Africa · Western Africa
Capital: Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso
Explore the facts and rankings that shape Burkina Faso in Country Blitz, from its population and economy to its military, innovation, manufacturing, and neighboring countries.
Country Blitz power profile
Overall rank #97
Burkina Faso's Country Blitz power profile compares population, GDP, military expenditure, research-and-development spending, and manufacturing output across every playable country. A lower numerical rank represents a stronger position in that category.
Population
24.1M
#59 of 196
70th percentile
2025 · World Bank WDI / UN population sources
View data source ↗GDP (Nominal)
$27.63B
#117 of 196
41st percentile
2025 · World Bank WDI
View data source ↗Military Expenditure
$1.02B
#85 of 196
57th percentile
2024 · SIPRI via World Bank WDI
View data source ↗R&D Spending
$24.2M
#116 of 196
41st percentile
2024 · UNESCO UIS and World Bank WDI
View data source ↗Manufacturing Output
$1.83B
#121 of 196
38th percentile
2025 · World Bank WDI
View data source ↗Quick facts
- Capital
- Ouagadougou
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Country code
- BFA
Three interesting facts
Burkina Faso shares land borders with 6 countries: Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Togo.
Burkina Faso spans roughly 272,967 square kilometers, placing it around 74th by area in this factbook.
Burkina Faso’s position in Western Africa places it within a distinctive network of regional trade routes and migration paths.
Geography
Burkina Faso on the map
Burkina Faso is located in Western Africa, north of Ghana. Its terrain is mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains, hills in the west and southeast, occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. The climate is three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert. In area, the country is slightly larger than Colorado.
Economy
Economic profile
Burkina Faso's economy is characterized by highly agrarian, low-income economy, limited natural resources, widespread poverty, terrorism disrupting potential economic activity, improving trade balance via increases in gold exports, economy inflating after prior deflation, growing public debt but still manageable. Major industries include cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold. Important agricultural products include maize, sorghum, fruits, vegetables, millet, cowpeas, cotton, groundnuts, sugarcane, rice (2023). Notable exports include gold, cotton, oil seeds, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, cement (2023).
Demographics
People and population
Burkina Faso has an estimated population of 24,070,553. Languages spoken include Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.). The population includes Mossi 53.7%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.8%, Gurunsi 5.9%, Bissa 5.4%, Gurma 5.2%, Bobo 3.4%, Senufo 2.2%, Bissa 1.5%, Lobi 1.5%, Tuareg/Bella 0.1%, other 12.8%, foreign 0.7% (2021 est.). The urban population represents 32.5% of total population (2023).
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