Burkina Faso

Sub-Saharan Africa·Low income

Population: 23M; 59th of 217
GDP: $23.3B; 123rd of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $987; 196th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 61.1; 208th of 217
Human development: 0.449; 182nd of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Burkina Faso

Sudan

Rwanda

Lesotho

Ethiopia

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

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

Area: 274,200 km²
Languages: Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French…
Resources: gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt
Borders: Benin; Cote d'Ivoire; Ghana; Mali; Niger; Togo

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Muslim67.4%▲ 3.1pt
Christian28%▲ 1.4pt
Other4%▼ 4.4pt
Unaffiliated0.6%

Religious diversity: 5.43 / 10 · moderate · 44th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

BFA

SDN

RWA

LSO

GDP

current US$

$23.3B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$109M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

52.5%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

18.6%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

29.7%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

23M–––

Population density

people per km²

82.3–––

Urban population

% of total

32.5%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

4.2–––

Net migration

people

-25.8K–––

Population under 15

% of total

41.8%–––

Population 65+

% of total

2.7%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

6.8%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

5.3%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

1,020.3–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

75.1–––

Electricity generation

TWh

1.7–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.466–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.288–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.11–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

1.76–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.44–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

3.52–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

52.3%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.8–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

10%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

11.5%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

31.2%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

70.5%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

59.2%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.99–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

5.43–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.6%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.44–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.57–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.42–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.36–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.81–––

Would fight for country

% yes

85.3%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.61–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

4%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#123/214

$23.3B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#196/214

$9872024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#190/203

$2,755latest

GDP growth

annual %

#43/214

5%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#192/207

$8802024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#178/213

8.9%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#146/201

$109M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#109/205

52.5%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#38/206

18.6%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#58/208

29.7%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#94/187

5.3%latest

Gini index

0–100

#99/168

37.4latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#151/168

42.1%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#59/217

23Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#120/216

82.3latest

Urban population

% of total

#182/215

32.5%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#208/217

61.1latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#22/217

4.2latest

Net migration

people

#180/217

-25.8K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#14/217

41.8%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#202/217

2.7%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#179/196

44.8latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#186/196

77.3latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#92/192

6.8%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#173/195

0.1latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#158/160

34.5%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#48/199

5.3%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#162/194

10.2%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#202/210

17%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#92/214

119.52022

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#196/208

0.12022

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#190/215

28.82024

Access to electricity

% of population

#208/215

21.7%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#178/198

1,020.32023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#191/202

75.12023

Electricity generation

TWh

#145/202

1.72023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#133/202

17.3%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#137/202

82.7%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#78/204

6.52024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#22/204

0.32024

Share of global CO₂

#128/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#45/193

2.52023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#122/172

0.2952022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#114/172

0.2192022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#76/178

422022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#86/193

-0.08362022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#149/193

-0.8252022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#133/193

-0.6082022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#177/193

-1.782022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#146/172

0.5112022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#48/104

0.4662007

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#78/105

0.2882007

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#39/113

9.112007

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#84/112

1.762007

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#82/114

2.442007

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#96/114

3.522007

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#102/114

2.692007

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#77/111

2.522007

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#29/113

52.3%2007

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#22/109

2.82007

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#73/112

10%2007

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#81/112

11.5%2007

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#90/114

31.2%2007

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#8/114

70.5%2007

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#50/110

59.2%2007

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#32/109

4.992007

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#44/193

5.432020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#137/193

0.6%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#75/114

14.7%2007

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#40/112

2.442007

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#24/113

2.572007

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#67/110

2.422007

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#58/111

2.362007

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#75/104

82007

National pride

mean, 1–4

#15/114

3.812007

Would fight for country

% yes

#19/113

85.3%2007

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#23/114

2.612007

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#182/189

0.4492021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#158/170

0.6212021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#131/164

4.462025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#112/113

5.72007

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#110/114

5.572007

Global Peace Index

1–5

#146/158

2.872023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#19/161

4%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.