Burkina Faso Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Burkina Faso vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Burkina Faso	World
1960	19.8	22.5
1961	19.7	22.5
1962	19.7	22.4
1963	19.7	22.2
1964	19.6	22
1965	19.6	21.8
1966	19.5	21.7
1967	19.5	21.6
1968	19.3	21.5
1969	19.1	21.5
1970	18.9	21.4
1971	18.8	21.4
1972	18.6	21.5
1973	18.5	21.5
1974	18.3	21.6
1975	18.2	21.7
1976	18.1	21.9
1977	17.9	22
1978	17.8	22.2
1979	17.7	22.3
1980	17.6	22.5
1981	17.5	22.6
1982	17.4	22.7
1983	17.3	22.9
1984	17.2	23
1985	17.1	23.2
1986	16.9	23.3
1987	16.8	23.4
1988	16.7	23.6
1989	16.6	23.8
1990	16.5	23.9
1991	16.4	24.1
1992	16.3	24.3
1993	16.3	24.5
1994	16.3	24.7
1995	16.3	25
1996	16.3	25.2
1997	16.3	25.4
1998	16.3	25.7
1999	16.4	25.9
2000	16.5	26.1
2001	16.6	26.3
2002	16.7	26.5
2003	16.8	26.7
2004	16.9	27
2005	17	27.2
2006	17.1	27.4
2007	17.1	27.6
2008	17.1	27.8
2009	17.1	28
2010	17.1	28.2
2011	17.1	28.4
2012	17.1	28.6
2013	17.1	28.9
2014	17.1	29.1
2015	17.1	29.3
2016	17.2	29.5
2017	17.3	29.8
2018	17.4	30
2019	17.6	30.3
2020	17.7	30.6
2021	18	30.8
2022	18.2	31
2023	18.4	31.3
2024	18.6	31.6
2025	18.7	31.9
2026	19	32.1
2027	19.3	32.3
2028	19.6	32.6
2029	19.9	32.8
2030	20.1	33
2031	20.4	33.2
2032	20.7	33.4
2033	21	33.6
2034	21.4	33.8
2035	21.7	34
2036	22	34.2
2037	22.3	34.4
2038	22.6	34.6
2039	22.9	34.8
2040	23.2	35
2041	23.5	35.2
2042	23.8	35.4
2043	24.1	35.6
2044	24.3	35.8
2045	24.6	36
2046	24.8	36.2
2047	25.1	36.4
2048	25.3	36.6
2049	25.6	36.8
2050	25.8	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Burkina Faso was 19.8 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had decreased to 18.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 93rd for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Burkina Faso ranks 183rd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Burkina Faso is expected to increase to around 25.8 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Burkina Faso demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Burkina Faso
	Male	Female
0-4	7.25%	7.02%
5-9	7.23%	7.01%
10-14	6.75%	6.55%
15-19	5.78%	5.63%
20-24	4.71%	4.63%
25-29	3.88%	3.87%
30-34	3.24%	3.28%
35-39	2.78%	2.83%
40-44	2.31%	2.37%
45-49	1.78%	1.88%
50-54	1.3%	1.45%
55-59	0.99%	1.17%
60-64	0.73%	0.92%
65-69	0.5%	0.68%
70-74	0.3%	0.45%
75-79	0.18%	0.28%
80+	0.1%	0.17%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Burkina Faso has high demographic potential with 76.8% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 15/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Burkina Faso			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	73.9%	69.3%	4.59%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	74%	69.4%	4.68%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	74.4%	69.6%	4.78%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	75.3%	70.4%	4.89%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	76.5%	71.5%	5.01%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	77.8%	72.7%	5.13%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	79%	73.8%	5.26%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	80.2%	74.9%	5.39%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	81.4%	75.9%	5.52%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	82.5%	76.9%	5.65%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	83.6%	77.8%	5.78%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	84.6%	78.7%	5.9%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	85.7%	79.6%	6.02%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	86.7%	80.5%	6.14%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	87.6%	81.4%	6.26%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	88.6%	82.2%	6.37%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	89.5%	83.1%	6.48%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	90.4%	83.8%	6.58%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	91.3%	84.6%	6.67%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	92.3%	85.5%	6.76%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	93.2%	86.4%	6.83%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	94.1%	87.2%	6.89%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	