Burkina Faso people groups, languages and religions

Country: Burkina Faso

Number of People Groups

People Groups Unreached

27 (33.8%)

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

22,605,000

Population in Unreached

5,257,000 (23.3%)

Largest Religion

Islam (55.0%)

% Christian Adherent

21.17%

% Evangelical

10.58%

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	23,000	36,188,000		Arabic, Algerian Spoken	Islam	0 ☀	0.04 %	0.00 %	1
Bambara	7,300	7,095,000		Bamanankan	Islam	1 ●	4.00 %	1.80 %	1
Batonu, Baruba	29,000	1,465,000		Baatonum	Islam	4 ●	10.00 %	3.90 %	-1 -
Biali	3,700	189,000	●	Biali	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	4.70 %	-1 -
Birifor, Northern	249,000	249,000	●	Birifor, Malba	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	6.00 %	-1 -
Ble, Jalkunan	2,000	2,000	●	Jalkunan	Islam	4 ●	10.00 %	8.00 %	-1 -
Bobo Fing	76,000	116,000	●	Konabere	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	27.00 %	12.50 %	-1 -
Bobo Madare	276,000	276,000	●	Bobo Madare, Southern	Islam	0 ☀	0.02 %	0.01 %	6
Bolon	36,000	49,000	●	Bolon	Islam	1 ●	3.00 %	1.45 %	1
Bozo, Tige	3,600	325,000		Bozo, Tieyaxo	Islam	0 ☀	0.00 %	0.00 %	1
Buamu	408,000	408,000	●	Buamu	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	33.00 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Busanga	679,000	1,125,000	●	Bisa	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	25.00 %	11.00 %	-1 -
Bwamu, Laa Laa	130,000	130,000	●	Bwamu, Laa Laa	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.30 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Bwamu, Twi	46,000	46,000	●	Bwamu, Cwi	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.30 %	14.00 %	-1 -
Dagaari Dioula, Wala	41,000	41,000	●	Dagaari Dioula	Islam	1 ●	1.50 %	1.20 %	1
Dagara	376,000	376,000	●	Dagara, Northern	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	25.00 %	1.50 %	-1 -
Deaf	227,000	49,091,000	●	Language unknown	Islam	2 ●	20.69 %	-1	-1 -
Dogon, Jamsay	600	286,000		Dogon, Jamsay	Islam	2 ●	8.00 %	2.00 %	-1 -
Dogon, Tomo Kan	25,000	344,000	●	Dogon, Tomo Kan	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	21.00 %	6.50 %	-1 -
Dogose	49,000	49,000	●	Dogose	Islam	1 ●	5.00 %	1.00 %	1
Dogoso	17,000	17,000	●	Dogoso	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	0.17 %	0.17 %	1
Dyan	34,000	34,000	●	Dyan	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	5.00 %	-1 -
Dyula	2,313,000	4,467,000	●	Jula	Islam	1 ●	0.80 %	0.01 %	46
Dzuun, Samogo	27,000	27,000	●	Dzuungoo	Islam	1 ●	1.00 %	0.30 %	1
English-speaking, general	900	53,000		English	Christianity	5 ●	80.00 %	32.00 %	-1 -
Ewe	43,000	6,523,000		Ewe	Christianity	5 ●	80.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
French	17,000	50,354,000		French	Christianity	3 ●	72.00 %	0.70 %	-1 -
Fulani, Maasina	12,000	1,953,000		Fulfulde, Maasina	Islam	1 ●	0.20 %	0.15 %	1
Fulani, Northeastern Burkina	445,000	445,000	●	Fulfulde, Western Niger	Islam	1 ●	0.30 %	0.20 %	9
Fulani, Western	1,337,000	2,016,000	●	Fulfulde, Western Niger	Islam	1 ●	0.70 %	0.23 %	27
Gouin	79,000	83,000	●	Cerma	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	7.50 %	-1 -
Gourma	1,176,000	1,686,000	●	Gourmanchema	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	19.00 %	8.01 %	-1 -
Gur, Ninkare	61,000	634,000	●	Farefare	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	2.50 %	-1 -
Hausa	3,300	53,725,000		Hausa	Islam	1 ●	0.10 %	0.10 %	1
Jotoni	1,700	24,000		Jowulu	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	3.00 %	1.60 %	1
Kaan, Gan	15,000	15,000	●	Kaansa	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Karaboro, Eastern	76,000	86,000	●	Karaboro, Eastern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.90 %	-1 -
Karaboro, Western	72,000	72,000	●	Karaboro, Western	Islam	1 ●	4.00 %	2.00 %	1
Kasem	127,000	322,000	●	Kasem	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	12.00 %	8.50 %	-1 -
Khe	3,800	3,800	●	Khe	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.20 %	7.00 %	-1 -
