Capital » Ouagadougou
Facts
- Population » 18.6 million
- Major languages » French (Official), indigenous languages
- Major religions » Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity
- Life expectancy » 59 years (men), 61 years (women)
- Currency » Communauté Financière Africaine (BCEAO) Franc (XOF)
- Currency » 1 West African CFA Franc = 100 centimes
Geography
- Area » 274,200 sq km (105,870 sq miles)
- A landlocked country in West Africa.
- Bordered by Niger in the east, Benin in the southeast, Togo and Ghana and Ivory Coast in the south, and in the west and north by Mali.
Maps
- Wikivoyage
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
Climate
- Three climate zones »
- A hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half,
- A tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half,
- and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert
- Average temperature in Ouagadougou is 41°C (106°F) with a humidity of 12% to 16%.
- The harmattan, a dry east wind, brings with it spells of considerable heat from March to May.
- From May to October, the climate is hot and wet. The rainy season lasts up to five months, from May to October.
- From November to March, comfortable and dry.
- Average rainfall varies from 40 inches in the south to less than 10 inches in the extreme north and northeast.
Overland
- Traffic drives on the right hand side
- An International Driving Permit is recommended,
- Many roads become impassable during the raining season.
Safety and Security
New Zealand » Do not travel to Burkina Faso overall due to the volatile security situation and the high threat of kidnapping, terrorism and armed banditry (level 4 of 4). (March 2023)
- In Nov 2022, the French advice to travellers map was adjusted to take into account the evolution of the security situation in the country. Current as at March 2023.
Government Travel Advice
News
Resources
This page was updated March 31, 2023