95%	88.1%	6.94%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	95.8%	88.8%	6.98%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	96.6%	89.6%	7%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	97.4%	90.4%	7.02%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	98.4%	91.4%	7.02%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	99.4%	92.3%	7.01%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	100.2%	93.2%	7%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	100.9%	94%	6.96%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	101.5%	94.6%	6.91%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	102%	95.2%	6.85%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	102.4%	95.7%	6.78%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	102.5%	95.8%	6.69%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	102.3%	95.7%	6.58%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	101.9%	95.4%	6.47%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	101.5%	95.1%	6.35%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	101%	94.8%	6.22%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	100.2%	94.1%	6.09%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	99.1%	93.2%	5.96%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	98%	92.2%	5.83%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	96.8%	91.1%	5.71%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	95.7%	90.1%	5.6%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	94.7%	89.2%	5.5%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	93.9%	88.4%	5.42%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	93.2%	87.8%	5.34%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	92.7%	87.5%	5.28%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	92.6%	87.4%	5.24%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	92.8%	87.6%	5.22%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	93.1%	87.9%	5.22%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	93.4%	88.1%	5.22%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	93.5%	88.3%	5.23%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	93.5%	88.3%	5.22%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	93.4%	88.2%	5.16%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	93.1%	88%	5.08%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	92.6%	87.6%	5%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	91.9%	87%	4.94%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	91.1%	86.2%	4.89%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	90.1%	85.3%	4.86%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	88.9%	84.1%	4.83%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	87.3%	82.5%	4.81%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	85.5%	80.7%	4.78%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	83.7%	78.9%	4.77%	54%	39%	15%
2023	81.9%	77.1%	4.77%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	80%	75.3%	4.77%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Burkina Faso decreased from 93.9% to 80% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an decreased proportion of people aged 65+

Burkina Faso working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Burkina Faso	World
1960	57.5%	57.6%
1961	57.5%	57.5%
1962	57.3%	57.4%
1963	57.1%	57.2%
1964	56.6%	57%
1965	56.2%	56.9%
1966	55.9%	56.8%
1967	55.5%	56.9%
1968	55.1%	56.9%
1969	54.8%	56.9%
1970	54.5%	57%
1971	54.2%	57.1%
1972	53.9%	57.2%
1973	53.6%	57.3%
1974	53.3%	57.3%
1975	53%	57.4%
1976	52.8%	57.5%
1977	52.5%	57.7%
1978	52.3%	58%
1979	52%	58.4%
1980	51.8%	58.7%
1981	51.5%	59%
1982	51.3%	59.3%
1983	51.1%	59.6%
1984	50.9%	59.9%
1985	50.6%	60.1%
1986	50.4%	60.4%
1987	50.2%	60.5%
1988	49.9%	60.7%
1989	49.8%	60.8%
1990	49.6%	60.9%
1991	49.5%	61%
1992	49.4%	61.1%
1993	49.4%	61.2%
1994	49.4%	61.3%
1995	49.5%	61.5%
1996	49.6%	61.7%
1997	49.7%	61.9%
1998	49.9%	62.2%
1999	50.2%	62.5%
2000	50.5%	62.8%
2001	50.8%	63.1%
2002	51.1%	63.4%
2003	51.4%	63.7%
2004	51.6%	64%
2005	51.8%	64.3%
2006	51.9%	64.5%
2007	51.9%	64.7%
2008	51.9%	64.9%
2009	51.8%	65%
2010	51.7%	65.1%
2011	51.7%	65.2%
