Capital of Burkina Faso: Ouagadougou — Facts & Quiz
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.
How to remember Burkina Faso
Say Ouagadougou as 'wah-gah-DOO-goo', and remember that locals shorten it to Ouaga. The name Burkina Faso means 'land of upright (honest) people'.
The flag of Burkina Faso: red and green, with a yellow star
🇧🇫 The flag is two horizontal bands, red over green, with a yellow five-pointed star in the centre. Red stands for the struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and the yellow star for the country's mineral wealth.
Region and neighbours
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, in the Sahel south of the Sahara. It shares land borders with 6 countries: Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Burkina Faso is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.
Three facts about Burkina Faso
- Burkina Faso was called Upper Volta until 1984.
- Its name combines words from two local languages, Mooré and Dioula, and means 'land of upright people'.
- Ouagadougou hosts FESPACO, one of the largest film festivals in Africa.
Sources: Wikipedia: Burkina Faso, Wikipedia: Flag of Burkina Faso, Wikipedia: Ouagadougou, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Burkina Faso
- African capitals quiz — match Burkina Faso to Ouagadougou
- African flags quiz — spot the Burkina Faso flag among its neighbours
- Landlocked countries quiz — Burkina Faso has no sea coast
Burkina Faso capital quiz
What is the capital of Burkina Faso 🇧🇫?
- Tunis
- Tripoli
- Ouagadougou
- Malabo
Show answer
Ouagadougou
What is the capital of Mali 🇲🇱?
- Freetown
- Dakar
- Bamako
- Bissau
Show answer
Bamako
What is the capital of Malawi 🇲🇼?
- Abuja
- Maseru
- Lilongwe
- Accra
Show answer
Lilongwe
What is the capital of Zambia 🇿🇲?
- Port Louis
- Banjul
- Lusaka
- Brazzaville
Show answer
Lusaka
What is the capital of Niger 🇳🇪?
- Antananarivo
- Gaborone
- Kampala
- Niamey
Show answer
Niamey
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.
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.
What are the colours of the Burkina Faso flag?
The flag of Burkina Faso is two horizontal bands, red over green, with a yellow five-pointed star in the centre. Red stands for the struggle for independence, green for hope and abundance, and the yellow star for the country's mineral wealth.
Which countries border Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso shares land borders with Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast.
How can I remember the capital of Burkina Faso?
Say Ouagadougou as 'wah-gah-DOO-goo', and remember that locals shorten it to Ouaga. The name Burkina Faso means 'land of upright (honest) people'.
More capitals to learn
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