basin of the Niger
River also drains 27% of the country's surface.
The Niger's tributaries – the Béli, Gorouol, Goudébo, and
Dargol – are seasonal streams and flow for only four to
six months a year. They still can flood and overflow,
however. The country also contains numerous lakes –
the principal ones are Tingrela, Bam, and Dem. The
country contains large ponds, as well, such as Oursi,
Béli, Yomboli, and Markoye. Water shortages are often a
problem, especially in the north of the country.

Savannah near the Gbomblora

Department, on the road from Gaoua to Batié
Burkina Faso lies within two terrestrial
ecoregions: Sahelian Acacia savanna and West
Sudanian savanna.[151]
Climate
[edit]

Map of Köppen climate classification

Burkina Faso has a primarily tropical climate with two
very distinct seasons. In the rainy season, the country
receives between 600 and 900 mm (24 and 35 in) of
rainfall; in the dry season, the harmattan – a hot dry wind
from the Sahara – blows. The rainy season lasts around
four months, May/June to September, but is shorter in
the north of the country. Three climatic zones can be
defined: the Sahel, the Sudan-Sahel, and the Sudan-
Guinea. The Sahel in the north typically receives less
than 600 mm (24 in)[152] of rainfall per year and has high
temperatures, 5–47 °C (41–117 °F).
A relatively dry tropical savanna, the Sahel extends
beyond the borders of Burkina Faso, from the Horn of
Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, and borders the Sahara to
its north and the fertile region of the Sudan to the south.
Situated between 11° 3′ and 13° 5′ north latitude, the
Sudan-Sahel region is a transitional zone with regard to
rainfall and temperature. Further to the south, the Sudan-
Guinea zone receives more than 900 mm (35 in)[152] of
rain each year and has cooler average temperatures.
 Damage caused by the Dourtenga
floods in 2007
Geography and environment contribute to Burkina
Faso's food insecurity.[153] As the country is situated in
the Sahel region, it has some of the most radical climatic
variation in the world, ranging from severe flooding to
extreme drought.[154] The unpredictable climatic shocks
can make it very difficult for Burkina Faso citizens to rely
on and prosper from agriculture.[155]
Burkina Faso's climate also renders its crops vulnerable
to insect attacks, including attacks
from locusts and crickets, which destroy crops and
further inhibit food production.[156] Not only is most of the
population of Burkina Faso dependent on agriculture as
a source of income, but they also rely on the agricultural
sector for food that will directly feed the household.
[157]
Due to the vulnerability of agriculture, more and more
families are having to look for other sources of non-farm
income,[158] and often have to travel outside of their
regional zone to find work.[157]
Natural resources
[edit]
Burkina Faso's natural resources include
gold, manganese, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumic
e, and salt.
Wildlife
[edit]
Further information: Wildlife of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has a larger number of elephants than
many countries in West Africa. Lions, leopards and
buffalo can also be found here, including the dwarf or red
buffalo, a smaller reddish-brown animal which looks like
a fierce kind of short-legged cow. Other large predators
live in Burkina Faso, such as the cheetah, the caracal or
African lynx, the spotted hyena and the African wild dog,
one of the continent's most endangered species.[159]
Burkina Faso's fauna and flora are protected in four
national parks:
 The W National Park in the east which passes Burkina
Faso, Benin, and Niger
 The Arly Wildlife Reserve (Arly National Park in the

east)
 The Léraba-Comoé Classified Forest and Partial

Reserve of Wildlife in the west

 The Mare aux Hippopotames in the west

and several reserves: see List of national parks in

Africa and Nature reserves of Burkina Faso.
Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Burkina Faso

A proportional representation

of Burkina Faso exports, 2019 GDP

per capita in Burkina Faso, since 1950
The value of Burkina Faso's exports fell from
$2.77 billion in 2011 to $754 million in 2012.
[160]
Agriculture represents 32% of its gross domestic
product and occupies 80% of the working population. It
consists mostly of rearing livestock. Especially in the
south and southwest, the people grow crops
of sorghum, pearl millet, maize (corn), peanuts, rice and
cotton, with surpluses to be sold. A large part of the
economic activity of the country is funded by
international aid, despite having gold ores in abundance.
The top five export commodities in 2017 were, in order of
importance: gems and precious metals, US$1.9 billion
(78.5% of total exports), cotton, $198.7 million (8.3%),
ores, slag, ash, $137.6 million (5.8%), fruits, nuts:
$76.6 million (3.2%) and oil seeds: $59.5 million (2.5%).
[161]

