Western Africa
Landlocked · Proud · Cultural
Burkina Faso is a country located in Western Africa. Its capital city is Ouagadougou, with other major cities including Bobo-Dioulasso and Koudougou. With a population of approximately 22.1M, the main language spoken is French. The country covers an area of 272,967 km². The official currency is the West African CFA franc (Fr). Traffic drives on the right side.
Burkina Faso means 'Land of Incorruptible People' in both Mooré and Dioula — the name was coined in 1984 by revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara.
Ouagadougou serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Burkina Faso, positioned in Western Africa. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Ouagadougou's name (commonly shortened to 'Ouaga') comes from Moré language meaning 'you are welcome here at the home of those who pay honour to others' — a city that hosts the pan-African FESPACO film festival every two years, making it the most important African cinema event on the continent and an unexpected cultural capital given its poverty indicators.
With a population of approximately 22.1M, Burkina Faso is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is French, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Burkina Faso is reached via the dialling code +226. Burkinabé people maintain cultural identities around 60 ethnic groups — the Mossi kingdom being the most historically powerful — while Burkina Faso means 'Land of Incorruptible People' in both Mooré and Dioula languages, a name chosen by revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara in 1984 to assert national dignity independent of its former French colonial name Upper Volta.
Burkina Faso spans 272,967 km², in the Western Africa subregion of Africa. Geographically centred around 13.0°N, 2.0°W, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Africa convention.
The official currency is the West African CFA franc (Fr), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Burkina Faso's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.
Football holds a special place in the heart of Burkina Faso's national identity. Football is Burkina Faso's dominant sport, with the national team's surprising Africa Cup of Nations runner-up finish in 2013 generating unprecedented celebrations — but it is the traditional Mossi wrestling competitions held during harvest festivals that maintain the deepest roots in community life, where the champion wrestler gains social status comparable to a football international.
The highest point in Burkina Faso is Tena Kourou, rising to 749 metres above sea level. Sindou Peaks in western Burkina Faso are a dramatic landscape of eroded laterite rock needles rising above the savanna plain, created by differential erosion over millions of years into formations that resemble a petrified ancient city — a geological spectacle largely unknown outside the country that draws adventure travelers willing to navigate the security challenges of the Sahel.