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Burkina Faso
Africa
A landlocked country in West Africa, Burkina Faso has a strong cultural heritage in music and art but faces challenges of poverty and security.
24,000,000
Population
272,967
Area (km²)
Ouagadougou
Capital
51
Historical Events
Historical Timeline
Cities
51 Events
September 16, 2025 - Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio visits Ouagadougou, the first ECOWAS leader to do so since the withdrawal.
September 11, 2025 - Visa fees are abolished for all African citizens.
September 01, 2025 - Homosexuality is outlawed, with a five-year prison term for LGBT identification.
August 18, 2025 - UN resident coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak is declared persona non grata over a report on child abuses by the government and jihadists.
August 03, 2025 - The four Moroccan truck drivers abducted in January are released in Mali.
July 28, 2025 - Around 50 soldiers are killed in a JNIM attack on a base in Boulsa Department.
July 17, 2025 - The Independent National Electoral Commission is abolished due to foreign influence concerns, with duties shifted to the interior ministry.
April 25, 2025 - A mining license is granted to Russian firm Nordgold for the Niou gold deposit.
April 21, 2025 - The government announces it has thwarted a coup attempt.
April 06, 2025 - Ambassadors are withdrawn from Algeria in protest over a drone shoot-down claim near the Malian border.
March 31, 2025 - Amnesty is granted to 21 soldiers involved in the 2015 coup.
March 24, 2025 - The Journalists Association president, vice president, and another journalist are arrested; the group is dissolved the next day.
March 17, 2025 - Burkina Faso withdraws from the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
March 10, 2025 - At least 130 Fulani people are killed in a security operation in Solenzo.
January 29, 2025 - Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formally exit ECOWAS.
January 22, 2025 - Niger announces a joint military force with Burkina Faso and Mali to fight extremists.
January 18, 2025 - Four Moroccan truck drivers are abducted near the Niger border and released on January 21.
December 31, 2024 - Islamist attacks surge, killing over 2,550 civilians and worsening the humanitarian crisis, with human rights deteriorating significantly.
December 21, 2024 - An amnesty is declared for those convicted in the 2015 coup attempt.
December 19, 2024 - Four French soldiers detained on spying charges since 2023 are released after Morocco-mediated talks.
December 16, 2024 - ECOWAS approves the AES trio's withdrawal effective January 2025, with a grace period until July.
December 07, 2024 - Communications Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo is appointed as the new prime minister.
December 06, 2024 - Prime Minister Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla is dismissed, and his cabinet dissolved.
September 23, 2024 - The junta reveals a three-stage destabilization plot allegedly backed by foreign powers and linked to the August Barsalogho massacre.
July 31, 2024 - Mali and Burkina Faso conduct joint airstrikes on insurgents near Tinzaouaten, though the AES claims a Burkinabe drone killed dozens of civilians.
July 12, 2024 - The justice minister announces a ban on homosexuality.
July 07, 2024 - ECOWAS warns of potential disintegration due to the AES countries' planned exit amid military and economic insecurity.
June 18, 2024 - TV5 Monde is banned for six months for "disinformation" against the government.
June 12, 2024 - Two people are injured in a shooting at the state broadcaster RTB in Ouagadougou.
June 11, 2024 - Over 100 soldiers are killed in a JNIM-claimed attack on a military base in Mansila, one of the deadliest incidents.
June 05, 2024 - Russia pledges additional military supplies and instructors to bolster defense capabilities.
April 25, 2024 - BBC Radio and Voice of America are banned from broadcasting for two weeks over coverage of army massacres.
April 18, 2024 - The government expels three French diplomats for alleged "subversive activities."
January 18, 2024 - Burkina Faso announces its withdrawal from ECOWAS and the African Union as part of the AES formation.
December 18, 2023 - The military leader sacks the foreign minister and appoints a new mining minister in a government reshuffle.
November 26, 2023 - About 3,000 JNIM fighters launch attacks to seize Djibo, killing several soldiers, 40 civilians, and over 400 attackers.
November 05, 2023 - At least 70 people are killed in a massacre in the village of Zaongo by unknown perpetrators.
October 18, 2023 - The health ministry declares a dengue fever epidemic after over 200 deaths and surging cases.
September 28, 2023 - Four officers are arrested following a thwarted coup attempt.
September 16, 2023 - Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger sign a mutual defense pact forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
September 06, 2023 - Over 50 security forces are killed by jihadists in attacks nearing the capital.
June 30, 2023 - The government suspends the French news channel France 24 over its reporting on the insurgency.
June 27, 2023 - Troops and allied militiamen are killed in multiple attacks, per security sources.
April 08, 2023 - Forty-four people are killed in two separate attacks in the north.
April 07, 2023 - Burkina Faso resumes diplomatic relations with North Korea.
March 23, 2023 - At least 14 security forces are killed in a jihadist terror attack.
