No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burkina Faso 2020 information contained here. On May 13, armed men attacked a group of Catholics in procession with a statue of the Virgin Mary between the villages of Singa and Kayon in the Centre North Region. Burkina Faso is a low income country with a population of 18.4 million and GDP of $12 billion. According to President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, terrorists appear to have shifted their tactics from stoking conflict between farmers and herders to inducing a similar divide between Muslims and Christians. Label. On April 1, the Ambassador met with Cheick Abdul Aziz Aguib Sore, a prominent regional religious preacher, leader, and advocate for peace. U.S. embassy officials discussed the increase in religiously motivated attacks, particularly in the Sahel and East Regions, with the government, including the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, the Ministries of Defense and Security, and the Office of the President. Population ages 25-29, female (% of female population) Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) Population ages 65 and above, total. They also worked through nongovernmental organizations such as the Dori-based Fraternal Union of Believers, which encouraged various religious communities, specifically in the Sahel Region, to conduct socioeconomic activities with the goal of fostering religious tolerance. These three rivers also influenced the country’s name before it became Burkina Faso. The attackers then burned the church and looted nearby businesses. Members of the Burkinabe Muslim Community Organization, the Catholic Archdiocese of Ouagadougou, and the Federation of Evangelical Churches stated that despite the increase in religiously motivated attacks, religious tolerance remained widespread, and numerous examples existed of families of mixed faiths and religious leaders attending each other’s holidays and celebrations. Attackers continued to kill imams, other clergy, and worshippers while attacking and destroy mosques and churches. Its neighbors are Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, and Ghana. According to the 2006 census, Burkina’s population is 60.5 per cent Muslim, 19 per cent Catholic, 15.3 per cent animist and 4.2 per cent Protestant. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom, Section IV. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2019 Report on International Religious Freedom, Section II. The remainder of the population of relatively religiously diverse, with 23.2% practicing Christianity, 15.3% following indigenous beliefs, and the remaining 1% … The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization may request copies of proposed publications and broadcasts to verify they are in accordance with the nature of the religious group as stated in their registration, and it may conduct permit application reviews. You can add more than one country or area. They form 4.7% of Burkina Faso’s population and … The government reviews the curricula of new religious schools as they open and others periodically to ensure they offer the full standard academic curriculum; however, the majority of Quranic schools are not registered, and thus their curricula not reviewed. During a series of terrorist attacks on gendarme and police stations in Soum, North, and Oudalan Provinces, terrorist groups demanded that civilians vacate their towns, according to local residents quoted by media. A significant number of Sunni Muslims identify with the Tijaniyah Sufi order. Population, surface area and density; PDF | CSV Updated: 5-Nov-2020; International migrants and refugees Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, Office of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. 1896 - Kingdoms now making up Burkina Faso become a French protectorate, later known as Upper Volta. [2][3], Statistics on religious affiliation are approximate because Syncretism, incorporating traditional indigenous beliefs and practices, is widespread among both Christians and Muslims. The Ambassador hosted an iftar during Ramadan, attended by Muslim, Christian, and other religious leaders as well as senior government officials, to encourage religious freedom and tolerance. Religion. Embassy staff regularly discussed events and policies affecting religious freedom with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, including the equitable registration process for religious groups, the equitable treatment of religious groups by the government, and the status of the relationship between the ministry and different religious groups. The Government of Burkina Faso stated in its most recent census (2008) that 60.5 of the population practice Islam, and that the majority of this group belong to the Sunni branch,[2][3] while a growing minority adheres to the Shi'a branch. