Burkina Faso

Current head of state

Ibrahim Traoré President of Burkina Faso In office 2022–present · 3.9y Born 1988 · took office at 34 Took power coup 2022-09-30 Autor: Stanislav Krasilnikov Crédito: RIA Novosti Fonte: Agência RIA Novosti Photohost Original: Dígito Formato: JPEG, 5657x3676px, 10,4Mb ID do trabalho: df1b440333ce5873 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Ibrahim Traoré

President of Burkina Faso

Since 2022 3.9 years in office

Governance indicator

-0.9

−2.50+2.5

World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, composite of six dimensions · 2024

Chamber

Member of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso

Seats

—

Speaker

—

Active alliances

28

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana President of Burkina Faso In office 1966–1980 · 14.9y Born 1916 · took office at 49 Took power coup 1966-01-03 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Saye Zerbo Saye Zerbo President of Burkina Faso In office 1980–1982 · 1.9y Born 1932 · took office at 48 Took power coup 1980-11-25 Voice of America · Public domain

Thomas Sankara Thomas Sankara President of Burkina Faso In office 1983–1987 · 4.2y Born 1949 · took office at 33 Took power coup 1983-08-04 unknown, United States Central Intelligence Agency · Public domain

Blaise Compaoré Blaise Compaoré President of Burkina Faso In office 1987–2014 · 27y PartyCongress for Democracy and Progress Born 1951 · took office at 36 Took power coup 1987-10-15 Antônio Cruz/ABr; cropped, and resized by en:User:Hajor · Attribution

Honoré Traoré Honoré Traoré President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2014 · 0y Born 1957 · took office at 57 Took power coup 2014-10-30 Zoumana Wologo (VOA) · Public domain

Yacouba Isaac Zida Yacouba Isaac Zida President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2014 · 0y Partyindependent politician Born 1965 · took office at 48 Took power coup 2014-10-30 U.S. Embassy Ouaga · Public domain

Michel Kafando Michel Kafando President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2015 · 0.8y Partyindependent politician Born 1942 · took office at 72 Etienne Ansotte / European Union, 2015 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0

Chérif Sy Chérif Sy President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0y Born 1960 · took office at 55 Took power coup 2015-09-16 U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou · Public domain

Gilbert Diendéré Gilbert Diendéré President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0y Partyindependent politician Born 1959 · took office at 55 Took power coup 2015-09-16 Master Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson, U.S. Air Force · Public domain

Michel Kafando Michel Kafando President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0.3y Partyindependent politician Born 1942 · took office at 73 Took power coup 2015-09-16 Etienne Ansotte / European Union, 2015 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0

Roch Marc Christian Kaboré Roch Marc Christian Kaboré President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2022 · 6.1y PartyCongress for Democracy and Progress Born 1957 · took office at 58 Théodore Boermans / European Commission · CC BY 4.0

Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba President of Burkina Faso In office 2022–2022 · 0.7y Born 1981 · took office at 41 Took power coup 2022-01-24 Lamine Traoré (VOA) · Public domain

Ibrahim Traoré Ibrahim Traoré President of Burkina Faso In office 2022–present · 3.9y Born 1988 · took office at 34 Took power coup 2022-09-30 Autor: Stanislav Krasilnikov Crédito: RIA Novosti Fonte: Agência RIA Novosti Photohost Original: Dígito Formato: JPEG, 5657x3676px, 10,4Mb ID do trabalho: df1b440333ce5873 · CC BY-SA 3.0

1966-01-03 1974-02-08 1980-11-25 1982-11-07 1983-08-04 1987-10-15 2014-10-30 2015-09-16 2015-09-23 2022-01-24 2022-09-30

Term Began with a realized coup In office Realized coup — dated

The scale spans every dated record held for this country, so it may begin before the first leader on file — a gap at the left means coups are recorded for years where no office-holder is. Coup markers link to the Cline Center source.

