Topography

274’200 km2.

No access to the sea.

Presaharian climate in the north and Sudanese climate in the south. Feature two seasons: dry from November to May and wet from June to October, including irregular rainy weather and extended droughts.

Population

Circa 12'000'000 inhabitants belonging to more than 60 ethnic groups.
Population growth: 2.7%
Infant mortality (up to 5 years of age): 197/1000
Life expectation at birth: 47 years

384 medical doctors, 77 pharmacists and 5580 hospital beds are available
Primary schooling (average rate) : 37.7%
Literacy (average rate) : 77%

Economy

GNP per inhabitant: USD $210/year
IDH (indicator of human development): 0.32, which places Burkina Faso in the 159th position out of 162 classified countries. More than 85% of the population is employed in agriculture, using 95'650 km2 of soil. A good part of that soil is dry, poor and has a low yield.