Situated in Western Africa, Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 (officially Burkina Faso) is one of the most interesting places you can land on when you spin the globe. With a population of about 23.5 million and a total area of 272,967 km², it offers far more than its statistics suggest.
Whether you discovered Burkina Faso through our random country spinner or searched for it directly, this guide covers everything you need to know: the flag, the capital city of Ouagadougou, population figures, languages, currency, geography and a collection of memorable facts.
Where is Burkina Faso located?
Burkina Faso lies in Western Africa, in the Africa region of the world. Measuring roughly 272,967 square kilometres, it ranks 76th in the world by total area.
As a landlocked country, Burkina Faso has no direct access to the open ocean, which has shaped its trade routes, cuisine and history in distinctive ways. It shares land borders with Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo.
Ouagadougou serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Burkina Faso has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Who lives in Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso is home to approximately 23.5 million residents — the 59th largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Burkinabes.
The main language spoken here is French. Learning even a handful of phrases before a visit goes a long way with locals.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Burkina Faso rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Good to know before you go
The official currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF, symbol Fr). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Burkina Faso is +226. Websites from the country typically use the .bf internet domain.
If Burkina Faso came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Ouagadougou) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Burkina Faso shares borders with 6 countries:
Fun facts about Burkina Faso
- Burkina Faso's flag emoji is 🇧🇫 — its two-letter country code is BF and its three-letter code is BFA.
- Burkina Faso covers 272,967 km², ranking 76th in the world by area.
- With about 23.5 million people, Burkina Faso holds the 59th spot in the world population ranking.
- Burkina Faso is a member state of the United Nations.
- Burkina Faso is one of the world's landlocked countries — it has no sea coastline.
Burkina Faso — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
- The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou.
- What is the population of Burkina Faso?
- Burkina Faso has a population of approximately 23,548,781 people, ranking 59th in the world.
- Where is Burkina Faso located?
- Burkina Faso is located in Western Africa, part of the Africa region. It is a landlocked country.
- What language is spoken in Burkina Faso?
- The main language spoken in Burkina Faso is French.
- What currency is used in Burkina Faso?
- Burkina Faso uses the West African CFA franc (XOF).