1. 2022– Ibrahim Traoré President of Burkina Faso In office 2022–present · 3.9y Born 1988 · took office at 34 Took power coup 2022-09-30 Autor: Stanislav Krasilnikov Crédito: RIA Novosti Fonte: Agência RIA Novosti Photohost Original: Dígito Formato: JPEG, 5657x3676px, 10,4Mb ID do trabalho: df1b440333ce5873 · CC BY-SA 3.0 Ibrahim Traoré In office Coup 2022 3.9y
2. 2022–2022 Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba President of Burkina Faso In office 2022–2022 · 0.7y Born 1981 · took office at 41 Took power coup 2022-01-24 Lamine Traoré (VOA) · Public domain Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba Coup 2022 0.7y
3. 2015–2022 Roch Marc Christian Kaboré President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2022 · 6.1y PartyCongress for Democracy and Progress Born 1957 · took office at 58 Théodore Boermans / European Commission · CC BY 4.0 Roch Marc Christian Kaboré 6.1y
4. 2015–2015 Michel Kafando President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0.3y Partyindependent politician Born 1942 · took office at 73 Took power coup 2015-09-16 Etienne Ansotte / European Union, 2015 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0 Michel Kafando Coup 2015 0.3y
5. 2015–2015 Gilbert Diendéré President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0y Partyindependent politician Born 1959 · took office at 55 Took power coup 2015-09-16 Master Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson, U.S. Air Force · Public domain Gilbert Diendéré Coup 2015 0y
6. 2015–2015 Chérif Sy President of Burkina Faso In office 2015–2015 · 0y Born 1960 · took office at 55 Took power coup 2015-09-16 U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou · Public domain Chérif Sy Coup 2015 0y
7. 2014–2015 Michel Kafando President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2015 · 0.8y Partyindependent politician Born 1942 · took office at 72 Etienne Ansotte / European Union, 2015 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0 Michel Kafando 0.8y
8. 2014–2014 Yacouba Isaac Zida President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2014 · 0y Partyindependent politician Born 1965 · took office at 48 Took power coup 2014-10-30 U.S. Embassy Ouaga · Public domain Yacouba Isaac Zida Coup 2014 0y
9. 2014–2014 Honoré Traoré President of Burkina Faso In office 2014–2014 · 0y Born 1957 · took office at 57 Took power coup 2014-10-30 Zoumana Wologo (VOA) · Public domain Honoré Traoré Coup 2014 0y
10. 1987–2014 Blaise Compaoré President of Burkina Faso In office 1987–2014 · 27y PartyCongress for Democracy and Progress Born 1951 · took office at 36 Took power coup 1987-10-15 Antônio Cruz/ABr; cropped, and resized by en:User:Hajor · Attribution Blaise Compaoré Coup 1987 27y
11. 1983–1987 Thomas Sankara President of Burkina Faso In office 1983–1987 · 4.2y Born 1949 · took office at 33 Took power coup 1983-08-04 unknown, United States Central Intelligence Agency · Public domain Thomas Sankara Coup 1983 4.2y
12. 1980–1982 Saye Zerbo President of Burkina Faso In office 1980–1982 · 1.9y Born 1932 · took office at 48 Took power coup 1980-11-25 Voice of America · Public domain Saye Zerbo Coup 1980 1.9y
13. 1966–1980 Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana President of Burkina Faso In office 1966–1980 · 14.9y Born 1916 · took office at 49 Took power coup 1966-01-03 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana Coup 1966 14.9y

• 2022
  2022-09-30 Military Leader exiled
• 2022
  2022-01-24 Military
• 2015
  2015-09-23 MilitaryForeign
• 2015
  2015-09-16 Military
• 2014
  2014-10-30 Military Leader fled
• 1987
  1987-10-15 MilitaryDissident
• 1983
  1983-08-04 Military
• 1982
  1982-11-07 Military
• 1980
  1980-11-25 Military
• 1974
  1974-02-08 Military
• 1966
  1966-01-03 Military Leader resigned

Source: Cline Center Coup d’État Project — realized events only.