A December 2018 report from the World Bank indicates

that in 2017, economic growth increased to 6.4% in 2017
(vs. 5.9% in 2016) primarily due to gold production and
increased investment in infrastructure. The increase in
consumption linked to growth of the wage bill also
supported economic growth. Inflation remained low,
0.4% that year but the public deficit grew to 7.7% of GDP
(vs. 3.5% in 2016). The government was continuing to
get financial aid and loans to finance the debt. To
finance the public deficit, the Government combined
concessional aid and borrowing on the regional market.
The World Bank said that the economic outlook
remained favorable in the short and medium term,
although that could be negatively impacted. Risks
included high oil prices (imports), lower prices of gold
and cotton (exports) as well as terrorist threat and labour
strikes.[162]
Burkina Faso is part of the West African Monetary and
Economic Union (UMEOA) and has adopted the CFA
franc. This is issued by the Central Bank of the West
African States (BCEAO), situated in Dakar, Senegal. The
BCEAO manages the monetary and reserve policy of the
member states, and provides regulation and oversight of
financial sector and banking activity. A legal framework
regarding licensing, bank activities, organizational and
capital requirements, inspections and sanctions (all
applicable to all countries of the Union) is in place,
having been reformed significantly in
1999. Microfinance institutions are governed by a
separate law, which regulates microfinance activities in
all WAEMU countries. The insurance sector is regulated
through the Inter-African Conference on Insurance
Markets (CIMA).[163]

Processing facilities at the Essakane

Mine in Burkina Faso
In 2018, tourism was almost non-existent in large parts
of the country. The U.S. government (and others) warn
their citizens not to travel into large parts of Burkina
Faso: "The northern Sahel border region shared with
Mali and Niger due to crime and terrorism. The provinces
of Kmoandjari, Tapoa, Kompienga, and Gourma in East
Region due to crime and terrorism".[164]
The 2018 CIA World Factbook provides this updated
summary. "Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country
that depends on adequate rainfall. Irregular patterns of
rainfall, poor soil, and the lack of adequate
communications and other infrastructure contribute to the
economy's vulnerability to external shocks. About 80% of
the population is engaged in subsistence farming and
cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few
natural resources and a weak industrial base. Cotton and
gold are Burkina Faso's key exports ...The country has
seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and
exports.
While the end of the political crisis has allowed Burkina
Faso's economy to resume positive growth, the country's
fragile security situation could put these gains at risk.
Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy
supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term
challenges." The report also highlights the 2018–2020
International Monetary Fund program, including the
government's plan to "reduce the budget deficit and
preserve critical spending on social services and priority
public investments".[22]
A 2018 report by the African Development Bank Group
discussed a macroeconomic evolution: "higher
investment and continued spending on social services
and security that will add to the budget deficit". This
group's prediction for 2018 indicated that the budget
deficit would be reduced to 4.8% of GDP in 2018 and to
2.9% in 2019. Public debt associated with the National
Economic and Social Development Plan was estimated
at 36.9% of GDP in 2017.[165]
Burkina Faso is a member of the Organization for the
Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).
[166]
The country also belongs to the United Nations,
International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World
Trade Organization.[167]
Mining
[edit]
Main article: Mining in Burkina Faso
There is mining
of copper, iron, manganese, gold, cassiterite (tin ore),
and phosphates.[168] These operations provide
employment and generate international aid. Gold
production increased 32% in 2011 at six gold mine sites,
making Burkina Faso the fourth-largest gold producer in
Africa, after South Africa, Mali and Ghana.[169]
A 2018 report indicated that the country expected record
55 tonnes of gold in that year, a two-thirds increase over
2013. According to Oumarou Idani, there is a more
important issue. "We have to diversify production. We
mostly only produce gold, but we have huge potential in
manganese, zinc, lead, copper, nickel and limestone".[170]
Food insecurity
[edit]

