Western Africa · sovereign state

Burkina Faso

Capital: Ouagadougou
Languages: French
Currency: West African CFA franc
People: 24.1 million (2025)
Neighbours: 6

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Surprising facts about Burkina Faso

The comparisons that stand out most against its neighbours, its region and the world median.

Picked for surprise among Burkina Faso’s neighbours, its region and the world median.

Burkina Faso among 213 countries & territories

Each dot shows where Burkina Faso sits between the lowest and the highest value in the world; “See it” opens the full visual against the world median. Higher is not automatically better.

Total area

274,200 km²

73rd of 205

2023

Coastline

0 km

168th of 213

2026 edition

Highest point

749 m

171st of 213

2026 edition

Forest cover

22.2%

125th of 207

2023

Population

24.1 million

59th of 210

2025

Population density

88 per km²

108th of 209

2025

Height of men

171.9 cm

111th of 196

2019

Height of women

161.3 cm

83rd of 196

2019

Median age

17.3 years

200th of 213

2023

Fertility rate

4.11 children per woman

23rd of 210

2024

Aged 65 and over

2.7%

196th of 210

2025

Economy size (GDP)

$27.6 billion

120th of 207

2025

GDP per person (PPP)

Int$3,072

184th of 198

2025

Income inequality (Gini)

37.4

58th of 155

2021

Unemployment

3.5%

131st of 186

2025

Health spending per person

$72

161st of 193

2023

Military spending

4.7%

15th of 158

2024

Life expectancy

61.3 years

201st of 210

2024

Infant mortality

43.6 per 1,000

20th of 194

2024

Doctors

0.1 per 1,000

171st of 190

2022

Adult obesity

181st of 195

2024

Smoking

11.6%

121st of 166

2024

Life satisfaction

4.46

130th of 163

2025

Alcohol consumption

4.9 litres

92nd of 195

2023

Meat supply

23.1 kg

141st of 189

2023

Daily calories

2,791 kcal

123rd of 189

2023

Working hours

2,356 hours

13th of 130

2023

Years of schooling

2.3 years

190th of 193

2023

Internet users

28%

186th of 208

2024

Access to electricity

34%

202nd of 209

2024

Urban population

29%

191st of 210

2025

Mobile subscriptions

117

99th of 208

2024

CO₂ per person

0.3 t

182nd of 203

2024

Renewable electricity

17.2%

134th of 201

2024

Air pollution (PM2.5)

34.6 µg/m³

31st of 213

2024

Road deaths

27.8 per 100k

11th of 193

2021

Average temperature

29.1°C

2nd of 187

2016–2025 avg

Rainfall

610 mm

143rd of 187

2016–2025 avg

Nobel laureates per 10 million people

79th of 160

2025

Railway network

518 km

109th of 133

2021

Air passengers per resident

155th of 165

2023

Tourists per resident

0.01

173rd of 179

2024

Official languages

87th of 213

2026

Price level (US = 100)

37%

133rd of 198

2025

World twins

The countries most like Burkina Faso across 12 indicators (GDP/person, Life exp., Median age, Fertility, Urban, Internet, Schooling, CO₂/person, Density, Temperature, Happiness, Obesity). Each indicator is standardised and compared by average distance; a resemblance, not a score.