• 2026
  Burkina Faso People’s Legislative Assembly March 2026 Election

  Seats

  71

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  19.0%

  Parties won

  —

• 2022
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly November 2022 Election

  Seats

  71

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  16.9%

  Parties won

  —

• 2022
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly March 2022 Election

  Seats

  71

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  19.7%

  Parties won

  —

• 2020
  Burkina Faso National Assembly November 2020 Election People's Movement for Progress (MPP)5644.1% Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP)2015.7% New Era for Democracy (NTD)1310.2% Union for Progress and Change (UPC)129.4%

  Seats

  127

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  6.3%

  Parties won

  15

• 2015
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly November 2015 Election People's Movement for Progress (MPP)5543.3% Union for Progress and Change (UPC)3326% Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP)1814.2% Union for Rebirth / Sankarist Party (UNIR/PS)53.9%

  Seats

  127

  Turnout

  60.1%

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  14

• 2012
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly December 2012 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2007
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly May 2007 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2002
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly May 2002 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1992
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly May 1992 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1978
  Burkina Faso National Assembly April 1978 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1970
  Burkina Faso Transitional Legislative Assembly December 1970 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

Source: ipu_parline.

Fertility rate

4.1 2024

Life expectancy at birth

61.3 2024

Population growth

2.2 2024

Total population

23.5M 2024

Urban population percent

28.3 2024

Adult literacy rate

41.6 2023

Government expenditure on education percent of GDP

5.3 2023

Primary net enrollment ratio

78.6 2018

Secondary net enrollment ratio

31.0 2018

Ethnic groups

Religion

Languages

• Mossi 52.9%
• Fula 7.8%
• Gourmantche 6.8%
• Dyula 5.7%
• Bissa 3.3%
• Gurunsi 3.2%
• French 2.2%
• Bwamu 2%
• Dagara 2%
• San 1.7%
• Marka 1.6%
• Bobo 1.5%
• Senufo 1.5%
• Lobi 1.2%
• other 6.6%

Composition: CIA World Factbook, 2021 estimate. Shares are reproduced as published and are not renormalised, so a country may total slightly under or over 100%.

Regional & continental

• AfCFTA
• African Union
• AFRISTAT 1993
• Conseil de l'Entente
• ECOWAS left 2025
• OHADA
• La Francophonie 1970
• OIC 1974

Global bodies & treaties

• African Development Bank
• Group on Earth Observations
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
• International Civil Defence Organisation
• International Development Association
• International Finance Corporation
• International Telecommunication Union
• Interpol
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
• Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• UNESCO
• United Nations
• United Nations–African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur
• Universal Postal Union
• World Customs Organization
• World Health Organization
• World Meteorological Organization
• World Trade Organization

• ICJ 2010 decided

  Frontier Dispute (Burkina Faso/Niger)

  land boundary

• ICJ 1985 decided

  Frontier Dispute (Burkina Faso/Republic of Mali)

  land boundary

Register

Every party the observatory holds for this country, historical and current — the register is not filtered to parties currently holding seats.

