Burkina Faso population pyramid 2026
24,601,700 people in 2026 (projected). Burkina Faso’s pyramid is still a wide-based triangle, but its three youngest bands are now almost equal, an early sign that fertility has started to fall.
- 2026 population
- 24.6Mrank 59 of 237
- Median age
- 18.0 yearsoldest rank 223
- Fertility rate
- 3.91births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.7% age 65+
Burkina Faso population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Burkina Faso age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 40.5% of the population, while 2.7% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 56.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Burkina Faso’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 76.2: about 76 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (71.4 children and 4.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Burkina Faso’s population pyramid
Very high fertility, late to fall
For most of the past 75 years Burkina Faso’s pyramid has been a textbook expansive pyramid. The total fertility rate rose rather than fell after 1950, peaking at about 7.2 children per woman around 1980 and remaining above seven in 1990. At the same time mortality fell steeply: life expectancy rose from about 33 years in 1950 to about 61 in 2023, and infant mortality dropped from about 166 to 52 per 1,000 births. More surviving children of each large cohort produced the very steep triangle of 2000, when the median age was just 15.4.
Fertility has since declined to about 3.9, and the base of the 2026 pyramid shows it. The 0–4 band (about 3.4 million) is only slightly larger than the 5–9 and 10–14 bands, whereas in 2000 each band of children was markedly bigger than the next. This is the first stage of the narrowing seen earlier in Asia and Latin America. Births still outnumber deaths by almost four to one, so the population keeps growing quickly, and under the medium scenario it is still rising in 2100, at about 50 million. The countries with the most similar age structure today include Nigeria, Zambia and Liberia, and Burkina Faso appears near the top of the youngest populations ranking.
Fewer men in the middle years
A less obvious feature is the shortage of men at adult ages. In 2000 women outnumbered men in every band from 25 upwards, and in 2026 the sex ratio falls from about 101 men per 100 women at ages 25–29 to 91 at 50–54 and 80 at 60–64. Part of this reflects women’s longer lives (63.8 years against 59.4 for men in 2026). The UN estimates also record steady net emigration, about 1.3 million people between 1950 and 1999, and Burkinabè labour migration, largely of men, to coastal countries such as Côte d’Ivoire is well documented; such movement is a likely contributor to the deficit, although the chart alone cannot separate the two effects.
The medium scenario assumes continued net emigration of about 0.9 million between 2026 and 2050, while the population grows from about 25 million to 37 million. By 2050 the median age is still under 25.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Burkina Faso’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Burkina Faso is projected to record 747,913 births (about one birth every 42 seconds) and 191,224 deaths, a natural increase of 556,689. Net migration adds −28,309 people, ranking #156 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 16,290,407 births, 4,402,330 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −347,473. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −901,600 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 63.8 years34.1 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 59.4 years32.1 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 12.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 52.7per 1,000 births · 166 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 79.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.1 yearssex ratio at birth 104.1
Women in Burkina Faso are projected to live 4.4 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 166 to 52.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #11 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Burkina Faso
The median age of 18.0 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.91 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 61.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,601,700 | #59 | Largest first |
| Median age | 18.0 years | #223 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.91 | #25 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.1% | #34 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 61.6 years | #228 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.7% | #221 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Burkina Faso
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 3,420,783 | 13.9% | 1.7M / 1.7M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 3,295,367 | 13.4% | 1.7M / 1.6M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 3,252,237 | 13.2% | 1.7M / 1.6M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 2,864,119 | 11.6% | 1.5M / 1.4M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 2,351,789 | 9.6% | 1.2M / 1.2M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Burkina Faso has 12,258,774 males and 12,342,926 females. That is 99.3 males per 100 females, ranking #89 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.8% of the population and females for 50.2%. There are 84,152 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 69.0 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Burkina Faso has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 4,213,152 in 1950 to 24,601,700 in 2026, a change of 484%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.6 to 18.0 years.