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement. Registration confers legal status, and the process usually takes approximately three to four weeks and costs less than 50,000 CFA francs ($86). Muslim clergy participated in the funeral services of those Christians killed in Dablo and offered prayers for the dead. Currently, 30.0 % of the population of Burkina Faso is urban (6,092,387 people in 2019) Population Density The 2019 population density in Burkina Faso is 74 people per Km 2 (192 people per mi 2 ), calculated on a total land area of 273,600 Km2 (105,638 sq. Muslim, Catholic, and Protestant groups operate private primary and secondary schools and some schools of higher education. Throughout the year, the Ambassador met with imams, priests, and pastors to reinforce U.S. support for religious freedom and tolerance. On May 14, presumed terrorists killed an imam and his son near the village of Sambonay. Members of the largest religious communities promoted interfaith dialogue and tolerance through public institutions, such as the National Observatory of Religious Facts, which conducted awareness campaigns and mediation throughout the country. Muslims reside largely in the northern, eastern, and western border regions, while Christians are concentrated in the center of the country. In some villages, terrorists forced civilians to dress in a particular form of Islamic garb, including ankle length pants for men and full-face coverings for women. Religions are vectors of tolerance, and these barbarous and villainous attacks reflect on the nature of the enemy, which we must fight, in an individual and collective commitment of every moment.”. Burkina Faso BFA Ouagadougou 270,764 7,964,705 10,312,609 14,017,262 20,487,979: Boucle du Mouhoun: BM: Dédougou: 34,162: 913,713: 1,174,456: 1,442,749: 1,898,133: 3416200 → Cascades: CA: Banfora: 18,434: 253,360: 334,303: 531,808: 812,062: 1843400 → Centre: CT: Ouagadougou: 2,805: 640,108: 941,894: 1,727,390: 3,032,668: 280500 → Centre-Est: CE: Tenkodogo: 14,656: 675,533: … The government provides subsidies to a number of Catholic schools as part of an agreement allowing students from public schools to enroll in Catholic schools when public schools are at full capacity. Population. Throughout the year, embassy officials organized or supported several activities to respond to the social divisions between religious groups. At the iftar he gave joint remarks with the minister of territorial administration and decentralization and stressed the importance of religious tolerance. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom, Abuses by Foreign Forces and Nonstate Actors, Section III. Main article: Religion in Burkina Faso While exact statistics on religious affiliation are not available and vary widely, the Government estimated in its most recent census (1996) that approximately 60 percent of the population practice Islam, and that the majority of this group belong to the Sunni branch. The U.S. government estimates the total population at 20.3 million (midyear 2019 estimate). The capital has a mixed Muslim and Christian population. Traditional and animist religious beliefs are practiced throughout the country, especially in rural communities. On May 12, gunmen attacked a Catholic church in Dablo, as congregants were leaving after Mass, killing a priest, Father Simeon Yampa, and five worshippers. [3] Most ethnic groups are religiously heterogeneous, although the Fula and Dioula communities are majority-Muslim. These groups included U.S. designated terrorist groups Ansaroul Islam, Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS), Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), Al Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Dine, and Al-Mourabitoun. Also on February 3, gunmen attacked the village of Intissalatene in the area of Tollel-Kaya in Oudalan Province, firing gunshots in the air, burning alcohol beverage outlets and a school, and stealing motorbikes belonging to teachers. In multiple public statements, then mayor of Djibo (Soum Province, Sahel Region) Oumarou Dicko, who on November 3 was killed by terrorists, allegedly for political motives, at Namsiguia, in the Center North Region, said that there was no indigenous conflict among religions in countries in the Sahel, and that despite the terrorist group Ansarul Islam claiming its origins in the country, religious freedom and tolerance remained strong in countries throughout the embattled Sahel. Four countries reported 100% literacy among their people: Andorra; [3], There are more than 60 different ethnicities in the country. Compassion has been working in Burkina Faso since 2004. On February 16, presumed JNIM and/or ISIS-GS militants burned a school in Timambadi. Let’s have a look at the top interesting facts about Burkina Faso. On March 17, gunmen kidnapped Father Joel Yougbare, a Catholic priest, between Botogui and Djibo in Soum Province. [3] People practice traditional indigenous religious beliefs throughout the country, especially in rural communities. This industry … They said the lack of oversight made it difficult for the official religious groups to monitor and regulate the