Burkina Faso

Country: Burkina Faso

Number of People Groups

People Groups Unreached

27 (33.3%)

Progress Level

The Joshua Project Progress Scale is an estimate of the progress of church planting among a people group, people cluster, country or language. The Progress Scale is derived from people group values for percent Evangelical and percent Christian Adherent.

Level	Description	Criteria
1	Unreached - Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians <= 5%
2	Minimally reached - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 5% and <= 50%
3	Superficially reached - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 50%
4	Partially reached - Evangelicals have a modest presence.	Evangelicals > 2% and <= 10%
5	Significantly reached - Evangelicals have a significant presence.	Evangelicals > 10%

Total
Population

20,273,000

Population in Unreached

5,109,000 (25.2%)

Largest Religion

Islam (55.7%)

% Christian Adherent

20.5%

% Evangelical

10.24%

Evangelical Annual Growth Rate

4.1%

(Global Rate = 2.6%)

Map Notes

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼

Progress Scale: ●●●●●
☀
= Frontier peoples
People Group ▲	Population this Country	Global Population	Indigenous	Primary Language	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Christian Adherent	% Evangelical	Est. Workers Needed *
Algerian, Arabic-speaking	21,000	32,644,000		Arabic, Algerian Spoken	Islam	0 ☀	0.04 %	0.04 %	1
Bambara	6,500	6,082,000		Bamanankan	Islam	1 ●	4.00 %	1.80 %	1
Batonu, Baruba	26,000	1,310,000		Baatonum	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	3.90 %	-1 -
Biali	3,300	164,000	●	Biali	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	4.70 %	-1 -
Birifor, Northern	223,000	223,000	●	Birifor, Malba	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	6.00 %	-1 -
Bissa	609,000	1,015,000	●	Bisa	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	25.00 %	11.00 %	-1 -
Ble, Jalkunan	1,800	1,800	●	Jalkunan	Islam	4 ●	10.00 %	8.00 %	-1 -
Bobo Fing	68,000	103,000	●	Konabere	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	27.00 %	12.50 %	-1 -
Bobo Madare	247,000	247,000	●	Bobo Madare, Southern	Islam	0 ☀	0.02 %	0.01 %	5
Bolon	32,000	43,000	●	Bolon	Islam	1 ●	3.00 %	1.45 %	1
Bozo, Tegue	3,200	282,000		Bozo, Tieyaxo	Islam	0 ☀	0.00 %	0.00 %	1
Buamu	366,000	366,000	●	Buamu	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	33.00 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Bwamu, Laa Laa	117,000	117,000	●	Bwamu, Laa Laa	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.30 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Bwamu, Twi	42,000	42,000	●	Bwamu, Cwi	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.30 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Dagaari Dioula, Wala	37,000	37,000	●	Dagaari Dioula	Islam	1 ●	1.50 %	1.20 %	1
Dagara	337,000	337,000	●	Dagara, Northern	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	25.00 %	1.50 %	-1 -
Deaf	203,000	46,968,000	●	Language unknown	Islam	2 ●	20.69 %	-1	-1 -
Dogon, Jamsay	600	249,000		Dogon, Jamsay	Islam	2 ●	8.00 %	2.00 %	-1 -
Dogon, Tomo Kan	23,000	302,000	●	Dogon, Tomo Kan	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	21.00 %	6.50 %	-1 -
Dogose	44,000	44,000	●	Dogose	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	1.00 %	1
Dogoso	15,000	15,000	●	Dogoso	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	1.00 %	1
Dyan	31,000	31,000	●	Dyan	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	5.00 %	-1 -
Dzuun, Samogo	25,000	25,000	●	Dzuungoo	Islam	1 ●	1.00 %	0.30 %	1
English-Speaking, general	800	50,000		English	Christianity	5 ●	80.00 %	32.00 %	-1 -
Ewe	39,000	5,995,000		Ewe	Christianity	5 ●	80.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
French	15,000	50,163,000		French	Christianity	3 ●	72.00 %	0.70 %	-1 -
Fulani, Gorgal	7,700	49,000		Fulfulde, Western Niger	Islam	0 ☀	0.10 %	0.10 %	1
Fulani, Gurmanche	1,597,000	1,597,000	●	Fulfulde, Western Niger	Islam	1 ●	0.70 %	0.23 %	32
Fulani, Jelgooji	398,000	398,000	●	Fulfulde, Western Niger	Islam	1 ●	0.30 %	0.20 %	8
Fulani, Maasina	9,300	1,722,000		Fulfulde, Maasina	Islam	1 ●	0.20 %	0.15 %	1
Gouin	71,000	74,000	●	Cerma	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	7.50 %	-1 -
Gourma	1,054,000	1,513,000	●	Gourmanchema	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	19.00 %	8.01 %	-1 -
Gur, Ninkare	55,000	576,000	●	Farefare	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	2.50 %	-1 -
Hausa	3,000	48,208,000		Hausa	Islam	1 ●	0.10 %	0.10 %	1
Jotoni	1,500	20,000		Jowulu	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	3.00 %	1.60 %	1
Jula, Dyula	2,073,000	4,798,000	●	Jula	Islam	1 ●	0.80 %	0.02 %	41