According to the Global Hunger Index, a

multidimensional tool used to measure and track a
country's hunger levels,[171] Burkina Faso ranked 65 out of
78 countries in 2013.[172] It is estimated that there are
currently over 1.5 million children who are at risk of food
insecurity in Burkina Faso, with around 350,000 children
who are in need of emergency medical assistance.
[172]
However, only about a third of these children will
actually receive adequate medical attention.[173] Only
11.4 percent of children under the age of two receive the
daily recommended number of meals.[172] Stunted growth
as a result of food insecurity is a severe problem in
Burkina Faso, affecting at least a third of the population
from 2008 to 2012.[174] Additionally, stunted children, on
average, tend to complete less school than children with
normal growth development,[173] further contributing to the
low levels of education of the Burkina Faso population.[175]
The European Commission expects that approximately
500,000 children under age 5 in Burkina Faso will suffer
from acute malnutrition in 2015, including around
149,000 who will suffer from its most life-threatening
form.[176] Rates of micronutrient deficiencies are also high.
[177]
According to the Demographic and Health
Survey (DHS 2010), 49 percent of women and
88 percent of children under the age of five suffer from
anemia.[177] Forty percent of infant deaths can be
attributed to malnutrition, and in turn, these infant
mortality rates have decreased Burkina Faso's total work
force by 13.6 percent, demonstrating how food security
affects more aspects of life beyond health.[172]
These high rates of food insecurity and the
accompanying effects are even more prevalent in rural
populations compared to urban ones, as access to
health services in rural areas is much more limited and
awareness and education of children's nutritional needs
is lower.[178]
An October 2018 report by USAid stated that droughts
and floods remained problematic, and that "violence and
insecurity are disrupting markets, trade and livelihoods
activities in some parts of Burkina Faso's northern and
eastern areas". The report estimated that over 954,300
people needed food security support, and that, according
to UNICEF, an "estimated 187,200 children under 5
years of age will experience severe acute malnutrition".
Agencies providing assistance at the time included
USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) working with the
UN World Food Programme, the NGO Oxfam
Intermón and ACDI/VOCA.[179]
Approaches to improving food security
[edit]
World Food Programme
[edit]

The United Nations' World Food Programme has worked

on programs that are geared towards increasing food
security in Burkina Faso. The Protracted Relief and
Recovery Operation 200509 (PRRO) was formed to
respond to the high levels of malnutrition in Burkina
Faso, following the food and nutrition crisis in 2012.
[180]
The efforts of this project are mostly geared towards
the treatment and prevention of malnutrition and include
take home rations for the caretakers of those children
who are being treated for malnutrition.[180] Additionally, the
activities of this operation contribute to families' abilities
to withstand future food crises. Better nutrition among
the two most vulnerable groups, young children and
pregnant women, prepares them to be able to respond
better in times when food security is compromised, such
as in droughts.[180]
The Country Programme (CP) has two parts: food and
nutritional assistance to people with HIV/AIDS, and a
school feeding program for all primary schools in the
Sahel region.[181] The HIV/AIDS nutrition program aims to
better the nutritional recovery of those who are living with
HIV/AIDS and to protect at-risk children and orphans
from malnutrition and food security.[181] As part of the
school feeding component, the Country Programme's
goals are to increase enrollment and attendance in
schools in the Sahel region, where enrollment rates are
below the national average.[180] Furthermore, the program
aims at improving gender parity rates in these schools,
by providing girls with high attendance in the last two
years of primary school with take-home rations of cereals
as an incentive to households, encouraging them to
send their girls to school.[180]
The WFP concluded the formation of a subsequently
approved plan in August 2018 "to support the
Government's vision of 'a democratic, unified and united
nation, transforming the structure of its economy and
achieving a strong and inclusive growth through patterns
of sustainable consumption and production.' It will take
important steps in WFP's new strategic direction for
strengthened national and local capacities to enable the
Government and communities to own, manage, and
implement food and nutrition security programmes by
2030".[182]
World Bank
[edit]
The World Bank was established in 1944, and comprises
five institutions whose shared goals are to end extreme
poverty by 2030 and to promote shared prosperity by
fostering income growth of the lower forty percent of
every country.[183] One of the main projects the World
Bank is working on to reduce food insecurity in Burkina
Faso is the Agricultural Productivity and Food Security
Project.[184] According to the World Bank, the objective of
this project is to "improve the capacity of poor producers
to increase food production and to ensure improved
availability of food products in rural markets."[184] The
Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project has
three main parts. Its first component is to work towards
the improvement of food production, including financing
grants and providing 'voucher for work' programs for
households who cannot pay their contribution in cash.
[184]
The project's next component involves improving the
availability of food products, particularly in rural areas.
[184]
This includes supporting the marketing of food
products, and aims to strengthen the capabilities of
stakeholders to control the variability of food products
and supplies at local and national levels.[184] Lastly, the
third component of this project focuses on institutional
development and capacity building. Its goal is to
reinforce the capacities of service providers and
institutions who are specifically involved in project
implementation.[184] The project's activities aim to build
capacities of service providers, strengthen the capacity
of food producer organizations, strengthen agricultural
input supply delivery methods, and manage and
evaluate project activities.[184]
The December 2018 report by the World Bank indicated
that the poverty rate fell slightly between 2009 and 2014,
from 46% to a still high 40.1%. The report provided this
updated summary of the country's development
challenges: "Burkina Faso remains vulnerable to climatic
shocks related to changes in rainfall patterns and to
fluctuations in the prices of its export commodities on
world markets. Its economic and social development will,
to some extent, be contingent on political stability in the
country and the sub-regions, its openness to
international trade, and export diversification".[185]
Infrastructure and services
[edit]
Water
[edit]

