Overview

Burkina Faso is a low-income Sahelian country with limited natural resources. Its economy is largely based on agriculture, although gold exports are on the rise. More than 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Burkina Faso ranks 184th out of 191 countries in the 2021–2022 HDI report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been targeted by terrorist attacks, leading to population displacements. While the country had fewer than 50,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in January 2019, it recorded 2.01 million as of March 30, 2023 (the most recent census), according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The health and education sectors have been severely impacted, with 413 healthcare facilities affected (20%) as of December 2023, limiting access to care for approximately 3.8 million people. Additionally, 5,330 primary and secondary schools are closed, representing 20% of school infrastructure, affecting 820,865 students, including 396,716 girls.

Source: World Bank 2024