February 09, 2023 - Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) suspends operations in the northwest after gunmen kill two staff members.
January 25, 2023 - France agrees to withdraw its troops from Burkina Faso amid escalating tensions.
January 20, 2023 - The army rescues abducted women and babies; the military demands the immediate withdrawal of French troops, followed by solidarity prayers for victims of a related attack killing nine.
January 03, 2023 - Bodies of 28 men are found shot dead, with human rights groups blaming a government militia.
January 01, 2023 - The military government expels around 400 French special forces, severing military ties with France and seeking new partnerships.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burkina Faso
100 Questions
Burkina Faso is in West Africa, bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The capital is Ouagadougou.
Around 24 million people as of 2025 estimates.
French is the official language; Mooré, Dioula, Fulfulde, and many local languages are spoken.
Hot, tropical, with a rainy season (May–October) and a dry season (November–April).
The West African CFA franc (XOF).
Red (top) and green (bottom) with a yellow star in the middle.
Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, Banfora, and Ouahigouya.
On August 5, 1960, from France.
Upper Volta, until renamed by Thomas Sankara in 1984.
Maurice Yaméogo.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in 2022 (as of 2025).
Currently a military-led transitional government.
A revolutionary leader (1983–1987) known as “Africa’s Che Guevara.”
He was killed in a 1987 coup led by Blaise Compaoré.
Islam (about 60%), Christianity, and traditional beliefs.
Around $20 billion in 2025 estimates.
Around 45%, among the lowest in West Africa.
About 61 years.
About 5 children per woman.
Over 65% are under 25 years old.
Gold, cotton, and livestock.
It accounts for about 80% of export earnings.
Machinery, fuel, food, and manufactured goods.
Around 80%, mostly subsistence farming.
Millet, sorghum, maize, cotton, and groundnuts.
Gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, and phosphates.
The Volta River system (Black, White, and Red Volta).
Mount Tenakourou (749 m).
The Black Volta River valley.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), UTC +0.
To (millet or sorghum porridge), rice, maize, and beans.
A popular rice dish cooked with tomatoes, vegetables, and meat.
Dolo (sorghum beer).
Football (soccer) and athletics.
Yes, finishing runners-up in 2013.
Not yet.
Islam ~60%, Christianity ~25%, traditional ~15%.
It is central to culture, with balafon, drums, and modern pop.
The Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, Africa’s biggest film festival.
Colorful Faso Dan Fani woven fabric.
A handwoven cotton cloth symbolizing national identity.
He encouraged people to wear it as a sign of independence.
They are central in agriculture, markets, and crafts.
About 35%, lower than men.
Poverty, limited education, and child marriage.
It is the main cash crop after gold.
High, especially among youth.
Moderate, tied to regional CFA franc.
Air Burkina.
It is the political, cultural, and economic capital.
Music, culture, and the Great Mosque of Bobo.
A historic Sudano-Sahelian style mud mosque.
University of Ouagadougou, University of Bobo-Dioulasso.
Limited, with shortages in rural areas.
Malaria, meningitis, HIV/AIDS, and waterborne diseases.
High, but improving with better healthcare.
Active member of the West African bloc.
It participates in peacekeeping and diplomacy.
Around 30%, but growing.
High, even in rural areas.
Limited rail, but expanding road networks.
Ouagadougou International Airport.
Elephants, hippos, antelopes, and lions.
Yes, including Arli, W, and Nazinga parks.
A UNESCO site shared with Niger and Benin.
A reserve known for elephants.
Mud-brick buildings with Sahelian style.
A UNESCO World Heritage stone fortress site.
Masks, carvings, and textiles are important.
Bwa, Mossi, and Lobi ceremonial masks.
“Le Ditanye” (Anthem of Victory).
“Unity, Progress, Justice.”
Football.
To (millet or sorghum porridge).
The white stallion (symbolic).
About 70 people per km².
About 30%, with most people in rural areas.
Around $900 annually.
Many work in Côte d’Ivoire and send remittances.
Communities abroad in France, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali.
They send remittances to support families.
About 65%, higher than older generations.
About 55%.
Strong influence, with multiple coups in history.
Terrorism, political instability, and poverty.
Groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Millions displaced by conflict and food insecurity.
They provide health, education, and food aid.
Former colonial power, still tied economically and politically.
Increasing influence through security cooperation.
It pressures for democratic transition.
Moderate, but impacted by instability.
Low enrollment, lack of infrastructure, teacher shortages.
Reducing malaria and maternal mortality.
Mask festivals, FESPACO, and harvest ceremonies.
Balafon, drums, flutes, and griot storytelling.
Amadou Balaké, Victor Démé, and modern hip-hop artists.
Challenging, but dependent on stability, gold, and agriculture.
It is central to West Africa, rich in gold, and culturally influential.