Kaan, Gan	14,000	14,000	●	Kaansa	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Karaboro, Eastern	68,000	77,000	●	Karaboro, Eastern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.90 %	-1 -
Karaboro, Western	65,000	65,000	●	Karaboro, Western	Islam	1 ●	4.00 %	2.00 %	1
Kasem	114,000	292,000	●	Kasem	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	12.00 %	8.50 %	-1 -
Khe	3,400	3,400	●	Khe	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.20 %	7.00 %	-1 -
Khisa, Komono	6,600	16,000	●	Khisa	Islam	4 ●	5.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Kolsi, Ko	35,000	35,000	●	Winye	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	4.50 %	-1 -
Kpeego	2,300	2,300	●	Kpeego	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	1.00 %	1
Kurumfe, Fulse	309,000	316,000	●	Koromfe	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	13.00 %	1.00 %	-1 -
Kusaal	17,000	652,000		Kusaal	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.90 %	-1 -
Lela	291,000	291,000	●	Lyele	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	4.80 %	-1 -
Lobi	300,000	637,000	●	Lobi	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	1.50 %	6
Maninka, Eastern	11,000	3,902,000		Maninkakan, Eastern	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	1.50 %	1.20 %	1
Marka, Dafing	184,000	243,000	●	Marka	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	5.50 %	-1 -
Moba	3,900	450,000	●	Moba	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	7.00 %	2.70 %	-1 -
Mossi	9,310,000	11,717,000	●	Moore	Islam	5 ●	31.50 %	17.74 %	-1 -
Natioro	5,300	5,300	●	Natioro	Islam	0 ☀	0.00 %	0.00 %	1
Nuna, Northern	107,000	107,000	●	Nuni, Northern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	6.00 %	-1 -
Nuna, Southern	201,000	201,000	●	Nuni, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	25.00 %	8.00 %	-1 -
Paleni	300	300	●	Paleni	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	2.00 %	1
Pana, Sama	9,000	16,000	●	Pana	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	0.40 %	1
Pwo	24,000	24,000	●	Phuie	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	7.00 %	4.20 %	-1 -
Red Bobo, Bwa	123,000	411,000	●	Bomu	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
Samo, Kalemse	25,000	28,000	●	Kalamse	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	10.00 %	1.40 %	-1 -
Samo, Maya	66,000	66,000	●	Samo, Maya	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	20.00 %	9.50 %	-1 -
Samo, Samo Matya	205,000	206,000	●	Samo, Matya	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	20.00 %	8.70 %	-1 -
Samo, Southern	152,000	152,000	●	Samo, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	20.00 %	9.50 %	-1 -
Seemogo	22,000	28,000	●	Seeku	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	25.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Central	61,000	65,000	●	Senoufo, Sicite	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	3.00 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Nanerige	130,000	130,000	●	Senoufo, Nanerige	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.80 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Niangolo	98,000	98,000	●	Senoufo, Senara	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	8.00 %	1.55 %	-1 -
Siamou, Seme	24,000	58,000	●	Siamou	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	6.00 %	1.00 %	-1 -
Sininkere, Silanke	10,000	10,000	●	Sininkere	Islam	4 ●	6.00 %	4.50 %	-1 -
Sissala	28,000	28,000	●	Sissala	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	10.00 %	-1 -
Songhai, Humburi	12,000	40,000	●	Songhay, Humburi Senni	Islam	1 ●	0.40 %	0.18 %	1
Tenbo, Loron	4,000	13,000	●	Teen	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	3.00 %	0.50 %	1
Tiefo	26,000	26,000	●	Tiefo	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	4.50 %	-1 -
Toussian, Northern	38,000	38,000	●	Toussian, Northern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	5.00 %	2.70 %	-1 -
Toussian, Southern	38,000	38,000	●	Toussian, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	3.80 %	-1 -
Tuareg, Tamasheq	167,000	732,000	●	Tamasheq	Islam	0 ☀	0.08 %	0.08 %	3
Turka, Tyurama	66,000	66,000	●	Turka	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	12.00 %	9.00 %	-1 -
Vige, Viemo	14,000	14,000	●	Viemo	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	1.40 %	1
Wara	9,300	9,300	●	Wara	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	7.00 %	0.60 %	-1 -
Yoruba	70,000	35,896,000		Yoruba	Islam	4 ●	45.00 %	7.50 %	-1 -
Zarma	1,500	4,096,000	●	Zarma	Islam	4 ●	10.00 %	3.00 %	-1 -
Totals: 81	20,273,000					27 ●	20.50 %	10.24 %	116
Unclassified / Other Individuals	48,000
UN Country Population (2019)	20,321,000

