Burkina Faso Population 2023 (Live)

23,488,098

Burkina Faso’s population is 20.9 million people for 2020. According to current projections, its population is expected to surpass 50 million people in 2058 and will reach a population of 82.61 million people by 2099. Burkina Faso’s population will be almost four times higher at the end of the century than it is in 2020.

Burkina Faso’s population grew 2.86% from 2019 to 2020, adding about 582,000 people to the population. Although the country has negative net migration, the high fertility rate of 5.23 births per woman allows the country’s population to continue growing.

Almost half of the population is under 15 years old and the median age of the population is 17.6 years. While contraceptive education has increased in Burkina Faso, usage is still very low.

Population Rank
Growth Rate
2023 World Percentage
Land Area
273,600
The current population of Burkina Faso is 23,488,098 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2023 population at 23,251,485.

Burkina Faso Growth Rate

Burkina Faso Population 2023 (Live)

Burkina Faso Population Clock

Burkina Faso Population (as of 11/25/2023)23,488,098
Last UN Estimate (July 1, 2023)23,251,485
Births per Day2,193
Deaths per Day526
Migrations per Day-68
Net Change per Day1,599
Population Change Since Jan. 1526,071

Components of Population Change

One birth every 39 seconds
One death every 2.73 minutes
One emigrant every 21.18 minutes
Net gain of one person every 54 seconds

Burkina Faso Population Clock

City
Population
Ouagadougou1,086,505
Bobo-Dioulasso360,106
Koudougou87,347
Ouahigouya61,096
Banfora60,288
Dedougou45,341
Kaya39,229
Dori37,806
Tenkodogo37,658
Reo37,535
showing: 10 rows

Burkina Faso Area and Population Density

Burkina Faso's population is growing rapidly. The 2006 census found a population of 14 million, which has already grown to almost 18 million. The country does have a low population density, however, of just 57 people per square kilometer, which ranks 145th in the world.

Most of the population is located in the center and south of Burkina Faso, with a density that goes over 48 people per square kilometer in some areas. Hundreds of thousands of people regularly migrate to Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire for seasonal work.

Largest Cities in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso has a relatively low urban population, with 30.69% of the population living in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou, or just Ouaga, with a population of 1.8 million, which covers 84.7 square miles. Bobo-Diolasso is the next most sizable city, with a population of 537,728 over 52.81 square miles. Aside from these two urban centers, there aren't any other cities with populations much over 100,000.

Burkina Faso Population Density Map

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
19554,472,8241.2%16.3573147
19604,783,2591.35%17.4874151
19655,157,9291.52%18.8576155
19705,611,6661.7%20.5177154
19756,138,4441.81%22.4479157
19806,932,9672.46%25.3478157
19857,979,1852.85%29.1675158
19909,131,3612.73%33.3773157
199510,353,2632.54%37.8470154
200011,882,8882.79%43.4365152
200513,876,1273.15%50.7263147
201016,116,8453.04%58.9164144
201518,718,0193.04%68.4161140
201719,835,8582.91%72.5059137
201820,392,7232.81%74.5359135
201920,951,6392.74%76.5859134
202021,522,6262.73%78.6659133
202222,673,7622.71%82.8758129
202323,251,4852.66%84.9859125
showing: 19 rows

Burkina Faso Population by Year (Historical)

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202323,251,4852.66%84.9859125
202423,840,2472.62%87.1460123
202524,436,9252.57%89.3259123
203027,523,5632.41%100.6058118
203530,759,5362.25%112.4357108
204034,050,7332.05%124.4557103
204537,324,9841.85%136.425299
205040,541,5481.67%148.185298
205543,658,2321.49%159.574895
206046,613,4031.32%170.374791
206549,416,7761.18%180.624489
207052,013,4541.03%190.114385
207554,349,5650.88%198.654181
208056,387,2420.74%206.094280
208558,121,5690.61%212.434177
209059,539,3040.48%217.614273
209560,669,1160.38%221.744272
showing: 17 rows

Burkina Faso Population by Year (Projections)

Burkina Faso Population Pyramid 2023

Burkina Faso Median Age

17.9

Total

17

Male

18.7

Female

Burkina Faso Population by Age

There are people over age 18 in Burkina Faso.

Census Years

Year
Date
198520 December 1985
199610 December 1996
200623 December 2006
20162016
showing: 4 rows

Burkina Faso Population Pyramid

Most of the 17 million people in Burkina Faso belong to one of two West African ethnic cultural groups: the Voltaic and the Mande. Voltaic Mossi make up about 50% of the population and are descended from warriors who moved to the area from Ghana around 1100, establishing an empire that lasted over 800 years.

In 1995, the ethnic composition of Burkina Faso was: 48% Mossi, 10% Fulani, 7% Lobi, 7% Bobo, 6.7% Mande, 5% Senufo, 5% Gurunsi, 4.8% Gurma and 3.1% Tuareg.

About 69 languages are spoken in the country, 60 of which are indigenous. About 40% of the population speaks Mossi, although the official language is still French, which was introduced during the country's colonial period.

The median age is just under 17 years old. A 2005 World Health Organization report estimated that almost 73% of girls and women in Burkina Faso have undergone female genital mutilation, which is done according to traditional rituals in the area. Burkina Faso is one of the last great strongholds of slavery in the world, and children in the country are often victims of slavery.

Activists in the country have lobbied for more attention to birth control, which has been largely ignored as attention has focused on preventing HIV/AIDs. Without controlling its population, Burkina Faso will have difficulty improving living standards.

Burkina Faso Religion, Economy and Politics

The majority of the population in Burkina Faso, 60.5%, practice Islam. The remainder of the population of relatively religiously diverse, with 23.2% practicing Christianity, 15.3% following indigenous beliefs, and the remaining 1% having no reported religion.

Burkina Faso is one of the world's most impoverished countries and over 90% of its citizens are farmers, with cotton being the most common crop. Literacy rates are much lower than surrounding nations, and the people that live here are constantly plagued by terrorist attacks, political insecurity, low energy supplies, and poor transportation options.

Burkina Faso Population History

The indigenous population, known as the Mossi Kingdom, was in control of the region since the 1000s. In 1895, they defeated French colonial forces to become a French protectorate. The indigenous army again fought the French in 1915, but this time the French won and executed the leaders of the African army. The nation finally got its independence in 1960. As an independent country, Burkina Faso's population flourished, going from growing at 1% annually in 1960 to the robust growth of today.

Since the turn of the millennium, Burkina Faso has experienced a couple of meningitis outbreaks which killed thousands.

Burkina Faso Population Rank 2023
Area (km²)
272,967
2023 Growth Rate
GDP (IMF)
$17.38
GDP (UN)
$11.70 Bn

Burkina Faso - General Info

Sources