Population in the largest city in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Population in the largest city was 50.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
50.6%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
19th
of 153 countries
All-time high
50.6%
in 2025
All-time low
24.6%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Burkina Faso, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Burkina Faso is 50.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Burkina Faso peaked at 50.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 24.6%, in 1960.
Burkina Faso ranks 19th of 153 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 24.6% | — |
| 1961 | 25.4% | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 26.3% | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 27.2% | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 28.2% | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 29.1% | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 30.1% | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 31.1% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 32.1% | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 33.4% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 34.8% | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 36.3% | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 37.8% | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 39.4% | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 41.0% | +4.0% |
| 1975 | 42.6% | +4.1% |
| 1976 | 44.4% | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 45.5% | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 45.8% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 45.7% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 45.3% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 45.0% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 44.8% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 44.9% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 45.3% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 46.2% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 46.2% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 45.5% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 45.0% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 44.6% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 44.3% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 44.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 44.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 43.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 43.5% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 43.1% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 42.7% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 42.8% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 43.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 43.0% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 42.9% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 42.7% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 42.6% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 42.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 42.8% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 43.3% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 44.1% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 44.5% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 44.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 44.6% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 44.7% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 44.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 44.9% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 45.1% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 45.4% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 45.7% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 46.2% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 46.7% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 47.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 48.5% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 49.1% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 49.8% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 50.1% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 50.3% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 50.6% | +0.4% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 50.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.3%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 50.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.4%, 1.5× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.7% | 24.6% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.3% | 34.8% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.3% | 44.6% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.4% | 42.7% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.5% | 42.6% | 44.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.9% | 44.7% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.9% | 49.1% | 50.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
More urban development data for Burkina Faso
- Population density 84.16 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 37.32 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1462 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.52 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 11.71 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.52 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 48.39 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Burkina Faso?
- Population in the largest city in Burkina Faso was 50.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 50.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.6% in 1960.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for population in the largest city?
- Burkina Faso ranks 19th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.