Khisa, Komono	7,300	18,000	●	Khisa	Islam	1 ●	5.00 %	0.49 %	1
Kolsi, Ko	39,000	39,000	●	Winye	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	4.50 %	-1 -
Kpeego	2,600	2,600	●	Kpeego	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	1.00 %	1
Kurumfe, Fulse	345,000	354,000	●	Koromfe	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	13.00 %	1.00 %	-1 -
Kusaal	19,000	717,000		Kusaal	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.90 %	-1 -
Lela	324,000	324,000	●	Lyele	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	4.80 %	-1 -
Lobi	335,000	705,000	●	Lobi	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	1.50 %	7
Maninka, Eastern	12,000	4,231,000		Maninkakan, Eastern	Islam	1 ●	1.50 %	1.20 %	1
Marka, Dafing	206,000	274,000	●	Marka	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	14.00 %	5.50 %	-1 -
Moba	4,300	492,000	●	Moba	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	7.00 %	2.70 %	-1 -
Mossi	10,826,000	13,417,000	●	Moore	Islam	5 ●	31.50 %	17.74 %	-1 -
Natioro	5,900	5,900	●	Natioro	Islam	0 ☀	0.00 %	0.00 %	1
Nuna, Northern	119,000	119,000	●	Nuni, Northern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	6.00 %	-1 -
Nuna, Southern	224,000	224,000	●	Nuni, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	25.00 %	8.00 %	-1 -
Paleni	400	400	●	Paleni	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	2.00 %	1
Pana, Sama	10,000	18,000	●	Pana	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	4.00 %	0.40 %	1
Pwo	27,000	27,000	●	Phuie	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	7.00 %	4.20 %	-1 -
Red Bobo, Bwa	137,000	468,000	●	Bomu	Ethnic Religions	5 ●	28.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
Samo, Kalemse	28,000	31,000	●	Kalamse	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	10.00 %	1.40 %	-1 -
Samo, Maya	74,000	74,000	●	Samo, Maya	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	20.00 %	9.50 %	-1 -
Samo, Samo Matya	229,000	230,000	●	Samo, Matya	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	20.00 %	8.70 %	-1 -
Samo, Southern	170,000	170,000	●	Samo, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	30.00 %	9.50 %	-1 -
Seemogo	24,000	30,000	●	Seeku	Islam	5 ●	15.00 %	12.00 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Central	68,000	73,000	●	Senoufo, Sicite	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	3.00 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Nanerige	145,000	145,000	●	Senoufo, Nanerige	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	10.00 %	2.80 %	-1 -
Senoufo, Niangolo	109,000	109,000	●	Senoufo, Senara	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	8.00 %	1.55 %	-1 -
Siamou, Seme	26,000	67,000	●	Siamou	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	6.00 %	1.00 %	-1 -
Sininkere, Silanke	12,000	12,000	●	Sininkere	Islam	2 ●	6.00 %	0.15 %	-1 -
Sissala	32,000	32,000	●	Sissala	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	16.00 %	10.00 %	-1 -
Songhai, Humburi	13,000	45,000	●	Songhay, Humburi Senni	Islam	1 ●	1.00 %	0.02 %	1
Tenbo, Loron	4,400	14,000	●	Teen	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	3.00 %	0.50 %	1
Tiefo	29,000	29,000	●	Tiefo	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	6.00 %	4.50 %	-1 -
Toussian, Northern	42,000	42,000	●	Toussian, Northern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	5.00 %	2.70 %	-1 -
Toussian, Southern	42,000	42,000	●	Toussian, Southern	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	8.00 %	3.80 %	-1 -
Tuareg, Tamasheq	186,000	823,000	●	Tamasheq	Islam	0 ☀	0.08 %	0.08 %	4
Turka, Tyurama	74,000	74,000	●	Turka	Ethnic Religions	4 ●	12.00 %	9.00 %	-1 -
Vige, Viemo	16,000	16,000	●	Viemo	Ethnic Religions	1 ●	5.00 %	1.40 %	1
Wara	10,000	10,000	●	Wara	Ethnic Religions	2 ●	7.00 %	0.60 %	-1 -
Yoruba	79,000	39,043,000		Yoruba	Islam	4 ●	45.00 %	7.50 %	-1 -
Zarma	1,600	4,945,000	●	Zarma	Islam	4 ●	10.00 %	3.00 %	-1 -
Totals: 80	22,605,000					27 ●	21.17 %	10.58 %	120
Unclassified / Other Individuals	69,000
UN Country Population (2022)	22,674,000