• African Democratic Rally
• African Independence Party
• African Independence Party
• African Popular Movement
• African Regroupment Party
• Alliance for Democracy and Federation liberalism
• Alliance for Democracy and Federation – African Democratic Rally liberalism
• Alliance for Progress and Freedom
• Alternative Faso
• Burkinabé Bolshevik Party
• Burkinabé Communist Group
• Burkinabé Party for Refoundation
• Burkinabé Socialist Bloc
• Burkinabé Socialist Party
• Chef de File de l'Opposition Politique CFOP
• Coalition of Democratic Forces
• Collective of Democratic Mass Organizations and Political Parties
• Comité Militaire de Redressement pour le Progrès National CMRPN Saye Zerbo
• Congress for Democracy and Progress CDP
• Convention for Democracy and Federation
• Convention for Democracy and Liberty
• Convention of Democratic Forces
• Convergence for Social Democracy
• Convergence of Hope
• Democratic and Popular Rally
• Ecological Party for Progress
• Ecologist Party for the Development of Burkina
• Entente Fada N'Gourma
• February 14th Group
• Greens of Burkina
• Group of Patriotic Democrats GDP
• Independent Party of Burkina humanism
• Kaya Independent Party
• Marxist–Leninist Group
• Movement for Democracy in Africa
• Movement for Socialist Democracy
• Movement for Tolerance and Progress
• Movement of Progressive Democrats
• National Convention for the Progress of Burkina
• National Convention of Progressive Democrats
• National Convention of Progressive Patriots–Social Democratic Party
• National Liberation Movement Pan-Africanism
• National Patriots' Party
• National Rebirth Party
• National Union for Democracy and Development Hermann Yaméogo
• National Union for the Defence of Democracy
• National Union of Independents
• New Alliance of Faso
• New Era for Democracy Vincent Dabilgou
• New Social Democracy
• Organisation for Democracy and Labour
• Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement
• Parti pour l'Unité Nationale et le Développement
• Party for Democracy and Progress
• Party for Democracy and Progress / Socialist Party democratic socialism
• Party for Democracy and Rally
• Party for Democracy and Socialism democratic socialism Hama Arba Diallo
• Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba socialism
• Party of Independence, Labour and Justice
• Party of Independents
• Party of Labour of Burkina
• Patriotic Front for Change
• Patriotic League for Development
• People's Movement for Progress MPP liberal democracy; social democracy Roch Marc Christian Kaboré
• Popular Front
• Q11915759
• Rally for Democracy and Socialism
• Rally for Independent Forces/Party of the Youth of Burkina
• Rally of Social-Democrat Independents
• Rally of the Ecologists of Burkina
• Rassemblement patriotique du Faso
• Republican Party for Liberty
• Sankarist Democratic Front
• Sankarist Pan-African Convention
• Social Forces Front progressivism
• Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses
• Unified Socialist Party
• Union for a New Burkina
• Union for Democracy and Social Progress
• Union for Progress and Reform UPC liberalism
• Union for Rebirth / Sankarist Movement social democracy Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara
• Union for the Republic
• Union of Burkinabé Communists
• Union of Communist Struggles
• Union of Communist Struggles – Reconstructed
• Union of Communist Struggles – The Flame
• Union of Democratic Peasants/Party of Labour
• Union of Democrats and Independent Progressives
• Union of Social Democrats
• Voltaic Communist Organization
• Voltaic Democratic Party
• Voltaic Labour Party
• Voltaic Progressive Front
• Voltaic Revolutionary Communist Party Hoxhaism; Marxism–Leninism; anti-revisionism

Census, population and demographic documents the observatory has located for this country. These are links to the publishers’ own files — the library does not rehost them.

• HDX HAPI Data for Burkina Faso — Geography & Infrastructure: Baseline Population for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Sahel Population Movement Data — Sahel population movement HNRO 2021.xlsx hdx xlsx
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Demographics and locations of forcibly displaced and stateless people residing in Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum decisions taken on asylum claims of asylum seekers originating from Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Demographics and locations of forcibly displaced people originating from Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum applications by asylum seekers originating from Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum decisions taken on asylum claims of asylum seekers residing in Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Solutions for refugees and IDPs residing in Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — End-year stock population figures for forcibly displaced and stateless persons residing in Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — End-year stock population figures for forcibly displaced persons originating from Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Solutions for refugees and IDPs originating from Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum applications by asylum seekers residing in Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_total_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_BFA (csv) hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_total_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_BFA (xlsx) hdx xlsx
• Burkina Faso - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_proportion_of_urban_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_BFA (xlsx) hdx xlsx
• Burkina Faso - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_proportion_of_urban_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_BFA (csv) hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — FP2020 Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — MDGs Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — IYCF Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — Adult Mortality Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — MICS indicators Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — DHS Mobile Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — DHS Quickstats Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv
• Burkina Faso - National Demographic and Health Data — PMI/RBM Data for Burkina Faso hdx csv