Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 273,800 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 400 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 76

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 3,611 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (6): Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert

Terrain:
Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast.  Occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. (2019)

Elevation:
mean elevation: 297 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:
gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt

Land use:
agricultural land: 44.2% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 22% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 37% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 21.93% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 19.3% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 36.5% (2016 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2016)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:

Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly 31 percent of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million.  (2019)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019)

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands (2019)
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (2019)

Geography - note:
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas