Burkina Faso

Cultural Attributes

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Holidays

• Republic Day

  12/11

  Independence

Dates of Interest

• December 11th

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Historical Eras

Overview

Timeline of Key Events

1. 1400

   Mossi States

   Mossi states were built up by peoples migrating from the north of modern Ghana

2. 1896

   kingdom of Ouagadougou

   The French set up a protectorate over the kingdom of Ouagadougou

3. 1904

   kingdom of Ouagadougou

   The kingdom of Ouagadougou becames part of the colony of Haut-Sénégal-Niger

4. 1919

   French West Africa

   The kingdom of Ouagadougou is made into a separate constituent territory of French West Africa

5. 1932

   French Sudan

   Land divided up in between the French Sudan and Côte d’ Ivoire

6. 1947

   Upper Volta

   The land is reconstituted as the separate territory of Upper Volta.

7. 1958

   Upper Volta Self Governing Republic

   Upper Volta becames a self-governing republic within the French community.

Religion

Languages Spoken

• French

Population

Population

22,674,514

Population in Major Urban Areas

OUAGADOUGOU (capital) 2.053 million

Nationality Noun

Burkinabe (singular and plural)

Ethnic Groups

Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Education

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Health Information

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Burkina Faso stands at approximately 62 years overall, with women living slightly longer than men — around 63 years for females compared to roughly 61 years for males. While these figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, they remain well below the global average of around 73 years, highlighting the ongoing health and development challenges facing this landlocked West African nation. Several interconnected factors contribute to the relatively low life expectancy. Burkina Faso has one of the highest rates of child and infant mortality in the world, which significantly pulls down the overall average. Many children under five remain vulnerable to preventable diseases such as malaria, diarrheal illnesses, and acute respiratory infections. Malaria alone accounts for a substantial proportion of deaths across all age groups and continues to strain the country's health system. Access to quality healthcare is limited, particularly in rural areas where the majority of the population lives. There is a severe shortage of trained medical professionals, functional health facilities, and essential medicines. Poor sanitation, limited access to clean drinking water, and widespread food insecurity further undermine the health of the general population. Maternal mortality is another critical concern. Burkina Faso's maternal mortality rate is among the highest globally, reflecting inadequate access to skilled birth attendants, prenatal care, and emergency obstetric services. Compounding these health challenges is the deteriorating security situation in recent years, as armed conflict and displacement have disrupted healthcare delivery and pushed communities away from existing services in many regions. Despite these obstacles, life expectancy in Burkina Faso has improved significantly since the 1960s, when it hovered around 35 to 40 years. This progress reflects gains in vaccination coverage, expansion of community health centers, and targeted interventions against major infectious diseases. International health organizations and government programs continue to work toward further improvements, with a particular focus on reducing child mortality and improving maternal health outcomes.

Major Infectious Diseases — degree of risk

Very high

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Burkina Faso stands at approximately 62 years overall, with women living slightly longer than men — around 63 years for females compared to roughly 61 years for males. While these figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, they remain well below the global average of around 73 years, highlighting the ongoing health and development challenges facing this landlocked West African nation. Several interconnected factors contribute to the relatively low life expectancy. Burkina Faso has one of the highest rates of child and infant mortality in the world, which significantly pulls down the overall average. Many children under five remain vulnerable to preventable diseases such as malaria, diarrheal illnesses, and acute respiratory infections. Malaria alone accounts for a substantial proportion of deaths across all age groups and continues to strain the country's health system. Access to quality healthcare is limited, particularly in rural areas where the majority of the population lives. There is a severe shortage of trained medical professionals, functional health facilities, and essential medicines. Poor sanitation, limited access to clean drinking water, and widespread food insecurity further undermine the health of the general population. Maternal mortality is another critical concern. Burkina Faso's maternal mortality rate is among the highest globally, reflecting inadequate access to skilled birth attendants, prenatal care, and emergency obstetric services. Compounding these health challenges is the deteriorating security situation in recent years, as armed conflict and displacement have disrupted healthcare delivery and pushed communities away from existing services in many regions. Despite these obstacles, life expectancy in Burkina Faso has improved significantly since the 1960s, when it hovered around 35 to 40 years. This progress reflects gains in vaccination coverage, expansion of community health centers, and targeted interventions against major infectious diseases. International health organizations and government programs continue to work toward further improvements, with a particular focus on reducing child mortality and improving maternal health outcomes.

Country Identity

Country Name

BurkinaFaso

Former Name

Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government Structure

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Legal System

based on French civil law system and customary law

Executive Branch

chief of state: Transitional President Captain Ibrahim TRAORE (since 2 October 2022), following a military coup; TRAORE leads the Alliance for Salvation and Restoration (MPSR2) junta that seized power from transitional leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo DAMIBA, who had himself taken power in a January 2022 coup ousting elected President Roch Marc Christian KABORE head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Baptiste OUEDRAOGO (since January 2023), appointed by Captain TRAORE to oversee civilian governance functions under the military-led transitional government cabinet: Transitional Council serves in an advisory and legislative capacity; a Council of Ministers is appointed by the transitional president elections: Prior to the military coups of 2022, the president was elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the constitution allowed for one presidential re-election; democratic elections have been suspended under the current transitional military government, with a return to civilian rule tentatively targeted for mid-2024, though the timeline has faced repeated delays election results: The last democratic presidential election was held in November 2020, in which Roch Marc Christian KABORE was reelected with approximately 57.9% of the popular vote; KABORE was subsequently deposed in a military coup in January 2022

Legislative Branch

Burkina Faso's legislature was unicameral, consisting of a National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 127 seats, whose members were elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. However, following the military coup of September 2022, the National Assembly was dissolved by the junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré and the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR). Legislative authority was subsequently suspended and transferred to a transitional body, the Alliance for Peace and Refoundation, pending an eventual return to civilian rule. Prior to the coup, the last legislative elections were held on November 22, 2020, in which the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) and other parties competed, with President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré's People's Movement for Progress (MPP) winning a majority of seats. The transitional government has not established a firm timeline for restoring democratic elections, and the country remains under military governance as of the most recent reporting period.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Suffrage

universal

Constitution

2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted; ammended April 2000

Independence

5 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Capital City

Capital Name

Ouagadougou

Capital - geographic coordinate

12 22 N, 1 31 W

Capital Time Difference

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

Military

Branches: Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF)

GDP — official exchange rate

$5,405,000,000 (USD)

GDP Real Growth Rate

5.9%

Gini Index

48.2