Burkina Faso Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Burkina Faso?

Overview

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country, is located in the middle of West Africa’s "hump." Covering 274,000 square kilometers. Burkina Faso is bordered on the north and west by Mali, on the northeast by Niger, on the southeast by Benin, and on the south by Togo, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire. Burkina is a savanna plateau, with an average elevation of 500 meters. The highest point is Tenakourou (747 meters), in the west. Burkina Faso’s three main rivers are the Mouhoun, the Nazinou, and the Nakambe, tributaries that form Ghana’s Volta River.

Much of Burkina lies in the Sahel, the fringe of the Sahara. The north gradually dries out into scrub and semi-desert but comes to life during the rainy season, with green shrubs and thorn trees. Toward the south are areas of savannah and wooded savannah, including the shea and baobab trees that are of agricultural importance. Wildlife in Burkina’s eastern and southern areas includes elephants, antelope, hippos, monkeys, crocodiles, lions, and buffalo. Bird and insect life is rich and varied.

Geography - note

Landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burkina Faso Use of Natural Resources

Geographic Location	Africa
Total Area	105,869 Square Miles 274,200 Square Kilometers
Land Area	105,714 Square Miles 273,800 Square Kilometers
Water Area	154 Square Miles 400 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries	1,984 Miles 3,193 Kilometers
Irrigated Land	97 Square Miles 250 Square Kilometers
Border Countries	Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Geographic Coordinates	13 00 N, 2 00 W
Terrain	Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast
Highest Point	749 Meters
Highest Point Location	Tena Kourou 749 m
Lowest Point	200 Meters
Lowest Point Location	Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
Natural Resources	Manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
Time Zone	UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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