The Grand marché in Koudougou,

Burkina Faso
While services remain underdeveloped, the National
Office for Water and Sanitation (ONEA), a state-
owned utility company run along commercial lines, is
emerging as one of the best-performing utility companies
in Africa.[186] High levels of autonomy and a skilled and
dedicated management have driven ONEA's ability to
improve production of and access to clean water.[186]
Since 2000, nearly 2 million more people have access to
water in the four principal urban centres in the country;
the company has kept the quality of infrastructure high
(less than 18% of the water is lost through leaks – one of
the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa), improved financial
reporting, and increased its annual revenue by an
average of 12% (well above inflation).[186] Challenges
remain, including difficulties among some customers in
paying for services, with the need to rely on international
aid to expand its infrastructure.[186] The state-owned,
commercially run venture has helped the nation reach
its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets in
water-related areas, and has grown as a viable
company.[186]
However, access to drinking water has improved over
the last 28 years. According to UNICEF, access to
drinking water has increased from 39 to 76% in rural
areas between 1990 and 2015. In this same time span,
access to drinking water increased from 75 to 97% in
urban areas.[187]
Electricity
[edit]

A 33-megawatt solar power plant in Zagtouli, near

Ouagadougou, came online in late November 2017. At
the time of its construction, it was the largest solar power
facility in West Africa.[188]
Other
[edit]

The growth rate in Burkina Faso is high although it

continues to be plagued by corruption and incursions
from terrorist groups from Mali and Niger.[189]
Transport
[edit]

The railway station in Bobo

Dioulasso was built during the colonial era and remains
in operation.
Main article: Transport in Burkina Faso
Transport in Burkina Faso is limited by relatively
underdeveloped infrastructure.
As of June 2014 the main international
airport, Ouagadougou Airport, had regularly scheduled
flights to many destinations in West Africa as well as
Paris, Brussels and Istanbul. The other international
airport, Bobo Dioulasso Airport, has flights to
Ouagadougou and Abidjan.
Rail transport in Burkina Faso consists of a single line
which runs from Kaya to Abidjan in Ivory Coast
via Ouagadougou, Koudougou, Bobo Dioulasso
and Banfora. Sitarail operates a passenger train three
times a week along the route.[190]
There are 15,000 kilometres of roads in Burkina Faso, of
which 2,500 kilometres are paved.[191]
Science and technology
[edit]
Main article: Science and technology in Burkina Faso
In 2009, Burkina Faso spent 0.20% of GDP on research
and development (R&D), one of the lowest ratios in West
Africa. There were 48 researchers (in full-time
equivalents) per million inhabitants in 2010, which is
more than twice the average for sub-Saharan Africa (20
per million population in 2013) and higher than the ratio
for Ghana and Nigeria (39). It is, however, much lower
than the ratio for Senegal (361 per million inhabitants). In
Burkina Faso in 2010, 46% of researchers were working
in the health sector, 16% in engineering, 13% in natural
sciences, 9% in agricultural sciences, 7% in the
humanities and 4% in social sciences.[192] In January
2011, the government created the Ministry of Scientific
Research and Innovation. Up until then, management of
science, technology and innovation had fallen under the
Department of Secondary and Higher Education and
Scientific Research. Within this ministry, the Directorate
General for Research and Sector Statistics is
responsible for planning. A separate body, the
Directorate General of Scientific Research, Technology
and Innovation, coordinates research. This is a departure
from the pattern in many other West African countries
where a single body fulfills both functions. The move
signals the government's intention to make science and
technology a development priority.[192] Burkina Faso was
ranked 124th in the Global Innovation Index in 2023.[193][194]

