Official name: Republic of Burkina Faso.
Geographical location :
A landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the north and northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the southwest.
Official languages: French (official) and numerous indigenous languages, including Mooré, Dioula
Population (thousands, 2024)
~
0
(i.e. 23,549 thousand)
GDP per capita (2024)
~ USD
0
(nominal, current US$)
World Bank Open Data
Note. Alternate estimate: USD 763.91, per Trading Economics.
Why we consider Burkina Faso a “failed state”
Burkina Faso’s governance and security have been deeply destabilized by repeated coups and a worsening jihadist insurgency. Since 2015, militant groups have expanded operations throughout the Sahel belt, resulting in increasingly frequent attacks and territorial encroachments.
The 2022 military takeover, promising restoration of order, instead accelerated institutional erosion: the junta dissolved independent commissions, postponed elections, and reasserted control over civil institutions.
In the Fragile States Index 2023, Burkina Faso recorded its highest score in 18 years (94/120), indicating serious deterioration across multiple governance indicators.
