Burkina Faso
Africa Β· Capital: Ouagadougou
How it is run: Burkina Faso is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Burkina Faso is home to 24.1 million people in Western Africa, where people speak French.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
24.1 million people
That is 0.3% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
272,967 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 88 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
20th most people in Africa
29th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
French
π° Money
West African CFA franc (Fr)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
61.3 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,148
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
28.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
41.2% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+226
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bf
π§ People here are called
Burkinabe
π·οΈ Name at home
Burkina Faso
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Burkina Faso is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Burkina Faso
French
Burkina Faso
Arabic
Ψ¨ΩΨ±ΩΩΩΨ§ ΩΨ§Ψ³Ω
Chinese
εΈεΊηΊ³ζ³η΄’
Japanese
γγ«γγγγ‘γ½
Russian
ΠΡΡΠΊΠΈΠ½Π°-Π€Π°ΡΠΎ
Portuguese
Burkina Faso
German
Burkina Faso
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 9.9Γ as many people as Burkina Faso.
- Burkina Faso covers roughly 2,600 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Burkina Faso lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 12,037 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Burkina Faso is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
π·οΈ Official name
Burkina Faso
ποΈ Capital
Ouagadougou
π Region
Africa Β· Western Africa
π€ Country code
BF
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Burkina Faso π
π§ Where on the map
13.0Β° N, 2.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+0 β when it is noon in London it is about 12:00 in Ouagadougou.
- π§π« is the flag of Burkina Faso. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BF.
- Burkina Faso is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Burkina Faso is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Burkina Faso lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Burkina Faso sits in Western Africa, in the northern and western half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Burkina Faso has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Burkina Faso?
- If Burkina Faso spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
Ouagadougou
Which money do people spend in Burkina Faso?
West African CFA franc (Fr)
How many countries share a land border with Burkina Faso?
6 β Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Togo.
Roughly how many people live in Burkina Faso?
24.1 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.