Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso Burkĩna Faso (Mossi) 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮𞥅 (Fula) Burkina Faso ߓߙߎߞߌߣߊ߫ ߝߊ߬ߛߏ߫ (Dyula) Burukina Faso
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "La Patrie ou la Mort, Nous Vaincrons" (French) "Homeland or Death, we will Conquer"
Anthem: Ditanyè
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Capital and largest city	Ouagadougou 12°22′N 1°32′W / 12.367°N 1.533°W / 12.367; -1.533
Official languages	Mooré Bissa Dyula Fula
Working languages	English French
Ethnic groups (2010 est.)[1]	52% Mossi 8.4% Fula 7% Gurma 4.9% Bobo 4.6% Gurunsi 4.5% Senufo 2.4% Lobi 1.9% Tuareg 0.8% Dyula
Demonym(s)	Burkinabé Burkinese
Government	Unitary republic under a military junta[3][4][5]
• Interim President and MPSR President	Ibrahim Traoré
• Prime Minister	Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
Legislature	Transitional Legislative Assembly
History
• Republic of Upper Volta proclaimed	11 December 1958
• Independence from France	5 August 1960
• 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état	3 January 1966
• 2014 Burkina Faso uprising	28 October – 3 November 2014
• Jan 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état	23–24 January 2022
• Sep 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état	30 September 2022
Area
• Total	274,223[6] km2 (105,878 sq mi) (74th)
• Water (%)	0.146%
Population
• 2023 estimate	22,489,126[6] (58th)
• Density	64/km2 (165.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$62.788 billion[7] (114th)
• Per capita	$2,682[7] (171st)
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$20.785 billion[7] (124th)
• Per capita	$888[7] (180th)
Gini (2021)	37.4[8] medium inequality
HDI (2022)	0.438[9] low (185th)
Currency	West African CFA franc[10] (XOF)
Time zone	UTC+00:00
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on	right
Calling code	+226
ISO 3166 code	BF
Internet TLD	.bf

Burkina Faso^[a] is a landlocked country in West Africa^[6], 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. It covers an area of 274,223 km² (105,878 sq mi). In 2021, the country had an estimated population of approximately 23,674,480.^[14] Previously called the Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed Burkina Faso by former 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.^[2] 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.

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