Burkina Faso is a country in Africa, in West Africa, with about 24.1 million people (2025) and an area of 274,200 square kilometres. Its capital is Ouagadougou, and it shares land borders with 6 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of Burkina FasoBurkina Faso in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Burkina Faso's 6, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 6
Landlocked in the heart of West Africa
Burkina Faso sits in the interior of West Africa, bordered by six countries and without a coastline. The terrain is mostly flat savanna and semi-arid Sahel, bisected by the headwaters of the Volta River system, which flow south into Ghana. Ocean access depends on ports in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, which makes regional relationships an economic necessity. Ouagadougou, the capital, lies on the central plateau, a crossroads for trade running between the coastal states and the deeper Sahel.
More on Volta River system
The Black Volta, White Volta, and Red Volta rivers all originate in Burkina Faso before converging in Ghana to form Lake Volta. Burkina Faso's water management directly affects downstream Ghana, creating a shared hydrological dependency.
5 more lenses on Burkina Faso in the app
STORY Thomas Sankara and the memory of revolution
NOW A Sahel state in crisis
NOW Gold keeps the economy alive while the state fractures
THREAD The Sahel's military axis is reshaping West Africa
NOW Leaving the court, not just the bloc
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. Ouagadougou lies at about 12.4 degrees north and 1.5 degrees west. Burkina Faso is in Africa, in the region often called West Africa. It is home to about 24.1 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Burkina Faso?
About 24.1 million people live in Burkina Faso, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 59th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 274,200 square kilometres, that is about 88 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso shares land borders with 6 countries: Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo. The map on this page outlines each of them around Burkina Faso. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake.
How big is Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso covers 274,200 square kilometres, or about 105,869 square miles. That makes it the 73rd largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 24.1 million gives a density of 88 people per square kilometre.
Burkina Faso is a country in Africa, in West Africa, with about 24.1 million people (2025) and an area of 274,200 square kilometres. Its capital is Ouagadougou, and it shares land borders with 6 countries.
Capital
Ouagadougou
Continent
Africa
Region
West Africa
Population
24,074,580 2025, World Bank. 59th of 195.
Area
274,200 km² (105,869 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 73rd largest of 195.
Population density
88 people per km²
Land neighbours
6: Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Togo
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Landlocked in the heart of West Africa
Burkina Faso sits in the interior of West Africa, bordered by six countries and without a coastline. The terrain is mostly flat savanna and semi-arid Sahel, bisected by the headwaters of the Volta River system, which flow south into Ghana. Ocean access depends on ports in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, which makes regional relationships an economic necessity. Ouagadougou, the capital, lies on the central plateau, a crossroads for trade running between the coastal states and the deeper Sahel.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/burkina-faso/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Burkina Faso
NameDate
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Capital
Continent
Population
Area
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Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
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One question I still have
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/burkina-faso/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
BeninPorto-Novo and Cotonou
Côte d'IvoireYamoussoukro and Abidjan
GhanaAccra
MaliBamako
NigerNiamey
TogoLome