In 2012, Burkina Faso adopted a National Policy for

Scientific and Technical Research, the strategic
objectives of which are to develop R&D and the
application and commercialization of research results.
The policy also makes provisions for strengthening the
ministry's strategic and operational capacities. One of
the key priorities is to improve food security and self-
sufficiency by boosting capacity in agricultural and
environmental sciences. The creation of a centre of
excellence in 2014 at the International Institute of Water
and Environmental Engineering in Ouagadougou within
the World Bank project provides essential funding for
capacity-building in these priority areas.[192]
A dual priority is to promote innovative, effective and
accessible health systems. The government wishes to
develop, in parallel, applied sciences and technology
and social and human sciences. To complement the
national research policy, the government has prepared
a National Strategy to Popularize Technologies,
Inventions and Innovations (2012) and a National
Innovation Strategy (2014). Other policies also
incorporate science and technology, such as that
on Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific
Research (2010), the National Policy on Food and
Nutrition Security (2014) and the National Programme for
the Rural Sector (2011).[192]
In 2013, Burkina Faso passed the Science, Technology
and Innovation Act establishing three mechanisms for
financing research and innovation, a clear indication of
high-level commitment. These mechanisms are the
National Fund for Education and Research, the National
Fund for Research and Innovation for Development and
the Forum of Scientific Research and Technological
Innovation.[192]
Demographics
[edit]

A Burkinabè Tuareg man

in Ouagadougou
Main article: Demographics of Burkina Faso

Population[195][196]

Year Million

1950 4.3
 2000 11.6

2021 22.1

Burkina Faso is an ethnically integrated, secular state

where most people are concentrated in the south and
centre, where their density sometimes exceeds 48
inhabitants per square kilometre (120/sq mi). Hundreds
of thousands of Burkinabè migrate regularly to Ivory
Coast and Ghana, mainly for seasonal agricultural work.
These flows of workers are affected by external events;
the September 2002 coup attempt in Ivory Coast and the
ensuing fighting meant that hundreds of thousands of
Burkinabè returned to Burkina Faso. The regional
economy suffered when they were unable to work.[197]
In 2015, most of the population belonged to "one of two
West African ethnic cultural groups: the Voltaic and the
Mandé. Voltaic Mossi make up about 50% of the
population and are descended from warriors who moved
to the area from Ghana around 1100, establishing an
empire that lasted over 800 years".[14]
The total fertility rate of Burkina Faso was estimated to
be 5.93 children born per woman in 2014, the sixth
highest in the world.[198]
In 2009 the U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in
Persons Report reported that slavery in Burkina Faso
continued to exist and that Burkinabè children were often
the victims.[199] Slavery in the Sahel states in general, is
an entrenched institution with a long history that dates
back to the trans-Saharan slave trade.[200] In 2018, an
estimated 82,000 people in the country were living under
"modern slavery" according to the Global Slavery Index.
[201]