The under-15 share changed from 40.6% to 40.5%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.0% to 2.7%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Burkina Faso’s population is projected to grow by about 52%, reaching 37,304,383 in 2050. The median age changes from 18.0 to 24.8 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.0 percentage points to 4.7%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 30.3%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 49,854,228. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4,213,152 | 18.6 | 5.82 | 33.0 | 182,668 | 119,316 | −18,043 | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 4,778,621 | 18.7 | 6.25 | 36.1 | 220,760 | 128,702 | −23,220 | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 5,610,304 | 17.9 | 6.69 | 39.5 | 267,637 | 139,826 | −28,832 | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 6,947,900 | 16.5 | 7.22 | 46.5 | 343,426 | 138,179 | −15,345 | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 9,159,356 | 15.4 | 7.01 | 49.3 | 431,638 | 157,788 | −32,970 | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 11,925,546 | 15.4 | 6.52 | 50.8 | 539,498 | 182,839 | +3,877 | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 16,176,498 | 16.0 | 5.94 | 56.3 | 698,825 | 183,349 | −42,055 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 21,478,690 | 16.6 | 4.44 | 60.5 | 703,172 | 178,804 | −5,661 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 23,025,776 | 17.3 | 4.19 | 61.1 | 728,612 | 183,375 | −24,957 | +2.3% |
| 2024* | 23,548,781 | 17.5 | 4.11 | 61.3 | 737,914 | 186,377 | −25,807 | +2.2% |
| 2026* | 24,601,700 | 18.0 | 3.91 | 61.6 | 747,913 | 191,224 | −28,309 | +2.1% |
| 2030* | 26,730,324 | 19.1 | 3.57 | 62.4 | 771,656 | 201,954 | −31,597 | +2.0% |
| 2040* | 32,193,645 | 22.2 | 2.96 | 64.0 | 810,740 | 236,476 | −37,698 | +1.7% |
| 2050* | 37,304,383 | 24.8 | 2.61 | 65.5 | 801,686 | 281,670 | −42,756 | +1.3% |
| 2060* | 41,703,264 | 27.4 | 2.39 | 66.8 | 789,412 | 341,597 | −44,191 | +1.0% |
| 2070* | 45,317,075 | 30.1 | 2.22 | 68.0 | 772,232 | 410,821 | −46,439 | +0.7% |
| 2080* | 47,909,726 | 32.4 | 2.10 | 69.3 | 734,502 | 488,508 | −48,623 | +0.4% |
| 2090* | 49,338,636 | 34.3 | 2.02 | 70.4 | 700,965 | 563,338 | −46,194 | +0.2% |
| 2100* | 49,854,228 | 35.9 | 1.95 | 71.6 | 667,268 | 607,080 | −43,018 | +0.0% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,734,484 | 1,686,299 | 3,420,783 | 13.9% |
| 5–9 | 1,672,389 | 1,622,978 | 3,295,367 | 13.4% |
| 10–14 | 1,650,585 | 1,601,652 | 3,252,237 | 13.2% |
| 15–19 | 1,451,795 | 1,412,324 | 2,864,119 | 11.6% |
| 20–24 | 1,187,640 | 1,164,149 | 2,351,789 | 9.6% |
| 25–29 | 975,184 | 968,301 | 1,943,485 | 7.9% |
| 30–34 | 807,807 | 814,071 | 1,621,878 | 6.6% |
| 35–39 | 687,799 | 699,994 | 1,387,793 | 5.6% |
| 40–44 | 581,313 | 597,112 | 1,178,425 | 4.8% |
| 45–49 | 462,167 | 484,512 | 946,679 | 3.8% |
| 50–54 | 337,992 | 371,224 | 709,216 | 2.9% |
| 55–59 | 250,629 | 293,349 | 543,978 | 2.2% |
| 60–64 | 185,851 | 231,055 | 416,906 | 1.7% |
| 65–69 | 129,319 | 172,036 | 301,355 | 1.2% |
| 70–74 | 78,237 | 114,792 | 193,029 | 0.8% |
| 75–79 | 40,712 | 65,868 | 106,580 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 19,530 | 32,558 | 52,088 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 4,769 | 9,208 | 13,977 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 554 | 1,363 | 1,917 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 17 | 84 | 101 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Burkina Faso’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Nigeria98% overlap · median age 18.3
- Zambia98% overlap · median age 18.2
- Liberia98% overlap · median age 19.0
- Malawi98% overlap · median age 18.4
- Cameroon98% overlap · median age 18.2
- Benin98% overlap · median age 18.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Burkina Faso.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Burkina Faso Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burkina-faso/
MLA
“Burkina Faso Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burkina-faso/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Burkina Faso Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burkina-faso/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Burkina Faso in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Burkina Faso's population in 2026 is projected at 24,601,700.
What is the median age in Burkina Faso?
The projected median age in Burkina Faso in 2026 is 18.0 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Burkina Faso?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.91 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Burkina Faso's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 52%, from 24.6M to 37.3M.
What share of Burkina Faso is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.7% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.7%.
How many babies are born in Burkina Faso each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 747,913 births and 191,224 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 42 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 556,689.
What is life expectancy in Burkina Faso for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 63.8 years for women and 59.4 years for men, a gap of 4.4 years in favour of women.
Does Burkina Faso have more immigrants or emigrants?
Burkina Faso is projected to lose about 28,309 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −347,473.
What is the sex ratio in Burkina Faso?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 99.3 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.