No coast at all — every one of its 3,611 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 3,611 km · 56th/230 CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
Population
20,321,378
Natural Earth population estimate.
Area
274,200 km²
Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 272,627 km².
Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP per capita (PPP)
$2,500
Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
median
Median age19 years208th of 224 · median 32.6 years
Life expectancy64.2 years205th of 224 · median 76.2 years
Fertility rate4.02 children per woman21st of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
Population20,321,37859th of 235 · median 5,454,073
Total area274,200 km²75th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Name
"Land of the Worthy Men" is the translation of Burkina Faso, from the Dyula word "burkina," meaning "worthy." The word "faso" means "land" or literally "father village," combining "fa," "father," with "so," "village."
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Geography
Landlocked savanna is cut by the three principal rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas. In western Africa, it lies north of Ghana. An extensive plateau carries mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains, with hills in the west and southeast.
Here, savanna is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. Gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, and salt are natural resources. Tena Kourou is the highest point. Mouhoun (Black Volta) River is the lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
The southern half has a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season, while the northern half has a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region. A small area of hot desert lies in the very north, bordering the Sahara Desert. Recurring droughts are a natural hazard.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
GDP (nominal)
$23.25 billion
Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP (PPP)
$60 billion
Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP per capita (PPP)
$2,500
Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP growth
+5%
Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Inflation (consumer prices)
4.2%
Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Unemployment
5.2%
Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Exports
$5.91 billion
Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Imports
$6.83 billion
Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
Life expectancy
64.2 years
Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Median age
19 years
Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Birth rate
31.74 per 1,000
Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Death rate
7.24 per 1,000
Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Fertility rate
4.02 children per woman
Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Population growth
+2.39% a year
Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Urban population
32.5%
Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Literacy
41.4%
Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Languages
Mossi52.9%
Fula7.8%
Gourmantche6.8%
Dyula5.7%
Bissa3.3%
Gurunsi3.2%
Frenchofficial2.2%
Bwamu2%
Dagara2%
San1.7%
Marka1.6%
Bobo1.5%
Senufo1.5%
Lobi1.2%
others6.6%
Field “People and Society → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Religions
Muslim63.8%
Roman Catholic20.1%
Animiste9%
Protestant6.2%
other0.7%
Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
Total area
274,200 km²Land 273,800 km² · Water 400 km²
Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Coastline
0 km
Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land borders
3,611 km
Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Mean elevation
297 m
Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Highest point
749 m Tena Kourou
Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.