Capital of Burkina Faso: Ouagadougou
The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso sits in Africa, has a population of 22,673,762, and uses the XOF. Official languages include French.
Quick facts
- Capital: Ouagadougou
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~22,673,762
- Area: 272,967 km²
- Population density: 83.1 people per km²
- Official language: French
- Currency: XOF
- ISO code: BF
How big is Burkina Faso?
By population, Burkina Faso ranks 58th in the world, holding roughly 0.29% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 74th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Burkina Faso has 83.1 people per square kilometre, which is somewhat above the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Burkina Faso is the 19th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Burkina Faso in population are Mali (22,593,590) and Syria (22,125,249).
By land area, its closest counterparts are New Zealand (268,021 km²) and Gabon (267,668 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon and Canada, and 24 others.
The XOF is not unique to Burkina Faso — it is also used by Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast and Mali, and 3 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Burkina Faso in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Burkina Faso belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Burkina Faso and a page on the flag of Burkina Faso.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou.
What is the population of Burkina Faso?
About 22,673,762, making it the 58th most populous country in the world.
How big is Burkina Faso?
272,967 square kilometres, ranking 74th by land area, at a density of 83.1 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Burkina Faso use?
The XOF, shared with 7 other countries.