Other minor groups: 1

Very small groups reported, but outside the Joshua Project Small Group Policy. Some may not be viable and/or have incorrect Progress Scale values, population, language and religion information. The groups listed below are not included in overall Joshua Project people group counts. If you have information about these groups, please contact us.

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
People Group ▲	Progress Scale	Population	Primary Language	Primary Religion
British	4 ●	-1 Unknown	English	Christianity
Totals: 1

For more information see the Joshua Project Small Group Policy

* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups by country. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker for every 50,000 individuals living in an unreached people group by country. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

Download Data Data Sources Definitions

Prayer Cards

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Provinces ▲	Estimated Population
Boucle du Mouhoun	1,976,000
Cascades	822,000
Centre	2,854,000
Centre-Est	1,608,000
Centre-Nord	1,689,000
Centre-Ouest	1,643,000
Centre-Sud	872,000
Est	1,778,000
Haut-Bassins	2,159,000
Nord	1,632,000
Plateau-Central	950,000
Sahel	1,395,000
Sud-Ouest	867,000
Provinces: 13	20,245,000
UN Country Population	20,321,000

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Class ▲	Population	% Popl	% Hindu	% Muslim	% Christian	% Buddhist	% Sikh	% Other
Forward Caste (FC)	284,199,000	1,401.9 %	97.3 %	0.0 %	1.1 %	0.1 %	0.0 %	1.4 %
Other Backward Classes (OBC)	758,319,000	3,740.5 %	70.6 %	24.5 %	1.7 %	0.1 %	2.3 %	0.8 %
Scheduled Caste (SC)	204,211,000	1,007.3 %	93.4 %	0.0 %	0.5 %	3.4 %	2.6 %	0.0 %
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	113,627,000	560.5 %	81.8 %	1.5 %	9.2 %	0.7 %	0.0 %	6.7 %
	20,273,000

Why Use Caste to Define Peoples?

South Asia Communities / Castes: An Overview

A History of South Asia People Group Lists

Why Include Religion When Defining South Asia Peoples?