Largest cities or tow

According to the
Rank Name
1 Ouagadougou Ce
2 Bobo-Dioulasso H
3 Koudougou Ce
4 Banfora Ca
Ouagadougou 5 Ouahigouya N
6 Pouytenga Ce
7 Kaya Ce
8 Tenkodogo Ce
Bobo-Dioulasso 9 Fada N'gourma Es
10 Houndé H
Ethnic groups
[edit]
Main article: Ethnic groups in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso's 17.3 million people belong to two major
West African ethnic cultural groups: the Voltaic and
the Mandé (whose common language is Dioula). The
Voltaic Mossi make up about one-half of the population.
The Mossi claim descent from warriors who migrated to
present-day Burkina Faso from northern Ghana around
1100 AD. They established an empire that lasted more
than 800 years. Predominantly farmers, the Mossi
kingdom is led by the Mogho Naba, whose court is in
Ouagadougou.[197]
Languages
[edit]
Native Languages in Burkina Faso
Languages percent
Mooré 40.5%
Fula 9.3%
Gourmanche 6.1%
Bambara 4.9%
Bissa 3.2%
Bwamu 2.1%
Dagara 2%
San 1.9%
Lobiri 1.8%
Lyele 1.7%
Bobo 1.4%
Senoufo 1.4%
Nuni 1.2%
Dafing 1.1%
Tamasheq 1%
Kassem 0.7%
Gouin 0.4%
Dogon 0.3%
Songhai 0.3%
Gourounsi 0.3%
Ko 0.1%
Koussasse 0.1%
Sembla 0.1%
Siamou 0.1%
Other National 5%
Other African 0.2%
French 1.3%
Other non-indigenous 0.1%
Further information: Languages of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a multilingual country. The working
languages are French, which was introduced during the
colonial period, and English.[17] In December 2023, due to
deteriorating relations between Burkina Faso and the
French government, the Burkina Faso government
announced it was elevating
(Mooré, Bissa, Dioula and Fula) to the status of official
languages.[203] In January 2024, French was dropped as
an official language, becoming a working
language with English instead.[204] Altogether, an
estimated 69 languages are spoken in the country,[205] of
which about 60 languages are indigenous. The Mooré
language is the most spoken language in Burkina Faso,
spoken by about half the population, mainly in the central
region around the capital, Ouagadougou.
According to the 2006 census, the languages spoken
natively in Burkina Faso were Mooré by 40.5% of the
population, Fula by 9.3%, Gourmanché by
6.1%, Bambara by 4.9%, Bissa by 3.2%, Bwamu by
2.1%, Dagara by 2%, San by 1.9%, Lobiri with
1.8%, Lyélé with 1.7%, Bobo and Sénoufo with 1.4%
each, Nuni by 1.2%, Dafing by 1.1%, Tamasheq by
1%, Kassem by 0.7%, Gouin by 0.4%, Dogon, Songhai,
and Gourounsi by 0.3% each, Ko, Koussassé, Sembla,
and Siamou by 0.1% each, other national languages by
5%, other African languages by 0.2%, French (the official
language) by 1.3%, and other non-indigenous languages
by 0.1%.[206]
In the west, Mandé languages are widely spoken, the
most predominant being Dioula (also known as Jula or
Dyula), others including Bobo, Samo, and Marka. Fula is
widespread, particularly in the north. Gourmanché is
spoken in the east, while Bissa is spoken in the south.
Health
[edit]
Main article: Health in Burkina Faso
In 2016, the average life expectancy was estimated at 60
for males and 61 for females. In 2018, the under-five
mortality rate and the infant mortality rate was
76 per 1000 live births.[207] In 2014, the median age of its
inhabitants was 17 and the estimated population growth
rate was 3.05%.[198]
In 2011, health expenditures was 6.5% of GDP; the
maternal mortality ratio was estimated at 300 deaths
per 100000 live births and the physician density at
0.05 per 1000 population in 2010. In 2012, it was
estimated that the adult HIV prevalence rate (ages 15–
49) was 1.0%.[208] According to the 2011 UNAIDS Report,
HIV prevalence is declining among pregnant women who
attend antenatal clinics.[209] According to a 2005 World
Health Organization report, an estimated 72.5% of
Burkina Faso's girls and women have had female genital
mutilation, administered according to traditional rituals.[210]
Central government spending on health was 3% in 2001.
[211]
As of 2009, studies estimated there were as few as
10 physicians per 100,000 people.[212] In addition, there
were 41 nurses and 13 midwives per 100,000 people.
[212]
Demographic and Health Surveys has completed
three surveys in Burkina Faso since 1993, and had
another in 2009.[213]
A Dengue fever outbreak in 2016 killed 20 patients.
Cases of the disease were reported from all 12 districts
of Ouagadougou.[214]
Religion
[edit]
Main article: Religion in Burkina Faso

Cathedral of the Immaculate

Conception of Ouagadougou
The government of Burkina Faso's 2019 census reported
that 63.8% of the population practiced Islam, and that
the majority of this group belong to the Sunni branch,[4]
[215]
while a small minority adheres to Shia Islam.[216] A
significant number of Sunni Muslims identify with
the Tijaniyah Sufi order.
The 2019 census also found that 26.3% of the
population were Christians (20.1% being Roman
Catholics and 6.2% members of Protestant
denominations) and 9.0% followed traditional indigenous
beliefs such as the Dogon religion, 0.2% followed other
religions, and 0.7% were non-religious.[4][215]
Animists are the largest religious group in the
country's Sud-Ouest region, forming 48.1% of its total
population.[4]
Education
[edit]
Main article: Education in Burkina Faso

