8 Fascinating Fun Facts About Burkina Faso, the Land of Honorable People

Burkina Faso translates to “Land of the Honorable People.” These honorable people are called Burkinabés and are located between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea.

While it may not be a common travel destination, visiting Burkina Faso offers the chance to learn about local traditions, music, and community life through direct experience. Whether walking through a market, listening to live drumming, or speaking with locals, time spent here can give insight into daily life and values that shape the country today.

Let’s learn more Burkina Faso facts and how it maintains its legacy of honor.

1. Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa that shares borders with six countries

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa bordered by Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo and Ghana. Burkina Faso’s neighboring countries are its largest trade partners.

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Those in northern Burkina Faso face dry weather conditions.

2. Burkina Faso was formerly known as Upper Volta

Burkina Faso was known as the French Upper Volta during its time as a French colony. The colony lasted from the 19th century until its independence in 1960.

As a French protectorate, it became part of French West Africa where colonial government influenced economic and political ties.

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The country is no longer under French control, but the country’s influence can still be noticed in Burkina Faso’s language, legal framework and currency.

Year	Name	Description
Pre-1960	Upper Volta (Haute-Volta)	Upper Volta is the name given to the area during French colonial rule. It comes from the Volta River system.
1960	Republic of Upper Volta	After independence from France, the country was known as the Republic of Upper Volta.
1984	Burkina Faso	President Thomas Sankara renamed the country Burkina Faso, meaning “Land of the Honorable People” in Mòoré and Dioula languages.

 

3. The most spoken language in Burkina Faso is Mooré

The most spoken language in Burkina Faso is Mooré and it’s spoken by 40-52.5% of the population. French is also widely spoken and used by 23% of Burkinabés.

There are 70 languages spoken in the country but only Mooré, Bissa, Dyula and Fula are official languages of Burkina Faso.

Most commonly spoken languages in Burkina Faso

French is not included in the ranking because it is not a native language for most Burkinabés but is widely used for administration and education.

4. Thomas Sankara introduced progressive reforms and earned the nickname “African Che Guevara”

Thomas Sankara was a Burkinabé military leader and Marxist revolutionary who led Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987.

He prohibited forced marriages, polygamy and female genital mutilation. He started a national literacy campaign and a program to vaccinate citizens against meningitis, yellow fever and measles.

In 1984, President Sankara renamed the nation Burkina Faso to symbolize national pride and break from the French colonial past. Sankara also composed Burkina Faso’s national anthem.

Sankara was assassinated in 1987, likely by his former friend and colleague Blaise Compaoré in a military coup. Compaoré went on to rule Burkina Faso for 27 years until being ousted himself in 2014.

Who was Che Guevera?

Che Guevara was an Argentine revolutionary who helped lead Cuba‘s communist revolution. He became a global icon of rebellion before being killed in Bolivia in 1967.

5. Burkina Faso’s economy is agrarian

Burkina Faso’s economy is defined by its agricultural and natural wealth, with the east and central regions playing an important role. Crops essential for Burkina Faso’s food such as millet, sorghum and maize are grown here, in addition to cotton, which is grown for export.

Agriculture on the countryside in Burkina Faso

6. The Mossi are Burkina Faso’s largest ethnic group

The Mossi people are the dominant ethnic group in Burkina Faso and make up 52% of the population. Many practice traditional African religions, but Islam and Christianity are also widely practiced among the Mossi.

Other key ethnic groups in Burkina Faso are the Fula, Gurunsi, Bobo and Turka.

7. Burkina Faso uses the West African CFA franc (XOF) as its official currency alongside other nations in the Franco-African community

Burkina Faso uses the West African CFA franc (XOF) which is a shared currency used by 8 west African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. ​

The currency is pegged to the euro.

8. Islam is the dominant faith in Burkina Faso

Around two thirds of the population of Burkina Faso identifies as Sunni Muslim, influenced by Sufi traditions but exact statistics are hard as native religions and animism are still widely practiced.

Geography shapes the country’s religious patterns, with Muslims in the north, east and west and Christians in the center of Burkina Faso.