2012	51.7%	65.2%
2013	51.7%	65.2%
2014	51.8%	65.2%
2015	51.9%	65.1%
2016	52.1%	65.1%
2017	52.3%	65%
2018	52.6%	64.9%
2019	52.9%	64.9%
2020	53.4%	64.8%
2021	53.9%	64.9%
2022	54.4%	64.9%
2023	55%	65%
2024	55.5%	65.1%
2025	56.1%	65.2%
2026	56.8%	65.3%
2027	57.4%	65.4%
2028	58%	65.4%
2029	58.6%	65.4%
2030	59.2%	65.4%
2031	59.8%	65.4%
2032	60.4%	65.4%
2033	60.8%	65.4%
2034	61.2%	65.3%
2035	61.5%	65.2%
2036	61.8%	65%
2037	62%	64.9%
2038	62.3%	64.7%
2039	62.6%	64.6%
2040	62.8%	64.5%
2041	63%	64.4%
2042	63.3%	64.3%
2043	63.5%	64.2%
2044	63.7%	64.1%
2045	63.9%	63.9%
2046	64.1%	63.8%
2047	64.3%	63.7%
2048	64.6%	63.6%
2049	64.8%	63.4%
2050	65%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Burkina Faso changed from 51.6% to 55.5% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Burkina Faso	World
1960	39.9%	37.4%
1961	39.9%	37.5%
1962	39.9%	37.6%
1963	40.2%	37.8%
1964	40.5%	38%
1965	40.9%	38%
1966	41.2%	38%
1967	41.5%	38%
1968	41.8%	37.9%
1969	42.1%	37.8%
1970	42.4%	37.7%
1971	42.6%	37.6%
1972	42.9%	37.5%
1973	43.1%	37.3%
1974	43.4%	37.2%
1975	43.6%	37.1%
1976	43.8%	36.9%
1977	44%	36.7%
1978	44.2%	36.3%
1979	44.5%	35.9%
1980	44.7%	35.5%
1981	44.9%	35.2%
1982	45.2%	34.9%
1983	45.4%	34.6%
1984	45.6%	34.3%
1985	45.8%	34%
1986	46.1%	33.8%
1987	46.3%	33.6%
1988	46.6%	33.4%
1989	46.8%	33.2%
1990	46.9%	33%
1991	47.1%	32.9%
1992	47.3%	32.7%
1993	47.3%	32.5%
1994	47.3%	32.3%
1995	47.3%	32.1%
1996	47.2%	31.8%
1997	47.2%	31.5%
1998	47%	31.1%
1999	46.8%	30.8%
2000	46.6%	30.4%
2001	46.3%	30%
2002	46%	29.6%
2003	45.8%	29.2%
2004	45.6%	28.8%
2005	45.5%	28.5%
2006	45.4%	28.1%
2007	45.4%	27.9%
2008	45.4%	27.6%
2009	45.5%	27.5%
2010	45.6%	27.3%
2011	45.6%	27.1%
2012	45.6%	27%
2013	45.6%	26.9%
2014	45.6%	26.8%
2015	45.5%	26.6%
2016	45.3%	26.5%
2017	45.1%	26.4%
2018	44.9%	26.2%
2019	44.5%	26%
2020	44%	25.8%
2021	43.5%	25.6%
2022	43%	25.3%
2023	42.4%	25%
2024	41.8%	24.7%
2025	41.2%	24.4%
2026	40.5%	24.1%
2027	39.9%	23.8%
2028	39.2%	23.4%
2029	38.5%	23.1%
2030	37.9%	22.8%
2031	37.2%	22.6%
2032	36.7%	22.3%
2033	36.1%	22.1%
2034	35.7%	21.9%
2035	35.4%	21.7%
2036	35%	21.6%
2037	34.7%	21.5%
2038	34.4%	21.4%
2039	34%	21.3%
2040	33.7%	21.2%
2041	33.4%	21.1%
2042	33%	21%
2043	32.7%	21%
2044	32.4%	20.9%
2045	32.1%	20.8%
2046	31.7%	20.7%
2047	31.4%	20.7%
2048	31%	20.6%
2049	30.6%	20.5%
2050	30.3%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Burkina Faso decreased from 45.6% to 41.8% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Burkina Faso	World
1960	2.64%	4.97%
1961	2.69%	4.99%
1962	2.74%	5.01%
1963	2.79%	5.02%
1964	2.84%	5.04%
1965	2.89%	5.08%
1966	2.94%	5.12%
1967	2.99%	5.16%
1968	3.04%	5.2%
1969	3.1%	5.24%
1970	3.15%	5.28%
1971	3.2%	5.32%
1972	3.24%	5.37%
1973	3.29%	5.42%
1974	3.34%	5.47%
1975	3.38%	5.53%
1976	3.42%	5.59%
1977	3.46%	5.65%
1978	3.49%	5.71%
1979	3.51%	5.77%
1980	3.53%	5.81%
1981	3.55%	5.81%
1982	3.56%	5.8%
1983	3.56%	5.79%
1984	3.56%	5.8%
1985	3.55%	5.82%
1986	3.54%	5.86%
1987	3.52%	5.91%
1988	3.49%	5.95%
1989	3.46%	6.01%
1990	3.43%	6.07%
1991	3.39%	6.14%
1992	3.35%	6.21%
1993	3.3%	6.29%
1994	3.25%	6.37%
1995	3.2%	6.45%
1996	3.15%	6.53%
1997	3.1%	6.61%
1998	3.04%	6.68%
1999	2.99%	6.76%
2000	2.94%	6.84%
2001	2.9%	6.92%
2002	2.86%	7.01%
2003	2.82%	7.1%
2004	2.79%	7.18%
2005	2.77%	7.26%
2006	2.74%	7.34%
2007	2.72%	7.41%
2008	2.71%	7.47%
2009	2.7%	7.52%
2010	2.7%	7.58%
2011	2.7%	7.66%
2012	2.7%	7.78%
2013	2.67%	7.92%
2014	2.63%	8.08%
2015	2.6%	8.26%
2016	2.57%	8.45%
2017	2.56%	8.65%
2018	2.55%	8.88%
2019	2.56%	9.1%
2020	2.57%	9.33%
2021	2.58%	9.53%
2022	2.59%	9.74%
2023	2.62%	9.98%
2024	2.65%	10.2%
2025	2.68%	10.4%
2026	2.72%	10.6%
2027	2.76%	10.8%
2028	2.8%	11.1%
2029	2.84%	11.5%
2030	2.89%	11.7%
2031	2.93%	12%
2032	2.98%	12.3%
2033	3.03%	12.6%
2034	3.09%	12.8%
2035	3.14%	13.1%
2036	3.2%	13.4%
2037	3.26%	13.7%
2038	3.33%	13.9%
2039	3.41%	14.1%
2040	3.49%	14.3%
2041	3.58%	14.5%
2042	3.68%	14.7%
2043	3.79%	14.9%
2044	3.91%	15%
2045	4.03%	15.2%
2046	4.16%	15.4%
2047	4.29%	15.7%
2048	4.42%	15.9%
2049	4.56%	16.1%
2050	4.7%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Burkina Faso decreased from 2.79% to 2.65% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.