Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 49.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso is 49.4%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso peaked at 49.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 24.8%, in 1950.
That places Burkina Faso 209th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.8% | — |
| 1955 | 25.1% | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 25.5% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 26.1% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 27.0% | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 28.0% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 31.0% | +10.8% |
| 1985 | 34.4% | +10.7% |
| 1990 | 37.0% | +7.7% |
| 1995 | 41.2% | +11.3% |
| 2000 | 45.1% | +9.4% |
| 2005 | 47.4% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 48.9% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 49.8% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 49.4% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24.9% | 24.8% | 25.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 25.8% | 25.5% | 26.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 27.5% | 27.0% | 28.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 32.7% | 31.0% | 34.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 39.1% | 37.0% | 41.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 46.3% | 45.1% | 47.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 49.4% | 48.9% | 49.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.4% | 49.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
- 206 Slovenia 50.3% compare
- 207 Mozambique 50.0% compare
- 208 Niger 49.4% compare
- 210 Timor-Leste 49.4% compare
- 211 Mali 47.1% compare
- 212 Papua New Guinea 46.3% compare
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 share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Burkina Faso was 49.4% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.8% in 1950.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Burkina Faso ranks 209th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.