Discover
The identity of the nation
Burkina Faso, whose name means land of upright people, is a landlocked nation in the heart of West Africa, in the Sahel. With around 23 million inhabitants and its capital in Ouagadougou, it is a young, hospitable people marked by a strong culture of community, where the extended family and respect for elders sustain daily life.
The majority of the population is Muslim, alongside a significant presence of traditional ethnic religions and a Christian minority. For a long time, the country was known for relatively peaceful coexistence among these communities, with families gathering relatives of different faiths around the same meal.
The territory is semi-arid in the north, near the desert, and greener in the south, and most of the population lives from small-scale farming and livestock raising. It is one of the poorest nations in the world by economic indicators, with low literacy and limited access to clean water and the internet, which makes education and basic care work especially urgent.
Since the mid-2010s, armed groups linked to Islamic extremism have advanced through the north and east, displacing millions of people and closing schools, health centers and churches. This collapse of security has turned Burkina Faso into one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians, especially in rural areas under insurgent control.
Even in this scene of suffering, the church remains present, welcoming the displaced and keeping hope alive. Hundreds of peoples, among them the Mossi, the Fulani and the Bobo, still have little or no access to the gospel in their mother tongue, and they pray for a nation that will know true peace and steadfast faith.
- For centuries, the Mossi kingdom dominates the central plateau, with cavalry and an organized political structure.
- 1896 France establishes colonial rule over the territory, then called Upper Volta.
- 1960 On August 5, the country gains independence from France.
- 1983 Thomas Sankara takes power and launches deep reforms in health, education and women's rights.
- 1984 Sankara renames the country from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, land of upright people.
- 1987 Sankara is assassinated in a coup; Blaise Compaoré takes over and rules for 27 years.
- 2014 A popular uprising ousts Compaoré after he tries to extend his term.
- 2015 Attacks by jihadist groups begin in the north and spread across the country.
- 2022 Two military coups in the same year; Captain Ibrahim Traoré takes the leadership.
- Today A young, resilient nation, marked by insecurity, the displacement of millions and severe persecution of Christians.
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Frenchofficial, used in administration, education and business
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Moorélanguage of the Mossi, the most widely spoken in the country
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Dioulatrade lingua franca, especially in the west
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Fula (Fulfulde)spoken by the Fulani people, herders spread across the Sahel
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Other languagesdozens of ethnic languages, many still without a Bible translation
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel, bordering six nations. The terrain is mostly a savanna plateau, between 200 and 300 meters in elevation, drier in the north, near the desert, and greener in the south, with rivers and denser vegetation.
Major cities
- OuagadougouCapital and largest city, political and cultural center
- Bobo-DioulassoSecond largest city, economic and cultural hub of the west
- KoudougouImportant agricultural and commercial center of the center-west
- OuahigouyaNorthern city, close to the areas most affected by insecurity
Climate and temperature
Riz gras
Rice cooked with oil, tomato, onion and meat, considered the national dish.
Tô
Thick paste of corn or sorghum, served with sauce, an everyday communal food.
Poulet bicyclette
Grilled free-range chicken with local seasonings, a classic of streets and markets.
Peanut sauce
Creamy peanut stew with meat or fish, served with rice or tô.
Babenda
Traditional dish of leafy greens, grains and peanut flour.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Community above the individual
Life revolves around the extended family, the village and solidarity among neighbors.
Respect for elders
Age confers authority; listening to the elders is a sign of wisdom and good manners.
Sacred hospitality
Welcoming the visitor and sharing food is a deep value, even in scarcity.
Faith woven into life
Islam, Christianity and traditional religions coexist and shape everyday life.
Integrity as an ideal
The country's very name, land of upright people, expresses a central cultural value.
Festivals and cinema
Ouagadougou hosts Fespaco, Africa's largest film festival, a source of national pride.
- Using the left hand to eat or greet It is considered unclean; always prefer the right hand.
- Skipping the greeting to elders Greeting with respect is essential; skipping it gives offense.
- Dismissing shared food Refusing what is offered wounds local hospitality.
- Treating poverty with pity or superiority Dignity and partnership are worth more than handouts.
- Speaking carelessly about religion Amid tension and suffering, the subject demands respect and prudence.
- Exposing yourself in risk zones Large areas of the north and east are unsafe; always stay informed.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Armed groups impose fear, close churches and attack those who confess faith in Christ.
Most of the people have never clearly heard the good news.
Ancestor worship, fetishes and animist practices keep many under spiritual fear.
Traditional beliefs blend with Islam and Christianity, diluting biblical faith.
Turning to healers and amulets reveals a search for protection apart from God.
The war against the insurgents leaves grief, trauma and hatred in many communities.
Millions away from home face hunger, abandonment and family breakdown.
Chronic scarcity feeds despair and spiritual vulnerability.
Successive coups undermine trust and hope in a just nation.
Dozens of ethnic groups remain without a living church and without the Bible in their language.
Burkina Faso is going through one of the world’s most severe crises of persecution against Christians, with a pressure level considered extreme. The collapse of security in the north and east has allowed Islamic extremist groups to take control of wide regions, acting with impunity against entire communities.
In these areas, churches have been burned and forced to close, and Christians’ homes and businesses have been destroyed and looted. Attacks have taken the lives of many believers, and the conflict has already displaced around two million people within the country.
The most vulnerable are rural Christians under insurgent control, above all those who converted from Islam and face rejection and violence from their own family and community. Women are at risk of abduction, abuse and forced marriage; men are targets of kidnappings, forced recruitment and deadly attacks.
Despite everything, the church stands firm, welcoming the displaced and keeping hope alive amid the suffering, and it cries out for protection, perseverance and peace for the nation.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Burkina Faso is home to many ethnic groups, and a large share of them remain unreached by the gospel. The Mossi, the country's largest people, are about 3% evangelical, while among the Fulani, Muslim herders spread across the Sahel, the Christian presence is almost nonexistent. Dozens of languages still have no Bible translation, and insecurity makes access to many communities even harder.
- 5.7M Unreached 23,8%
- 961K Minimally reached 4%
- 18K Superficially reached 0,1%
- 4.1M Partially reached 17%
- 13.1M Significantly reached 55,1%
- 27 Unreached 35,1%
- 7 Minimally reached 9,1%
- 1 Superficially reached 1,3%
- 32 Partially reached 41,6%
- 10 Significantly reached 13%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Fulani gurmanche
Bobo Madare Frontier
Maninka oriental Frontier
Pana, Sama
Bozo tie
Dzuun, Samogo
Dogoso
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
one of the cheapest in the world, but with limited infrastructure
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn French: it is the official language; Mooré and Dioula open doors in everyday life.
- Stay informed about security: vast regions of the north and east are under active conflict.
- Take extra care with health: watch the water, malaria and vaccines before going.
- Value relationships: trust is built over time, through respect and shared life.
- Use the right hand to eat and greet; the left is seen as unclean.
- Be prepared for limited infrastructure: power, internet and roads are unstable.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.