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Geography of Burkina Faso

Location:Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates:13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries:total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
Natural resources:manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
Land use:arable land: 17.66%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 82.12% (2005)
Irrigated land:250 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts
Environment - current issues:recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burkina Faso Quickstats

  • Population: 14,326,203
  • Area: 274,200 sq km
  • Density: 48 /km² (145th)
  • GDP (total): $16.845 billion¹ (117th)
  • GDP (per capita): $1,284 (163rd)
  • Literacy: 21.8%

Languages of Burkina Faso

Useful to know

  • Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
  • Dial code: +226

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