Population

Burkina Faso is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries of West Africa with a total population of 11 million in 1998, most people (43%) live on the central plateau around Ougadougou - capital of the old Mossi Empire. Further north is the drought prone Sahel where there are fewer and fewer people. The average population density is 36ppkm² but this hides the variation of under 6ppkm² in the north and 332ppkm² in the capital.

Young boy with facial tribal markings.

The people are called the Burkinabe, there are over 60 ethnic groups the largest is the Mossi making up 52% of the population and based around the capital. The Peul and Tuareg (both nomadic), live to the north and the Gouurousni and Lobo to the south and the Bobo in the southwest.

Demographic Transition
(Jeune Africue Atlases, burkina faso, 1998)

The population is increasing rapidly. The natural increase is 2.6% giving a doubling time of 26 years The birth rate is 46/1000,the death rate is 20/1000, infant mortality is very high at 116/1000 live births due to endemic diseases like malaria, diarrhoea, measles, polio, respiratory infections and malnutrition; maternal mortality is also high at 556 per 100,000 live births and the life expectancy at 44 years is low.

Work other than in farming is hard to find so many young people, mainly men aged 15 to 24, migrate to Ivory Coast, Togo and Ghana in search of seasonal work, many do not return. Internal rural urban migration is also high to Ougadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso and Koudougou as these are easy to get to.

The Age Pyramid (1991)
(Jeune Africue Atlases, burkina faso, 1998)

The result is that 45% of the urban population is under 15 compared to 50% in rural areas. Life expectancy is rising especially in the urban areas, (rural areas 44, urban 50) but in 1991 49% of the population were under 15 and the average age was 21.4 years; over 65's make up only 3.6% of the population. The urban population is still only 17%.

The extended family is very important and extreme poverty has led to a strongly egalitarian society but women are still under represented in public life, education and the professions.

There are three religions in the country: Christian - 10%, Muslim - 35% and Animist - 55%.