Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso is 0.1%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso peaked at 0.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1985.
Burkina Faso ranks 160th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.1% | — |
| 1989 | 0.1% | +79.3% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | +21.7% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -12.2% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | +11.5% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -5.4% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +21.9% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | -33.8% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 0.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.2%, 32% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 0.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 39% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +79.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2004 | -33.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
More reference data data for Burkina Faso
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9232 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 7.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 9.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4137 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 9.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 33.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 45.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.25 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Burkina Faso was 0.1% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1985.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Burkina Faso ranks 160th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.