The Gando primary school. Its

architect, Diébédo Francis Kéré, received the Aga Khan
Award for Architecture in 2004.
Education in Burkina Faso is divided into primary,
secondary and higher education.[217] High school costs
approximately CFA 25,000 (US$50) per year, which is
far above the means of most Burkinabè families. Boys
receive preference in schooling; as such, girls' education
and literacy rates are far lower than their male
counterparts. An increase in girls' schooling has been
observed because of the government's policy of making
school cheaper for girls and granting them more
scholarships.
To proceed from primary to middle school, middle to high
school or high school to college, national exams must be
passed. Institutions of higher education include
the University of Ouagadougou, The Polytechnic
University of Bobo-Dioulasso, and the University of
Koudougou, which is also a teacher training institution.
There are some small private colleges in the capital city
of Ouagadougou but these are affordable to only a small
portion of the population.
There is also the International School of
Ouagadougou (ISO), an American-based private school
located in Ouagadougou.
The 2008 UN Development Program Report ranked
Burkina Faso as the country with the lowest level of
literacy in the world, despite a concerted effort to double
its literacy rate from 12.8% in 1990 to 25.3% in 2008.[218]
Culture
[edit]
Main article: Culture of Burkina Faso
 A masked Winiama dancer, c. 1970
Literature in Burkina Faso is based on the oral tradition,
which remains important. In 1934, during French
occupation, Dim-Dolobsom Ouedraogo published
his Maximes, pensées et devinettes mossi (Maxims,
Thoughts and Riddles of the Mossi), a record of the oral
history of the Mossi people.[219]
The oral tradition continued to have an influence on
Burkinabè writers in the post-independence Burkina
Faso of the 1960s, such as Nazi Boni and Roger
Nikiema.[220] The 1960s saw a growth in the number of
playwrights being published.[219] Since the 1970s,
literature has developed in Burkina Faso with many more
writers being published.[221]
The theatre of Burkina Faso combines traditional
Burkinabè performance with the colonial influences and
post-colonial efforts to educate rural people to produce a
distinctive national theatre. Traditional ritual ceremonies
of the many ethnic groups in Burkina Faso have long
involved dancing with masks. Western-style theatre
became common during colonial times, heavily
influenced by French theatre. With independence came
a new style of theatre inspired by forum theatre aimed at
educating and entertaining Burkina Faso's rural people.
[citation needed]

Malika Outtara, poet

Slam poetry is increasing in popularity in the country, in
part due to the efforts of slam poet Malika Outtara.
[222]
She uses her skills to raise awareness around issues
such as blood donation, albinism and the impact of
COVID-19.[223][224]
Arts and crafts
[edit]
Main article: Art of Burkina Faso

Artisan garland of decorative

painted gourds in Ouagadougou
In addition to several rich traditional artistic heritages
among the peoples, there is a large artist community in
Burkina Faso, especially in Ouagadougou. Much of the
crafts produced are for the country's growing tourist
industry.
Burkina Faso also hosts the International Art and Craft
Fair, Ouagadougou. It is better known by its French
name as SIAO, Le Salon International de l' Artisanat de
Ouagadougou, and is one of the most important African
handicraft fairs.
Cuisine
[edit]
Main article: Cuisine of Burkina Faso

A plate of fufu (right) accompanied

with peanut soup
Typical of West African cuisine, Burkina Faso's cuisine is
based on staple foods of sorghum, millet, rice, maize,
peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra.[225] The most
common sources of animal protein are chicken, chicken
eggs and freshwater fish. A typical Burkinabè beverage
is Banji or Palm Wine, which is fermented palm sap; and
Zoom-kom, or "grain water" purportedly the national
drink of Burkina Faso. Zoom-kom is milky-looking and
whitish, having a water and cereal base, best drunk with
ice cubes. In the more rural regions, in the outskirts of
Burkina, you would find Dolo, which is drink made from
fermented millet.[226] In times of crisis, one legume native
to Burkina, Zamnè, can be served as a main dish or in a
sauce.[227]
Cinema
[edit]
Main article: Cinema of Burkina Faso
The cinema of Burkina Faso is an important part of the
West African film industry and African film as a whole.
[228]
Burkina's contribution to African cinema started with
the establishment of the film festival FESPACO (Festival
Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de
Ouagadougou), which was launched as a film week in
1969. Many of the nation's filmmakers are known
internationally and have won international prizes.
For many years the headquarters of the Federation of
Panafrican Filmmakers (FEPACI) was in Ouagadougou,
rescued in 1983 from a period of moribund inactivity by
the enthusiastic support and funding of President
Sankara. (In 2006 the Secretariat of FEPACI moved to
South Africa, but the headquarters of the organization is
still in Ouagadougou.) Among the best known directors
from Burkina Faso are Gaston Kaboré, Idrissa
Ouedraogo and Dani Kouyate.[229] Burkina produces
popular television series such as Les Bobodiouf.
Internationally known filmmakers such as Ouedraogo,
Kabore, Yameogo, and Kouyate make popular television
series.
Sports
[edit]

