Political Overview

Since independence from France in 1960 (as Upper Volta), Burkina Faso has experienced a chronic cycle of political instability marked by repeated coups and attempted coups including two in 2022 reflecting deep-seated governance challenges and weak civilian control over the military The security situation has deteriorated sharply since 2015 due to jihadist violence linked to al-Qaida and ISIS, resulting in over 7,500 fatalities and the displacement of more than 2 million people by early 2023, which in turn has been a major driver of military interventions aimed at restoring order Despite initial commitments by junta leaders to hold elections and return to civilian rule by mid-2024, the transition period was extended while extremist violence surged to unprecedented levels, with 7,620 fatalities in the first half of 2024 underscoring the junta’s ongoing struggle to contain insurgencies and stabilize the nation.

Cultural Heritage And Identity

Burkina Faso’s cultural mosaic comprises some 60 indigenous ethnic groups, of which the Voltaic Mossi who claim descent from 12th-century warriors make up roughly half the population and are led by the traditional Mogho Naba in Ouagadougou. French remains a working language alongside English, but approximately 69 languages are spoken nationwide; Mooré (40.5 %), Fula (9.3 %), and Bissa (3.2 %) are among the most widely used, reflecting profound linguistic diversity and localized identities. Artistic expression thrives through music, dance, oral storytelling, and major cultural events such as the Pan-African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO) in Ouagadougou; meanwhile, recent judicial reforms replacing colonial black robes with traditional Faso Dan Fani garments signal a broader anticolonial and national-identity assertion

Geological Landscape And Climate

Covering 274,223 km² of the central Sahel, Burkina Faso is predominantly flat, underlain by gently undulating peneplains with isolated rocky outcrops and hills such as the Tenakourou massif in the southwest The country experiences a tropical Sudano-Sahelian climate with two sharply contrasting seasons: a rainy season from May/June to September delivering 600–900 mm of rainfall, and a prolonged dry season from October/November to May dominated by the dusty Harmattan wind Environmental pressures including deforestation, desertification, and erratic rainfall compound food-security risks and internal migration, as three distinct climatic zones (Sahelian north, Sudan-Sahel transition, Sudan-Guinea south) shape agricultural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.