Burkina Faso Facts for Kids

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in southern Africa.
Burkina Faso is the Republic of Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso was Upper Volta.
France ruled Burkina Faso for 60 years.

The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. It is the largest city in Burkina Faso.
The total population of Burkina Faso is over 19 million.
Burkina Faso was ruled by the Mossi before Europeans.
The Mossi were kingdoms of tribes throughout Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso became independent from France on August 5, 1960.

The first President of Burkina Faso was Maurice Yameogo.
Burkina Faso is a Parliamentary Republic.
The Head of State is Michel Kafando. The Prime Minister is Yacouba Isaac Zida.
The official language of Burkina Faso is French. They also speak Moore and Dioula in Burkina Faso.
People in Burkina Faso are Burkinabe.
The main religion in Burkina Faso is Islam.
There are many indigenous religions. There are Christians in Burkina Faso. Most Christians in Burkina Faso are Roman Catholic.
People have lived in the area of Burkina Faso for thousands of years. They were hunter-gatherers. They became farmers later.
The currency of Burkina Faso is the West African CFA Franc (XOF).
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in Africa.
Burkina Faso’s exports are cotton, animals, and gold. Burkina Faso’s imports are capital goods, food products, and petroleum.
The natural resources of Burkina Faso include gold, limestone, marble, manganese, pumice, and salt. Burkina Faso produces cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, corn, and rice.
The total area of Burkina Faso is 270,764 square kilometers (104,543 square miles).
Burkina Faso is slightly larger than the American state of Colorado. it is the 74th largest country in the world. Burkina Faso is located south of the Sahara Desert.
Burkina Faso has flat terrain.
There are plains and hills in the west and southeast.
The highest point Burkina Faso is Tenakourou at 749 meters.
The lowest point in Burkina Faso is the Mouhoun (Black Volta) River at 200 meters.
Burkina Faso has a tropical climate.
The summers are hot and wet. The winters are warm and dry.
Burkina Faso has no coast with an ocean or sea. Burkina Faso is next to Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The land in the south is green. It has forests and fruit trees. The land in the north is desert.
Burkina Faso has 13 regions. The regions are: Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest
Burkina Faso has 45 provinces and 301 departments. The second largest city in Burkina Faso is Bobo Dioulasso.
Burkina Faso’s flora and fauna are protected in two national parks and several reserves.
The average altitude of Burkina Faso is 400 meters (1,312 feet). The difference between the highest and lowest terrain is only 600 meters (1,969 feet).
Burkina Faso has many rivers and basins. The largest basin is the Volta basin. It has 3 rivers. It has the Black Volta (Mouhoun), Red Volta (Nazinon), and White Volta (Nakabe). It runs through the western half of Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso has 4 national parks, 1 UNESCO Biosphere reserve, 3 complete reserves, 6 partial reserves, and 10 protected forests.
Nazinga Reserve in Burkina Faso protects the most elephants in West Africa. It is close to the capital Ouagadougou.
The Cascades de Karfiguela or Banfora Cascades are waterfalls along the Komoe River in Southwestern Burkina Faso. It is one of the most popular tourist sites in the country.
The peaks of Sindou are a rock formation near the town of Sindou. They were underwater millions of years ago. They are shaped by the elements.
The ruins of Loropeni are Burkina Faso’s first World Heritage Site. The site spans 11,130 square meters (119,800 square feet). It has stone walls of an ancient fortress.
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world. It has about 44% of its population living under the poverty line.
Burkina Faso is Africa’s largest producer of cotton. It is local farmers’ ‘white gold.’ Cotton earns over 200 million in revenue every year for Burkina Faso. It is the mainstay of the economy.
Burkina Faso has 147 mammal species. It has 330 aquatic species in total. There are 121 species of fish. There are 2,067 species of plants in Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso has a traditional belief that crocodiles and humans share the same spirit. Crocodiles are sacred in Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso is a country with traditional values and beautiful nature. They have diverse flora and fauna. The tourism industry is growing in Burkina Faso.