activities and messages of these new groups. Poverty is a problem in the country of Burkina Faso but with your support, Compassion is working to change this. Bishop Justin Kientenga of the Catholic Diocese of Ouahigouya in the northeast part of the country described the event as a terrorist attack. Religious leaders stated the Muslim and Protestant federations were often undermined by small new religious groups not falling under their oversight and took positions counter to the federation’s messages of tolerance. The constitution states the country is a secular state, and both it and other laws provide for the right of individuals to choose and change their religion and to practice the religion of their choice. Dress should be casual and appropriate for hot weather (yet short skirts and shorts are best avoided). Therefore, we must not allow such tragic acts to separate us,” he stated in an interview with local newspapers. These schools are permitted to provide religious instruction to their students. In addition, embassy staff met religious leaders at the national and local levels to promote religious freedom, interfaith tolerance, and civil dialogue. Its economy is largely based on agriculture, which employs close to 80% of the working population, although gold exports have increased in recent years. The Ambassador hosted an iftar during Ramadan to showcase religious freedom and tolerance. In July the government allocated approximately 1.1 billion CFA francs ($1.89 million) to subsidize the costs of 8,143 Muslims for the Hajj. According to a recent census (2019) conducted by the Government of Burkina Faso , 60.5% of … Western Africa Indigenous% Muslim% Christian% Catholic% Protestant% Hindu% Others% Benin: 70: 15: 15 : Burkina Faso: 40: 50: 10 : Cape Verde In June Prime Minister Christophe Dabire joined the Catholic Archbishop of Ouagadougou during Eid al-Fitr prayers led by the Grand Imam of Ouagadougou and called on the population to cultivate religious tolerance. Burkina Faso is a low-income Sahelian country with limited natural resources. On December 1, militants attacked worshippers during Sunday Mass at Honkoutoura, in Foutouri, in the East region and killed 14 including the pastor. On January 25, terrorists kidnapped and later beheaded the deputy imam of Boukari in the northern province of Oudalan in the Sahel Region. “We have been working together for years and years. These figures should, however, be treated with caution. Examples of attacks against Muslims reported by media, NGOs, and government included the bombing of a Quranic school at Djibo on November 26, and the October 11 attack by armed individuals that killed 16 Muslim worshipers during Friday prayers at a mosque in the northern village of Salmossi. Population ages 65 and above, female. On February 4, an unknown individual hacked worshippers with a machete in the central mosque of Gaoua, wounding five. On August 4, militants attacked two churches in the village of Tialboanga, one Catholic and one Protestant, and killed three worshippers; the attack was the first armed attack targeting the Christian community in the eastern part of the country according to observers. On December 2, after a violent attack on a Protestant church service in the Eastern Region that killed 14 worshippers the previous day, Prime Minister Dabire said that through the prayers and efforts of all faiths, including “Muslims, evangelical churches, Christians, animists, and traditional religions,” the country would “overcome” rising violence. Burkina Faso Religion, Economy and Politics The majority of the population in Burkina Faso, 60.5%, practice Islam. Embassy representatives used social media platforms to reinforce messaging for religious freedom and tolerance. The index measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18, given the risks of poor health and poor education that prevail in the country where she lives. Domestic and transnational terrorist groups continued to operate throughout the year and carried out targeted killings of at least 38 individuals based on their religious identity, according to media reports. Media reports detailed citizens’ shock at the “brazenness” of attackers and “dismay” at the inability of the country’s armed forces to stop or prevent all terrorist attacks, as attacks continued to escalate against Muslims, Protestants, and Catholics. Burkina Faso’s National Arbovirus Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Reference Laboratory achieved capacity to test for Lassa fever, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses enabling accurate identification and faster containment … During prayer services in Ouagadougou on Eid al-Fitr on June 4, Vice President of the Muslim Community of Burkina Faso El Hadj Hatimi Deme said, “Muslim affairs need to interest the Christians; Christian affairs need to interest the Muslims.” Prime Minister Dabire, a Christian, and Catholic Archbishop of Ougadougou Cardinal Philippe Ouedraogo also participated in the prayer service