+226 is the dialing code for Burkina Faso.
In the coastal and poor Burkina Faso in West Africa, living conditions are difficult for most people. Yet the country has distinguished itself in cultural contexts. Here, every two years, Africa’s largest film festival is organized. A popular revolt in 2014 led to President Blaise Compaoré being ousted after 27 years in power. In the presidential election the following year, the country got its first civilian head of state in almost 50 years. But it did not give the peace many hoped for, since 2015, violence from jihadists has claimed hundreds of lives.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Burkina Faso, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
Burkina Faso is located in the interior of West Africa, just south of the Sahara. It borders Mali and Niger in the north and Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin in the south. The country’s area corresponds to just under two-thirds of Sweden’s.
The landscape is almost completely dominated by a plateau that slopes to the south. In the southwest, the terrain is mountainous and in the south-east there are swamp areas. In the north, the land is covered by desert grassland, while the grasslands in the south are covered with shrubs and trees. The soil is usually rocky and lean, and not very well suited for agriculture.
The most important of the rivers flowing south towards the Ivory Coast and Ghana are Mouhoun, Nazinon and Nakambe. They were formerly called Black, Red and White Volta and gave the country its former name, Upper Volta.
When drought prevails, even the larger rivers are not always water-filled. During the dry season, the savanna in the north is almost transformed into a desert.
On the tree saw in the south, among other things, acacias grow. There roam antelopes, buffalo, leopards and lions. Plant, bird and animal life is also rich along the major rivers. Hippos are found, as are nile crocodiles.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 43 % |
| Land area | 274200 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | 3.03 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 29.9 % |
| Death rate | 11.72 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 57.21 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 53.1 years |
| Birth rate | 42.03 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.402 |
| Population | 18931686 |
| Infant mortality | 75.32 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 522 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 4.3 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 68 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 12 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
| Unemployment | 77% of the workforce |
| GDP | 1700 per resident |
| Primary occupations | 90 % |
| Secondary profession | 5 % |
| Tertiary professions | 5 % |
The climate is hot and dry throughout Burkina Faso. The farther north, the hotter and drier it gets. In the north, conditions are almost desert-like and the annual rainfall is at most 250 mm.
In the central parts of the country, some more rain falls, around 1,000 mm per year, and there is agriculture. Most of the rain falls in the mountains in the southwest. Burkina Faso has three seasons: April and May are hot months, the rainy season lasts from June to October, and from November to March it is dry, but cooler.
FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Surface
274 200 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish – 1 hour
Adjacent country (s)
Mali, Benin, Niger, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast
Capital with number of residents
Ouagadougou 2,741,000
Other major cities
Bobo-Dioulasso 721,000 (Estimated 2015)
Highest mountain
Tenakourou (749 m asl)
Important rivers
Mouhoun, Nazinon, Nakambe
Average Precipitation/month
Ouagadougou 0 mm (dec), 277 mm (aug)
Average/day
Ouagadougou 32 °C (April), 25 °C (Jan)
2013
July
Protests against new Senate
Thousands of people walk the streets in protest of the government’s plans to establish a Senate. The opposition says such a decision would facilitate Compaore’s attempt to be re-elected as president, as several of the senators are to be appointed by the president.
April
The border with Niger is adjusted
The International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) decides a border dispute between Burkina Faso and Niger over 80 years old. Both countries say they accept the ruling, which means that Burkina Faso will take over 786 square kilometers of land and 14 resorts from Niger, which in return will receive 277 square kilometers and four resorts from the neighboring country. The changes will be implemented by the end of 2016 and the residents will then have five years to decide what citizenship they want.