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language ▲	Code	# Peoples Primary Language	# Unreached Primary Language	Scripture Status	NT Text Online	NT Audio Online	Jesus Film Online	Audio Recordings Online	Gospel Tract Online
Arabic, Algerian Spoken	arq	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Baatonum	bba	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	-1
Bamanankan	bam	1	1	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Biali	beh	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	1	-1	1	-1
Birifor, Malba	bfo	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	1	1	1	-1
Bisa	bib	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Bobo Madare, Southern	bwq	1	1	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	-1	1	-1
Bolon	bof	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Bomu	bmq	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Bozo, Tieyaxo	boz	1	1	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Buamu	box	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	-1	1	-1
Bwamu, Cwi	bwy	1	0	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Bwamu, Laa Laa	bwj	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Cerma	cme	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Dagaari Dioula	dgd	1	1	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Dagara, Northern	dgi	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Dogon, Jamsay	djm	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Dogon, Tomo Kan	dtm	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	1	1	1
Dogose	dos	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Dogoso	dgs	1	1	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Dyan	dya	1	0	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Dzuungoo	dnn	1	1	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
English	eng	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Ewe	ewe	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Farefare	gur	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	-1
French	fra	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Fulfulde, Maasina	ffm	1	1	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Fulfulde, Western Niger	fuh	3	3	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Gourmanchema	gux	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Hausa	hau	1	1	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Jalkunan	bxl	1	0	0 Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Jowulu	jow	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Jula	dyu	1	1	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	-1
Kaansa	gna	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	1	-1	1	-1
Kalamse	knz	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Karaboro, Eastern	xrb	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	-1	1	-1
Karaboro, Western	kza	1	1	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Kasem	xsm	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	-1
Khe	kqg	1	0	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Khisa	kqm	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Konabere	bbo	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	-1	1	-1
Koromfe	kfz	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Kpeego	cpo	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Kusaal	kus	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Lobi	lob	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	1	1	1	-1
Lyele	lee	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Maninkakan, Eastern	emk	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Marka	rkm	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Moba	mfq	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	1	1	1	-1
Moore	mos	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	-1
Natioro	nti	1	1	0 Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Nuni, Northern	nuv	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Nuni, Southern	nnw	1	0	4 New Testament	1	1	-1	1	-1
Paleni	pnl	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Pana	pnq	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Phuie	pug	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Samo, Matya	stj	1	0	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Samo, Maya	sym	1	0	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Samo, Southern	sbd	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Seeku	sos	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Senoufo, Nanerige	sen	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Senoufo, Senara	seq	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Senoufo, Sicite	sep	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Siamou	sif	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Sininkere	skq	1	0	0 Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Sissala	sld	1	0	4 New Testament	-1	1	-1	1	-1
Songhay, Humburi Senni	hmb	1	1	4 New Testament	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Tamasheq	taq	1	1	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1
Teen	lor	1	1	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Tiefo	tiq	1	0	0 Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Toussian, Northern	tsp	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Toussian, Southern	wib	1	0	4 New Testament	1	-1	-1	1	-1
Turka	tuz	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	1	1	-1
Unknown	xxx	1	0	Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Viemo	vig	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Wara	wbf	1	0	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Winye	kst	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Yoruba	yor	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Zarma	dje	1	0	5 Complete Bible	-1	1	1	1	-1
Totals:	79	81	27		20	33	33	70	6

MAJOR RELIGIONS ▲	Percent
Buddhism	0.0 %
Christianity (Evangelical 10.2 %)	20.5 %
Ethnic Religions	23.1 %
Hinduism	0.0 %
Islam	55.7 %
Non-Religious	0.7 %
Other / Small Religions	0.0 %
Unknown	0.0 %

CHRISTIAN SEGMENTS ▲	Percent
Anglican	0.0 %
Independent	1.9 %
Orthodox	0.0 %
Other Christian	0.3 %
Protestant	42.1 %
Roman Catholic	54.7 %

Notes:

Major Religions: Religion percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each religion, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total population to derive the religion's percentage.

Christianity Segments: Christian segment percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all the people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each segment of Christianity, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total number of Christians to derive the Christian segment's percentage.

Networking Possibilities

Search the Web
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in Burkina Faso. Internet searches are probably the best way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:

Church planting agencies in Burkina Faso
Christian ministry in Burkina Faso
Business as mission
Christian literature distribution
Evangelism agencies
Christian discipleship
Short term Christian missions

Long term Christian missions
Urban ministries
Christian media opportunities
Bible translation opportunities
Relief and development agencies
Clean water projects
Christian medical outreaches

Burkina Faso Statistics
People Groups	81
Unreached People Groups	27 (33.3%)
Population	20,273,000
Population Annual Growth Rate	2.9%
Population in Unreached	5,109,000 (25.2%)
Primary Religion	Islam
Percent Christian Adherent	20.5%
Percent Evangelical	10.2%
Evangelical Annual Growth Rate	4.1%
Pioneer Workers Needed *	116
Country Progress Level	5 ●
Urbanization	29%
Continent	Africa
Region	Africa, West and Central
10/40 Window	Yes
Country Code	UV
Official Language(s)	French \| Moore
Literacy Rate	36%
Estimated Illiterate Population	12,975,000
Persecution Ranking	28 (1=High to 50=Low OD)

Burkina Faso Maps
Political Map (UN)
Language Map (Ethnologue)
Ethnolinguistic Map (Univ of Texas)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection

Burkina Faso Prayer Cards
	Burkina Faso prayer cards. All Unreached

Burkina Faso Links
Operation World
Window International Country Profile
World Factbook
Ethnologue Language Listing
National Bible Society
God Reports (stories from the field)
Religious Freedom Report

Burkina Faso Videos
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