and in an iftar, and both called for religious tolerance. Embassy officials raised the increase in religiously motivated attacks, particularly in the Sahel and East Regions, with the government, including the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, the Ministries of Defense and Security, and the Office of the President. According to President Kabore, the terrorists appear to have shifted their tactics from stoking conflict between farmers and herders to inducing a similar divide between Muslims and Christians. On November 1, the Ambassador and visiting U.S. officials met with the papal nuncio and the bishop of the northern town of Dori to engage on next steps in religious tolerance advocacy in light of increasing terrorist attacks. The Pew Research Center also estimated that 21.7% practices Christianity, 15.1% follow Animism/Folk Religion i.e., African traditional religion, and that 0.5% are unaffiliated. [2][3] The Shi'a branch of Islam also has a small presence in the country. Some may not be viable and/or have incorrect Progress Scale values, population, language and religion information. Burkina Faso has few natural resources, and thus relies primarily on the export of its two cash crops: cotton and gold. Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta; French: Haute Volta) is a landlocked country located in the middle of West Africa's "hump." The Government of Burkina Faso stated in its most recent census (2008) that 60.5 of the population practice Islam, and that the majority of this group belong to the Sunni branch, while a growing minority adheres to the Shi'a branch. Chad is the only country in this analysis where Christians (21%) are more likely than Muslims (10%) to live in this type of arrangement. Two Catholic parishes in the northern Sahel Region closed due to insecurity. The government continued to routinely approve applications from religious groups for registration, according to religious group leaders, although the government announced it rejected some on “moral” grounds. For example, in Burkina Faso, 45% of people who practice folk religions, 40% of Muslims and 24% of Christians live in polygamous households. Burkina Faso ranked 4th last for islam > percentage muslim amongst Muslim countries in … Although many attacks in the country went unclaimed, observers attributed most to terrorist groups including Ansaroul Islam, JNIM, and ISIS-GS. Burkina Faso is a religiously diverse society, with Islam being the dominant religion. On February 17, militants waving a black flag fired in the air and entered a mosque, telling people to go out and pray and that they were seeking state representatives and teachers. The government stated it believed individuals associated with terrorist organizations carried out all the religiously-based attacks during the year. On March 31, terrorists killed a prominent local Muslim leader and six of his relatives in Arbinda in the northern Soum Province. The United Nations Statistics Division collects, compiles and disseminates official demographic and social statistics on a wide range of topics. The law allows all organizations, religious or otherwise, to register with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, which oversees religious affairs. Burkina Faso Facts 1. Two church leaders and four worshippers were killed, and others taken away to an unknown destination aboard a motorcycle/trailer, according to media reports. On April 29, presumed JNIM militants attacked the village of Nassere, the assailants fired in the air and burned bars that served alcohol at the market and seized motorbikes, according to media reports. Less than 1 percent is atheist or belongs to other religious groups. Religious-based attacks, targeted killings, and kidnappings continued in the Sahel Region and spread to the Center North and Center East Regions. Within the urban areas, many French customs prevail. Burkina Faso is a religiously diverse society, with Islam being the dominant religion. Goods and services account for 85.4% and 14.6% of exports, respectively. [3], "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050", "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitation de 2006", "International Religious Freedom Report 2010: Burkina Faso", Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, "Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census", "Enquête Démographique et de Santé et à Indicateurs Multiples (EDSBF-MICS IV) 2010", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religion_in_Burkina_Faso&oldid=1018841030, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 April 2021, at 05:20. Slightly larger than Colorado, Burkina Faso, formerly known as Upper Volta, is a landlocked country in West Africa. During the year, the embassy conducted regular outreach with imams, Catholic priests, and Protestant leaders to understand the current threat to religious freedom and tolerance in the country as a result of the unprecedented violence against both Christian and Muslim worshippers.