Burkina Faso national football

team in white during a match
Main article: Sport in Burkina Faso
Sport in Burkina Faso is widespread and includes
football, basketball, cycling, rugby union, handball,
tennis, boxing and martial arts. Football is the most
popular sport in Burkina Faso, played both
professionally, and informally in towns and villages
across the country. The national team is nicknamed "Les
Etalons" ("the Stallions") in reference to the legendary
horse of Princess Yennenga.
In 1998, Burkina Faso hosted the Africa Cup of
Nations for which the Omnisport Stadium in Bobo-
Dioulasso was built. Burkina Faso qualified for the 2013
African Cup of Nations in South Africa and reached the
final, but then lost to Nigeria 0–1. The country has never
qualified for a FIFA World Cup.[230]
Basketball is another sport which enjoys much popularity
for both men and women.[231] The country's men's
national team had its most successful year in 2013 when
it qualified for the AfroBasket, the continent's prime
basketball event.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, the athlete Hugues
Fabrice Zango won Burkina Faso's first Olympic medal,
winning bronze in the men's triple jump.[232] Cricket is also
picking up in Burkina Faso with Cricket Burkina Faso
running a 10 club league.[233]
Music
[edit]
Main article: Music of Burkina Faso
The music of Burkina Faso includes the folk music of
60 different ethnic groups. The Mossi people, centrally
located around the capital, Ouagadougou, account for
40% of the population while, to the
south, Gurunsi, Gurma, Dagaaba and Lobi populations,
speaking Gur languages closely related to the Mossi
language, extend into the coastal states. In the north and
east the Fulani of the Sahel preponderate, while in the
south and west the Mande languages are
common; Samo, Bissa, Bobo, Senufo and Marka.
Burkinabé traditional music has continued to thrive and
musical output remains quite diverse. Popular music is
mostly in French: Burkina Faso has yet to produce a
major pan-African success.
Media
[edit]
 A cameraman in Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso in 2010
Main articles: Media of Burkina
Faso and Communications in Burkina Faso
The nation's principal media outlet is its state-sponsored
combined television and radio service, Radio Télévision
du Burkina (RTB).[234] RTB broadcasts on two medium-
wave (AM) and several FM frequencies. Besides RTB,
there are privately owned sports, cultural, music, and
religious FM radio stations. RTB maintains a worldwide
short-wave news broadcast (Radio Nationale Burkina) in
the French language from the capital at Ouagadougou
using a 100 kW transmitter on 4.815 and 5.030 MHz.[235]
Attempts to develop an independent press and media in
Burkina Faso have been intermittent. In 1998,
investigative journalist Norbert Zongo, his brother Ernest,
his driver, and another man were assassinated by
unknown assailants, and the bodies burned. The crime
was never solved.[236] However, an independent
Commission of Inquiry later concluded that Norbert
Zongo was killed for political reasons because of his
investigative work into the death of David Ouedraogo, a
chauffeur who worked for François Compaoré, President
Blaise Compaoré's brother.[237][238]
In January 1999, François Compaoré was charged with
the murder of David Ouedraogo, who had died as a
result of torture in January 1998. The charges were later
dropped by a military tribunal after an appeal. In August
2000, five members of the President's personal security
guard detail (Régiment de la Sécurité Présidentielle, or
RSP) were charged with the murder of Ouedraogo. RSP
members Marcel Kafando, Edmond Koama, and
Ousseini Yaro, investigated as suspects in the Norbert
Zongo assassination, were convicted in the Ouedraogo
case and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.[237][238]
Since the death of Norbert Zongo, several protests
regarding the Zongo investigation and treatment of
journalists have been prevented or dispersed by
government police and security forces. In April 2007,
popular radio reggae host Karim Sama, whose programs
feature reggae songs interspersed with critical
commentary on alleged government injustice and
corruption, received several death threats.[239]
Sama's personal car was later burned outside the private
radio station Ouaga FM by unknown vandals.[240] In
response, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
wrote to President Compaoré to request his government
investigate the sending of e-mailed death threats to
journalists and radio commentators in Burkina Faso who
were critical of the government.[236] In December 2008,
police in Ouagadougou questioned leaders of a protest
march that called for a renewed investigation into the
unsolved Zongo assassination. Among the marchers
was Jean-Claude Meda, the president of the Association
of Journalists of Burkina Faso.[241]
Cultural festivals and events
[edit]

Every two years, Ouagadougou hosts the Panafrican

Film and Television Festival of
Ouagadougou (FESPACO), the largest African cinema
festival on the continent (February, odd years).
Held every two years since 1988, the International Art
and Craft Fair, Ouagadougou (SIAO), is one of Africa's
most important trade shows for art and handicrafts (late
October-early November, even years).
Also every two years, the Symposium de sculpture sur
granit de Laongo takes place on a site located about 35
kilometres (22 miles) from Ouagadougou, in the province
of Oubritenga.
The National Culture Week of Burkina Faso, better
known by its French name La Semaine Nationale de la
culture (SNC), is one of the most important cultural
activities of Burkina Faso. It is a biennial event which
takes place every two years in Bobo Dioulasso, the
second-largest city in the country.