Other minor groups: 1

Burkina Faso

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-unit (single person or married couple) per 50,000 living in an unreached people group by country, or for example one team of four worker-units per 200,000 people. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

Download Data Data Sources Definitions

Prayer Cards

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Province ▲	Estimated Population
Boucle du Mouhoun	2,033,000
Cascades	846,000
Centre	2,936,000
Centre-Est	1,654,000
Centre-Nord	1,737,000
Centre-Ouest	1,690,000
Centre-Sud	897,000
Est	1,829,000
Haut-Bassins	2,221,000
Nord	1,679,000
Plateau-Central	977,000
Sahel	1,435,000
Sud-Ouest	892,000
Provinces: 13	20,826,000
UN Country Population	22,674,000

Burkina Faso Prayer Cards
	Burkina Faso prayer cards. All Unreached

Burkina Faso Links
Operation World
Open Doors Persecution Ranking
World Factbook
Religious Freedom Report
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing
National Bible Society

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

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language ▲	Code	# Peoples w/ this Primary Language	# Unreached w/ this 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	3 Bible Portions	-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	3 Bible Portions	-1	1	-1	-1	-1
Dyan	dya	1	0	3 Bible Portions	-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	2	2	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	3 Bible Portions	-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	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Konabere	bbo	1	0	4 New Testament	-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	2 Translation Started	-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	2 Translation Started	-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	2 Translation Started	-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	2 Translation Started	-1	-1	-1	1	-1
Wara	wbf	1	0	2 Translation Started	-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	80	27		20	41	36	70	8

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	80
Unreached People Groups	27 (33.8%)
Population	22,605,000
Population Annual Growth Rate	2.9%
Population in Unreached	5,257,000 (23.3%)
Primary Religion	Islam
Percent Christian Adherent	21.2%
Percent Evangelical	10.6%
Evangelical Annual Growth Rate	4.1%
Pioneer Workers Needed *	120
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	41%
Estimated Illiterate Population	13,337,000
Persecution Ranking	32 (1=Highest) Open Doors

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

Burkina Faso Prayer Cards / Guide
Prayer Cards All Unreached	Prayer Guide

Burkina Faso Links
Operation World
Stratus Earth Index
Prosperity Index
Social Progress Index
Open Doors Persecution Ranking
World Factbook
Religious Freedom Report
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing
National Bible Society

Burkina Faso Videos
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