Physical setting
Landlocked
geographic context
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Geography & Environment
Geography & Environment in Burkina Faso
OuagadougouLocal time
Geography & Environment
Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African country of broad peneplains and plateaus, with its highest terrain concentrated in the sandstone southwest around TĂ©nakourou. Climate conditions grade from Sahelian in the north toward wetter Sudanian zones farther south.
Relief anchor
Tena Kourou
named high terrain
Burkina Faso at a Glance
Interior plateaus, TĂ©nakourou's south-western high ground and a north-to-south Sahelian-Sudanian climate gradient define Burkina Faso.
Physical geography
terrain · drainage · setting
Mostly broad, gently undulating plateau with scattered low hills and sandstone uplands. The relief anchor used here is Tena Kourou; it is shown as a named physical reference rather than as a ranking claim.
Regional frameWestern Africa
SettingLandlocked
Relief focusTena Kourou
Climate pattern
Burkina Faso spans several climate zones, from the drier Sahelian north to wetter Sudanian conditions farther south, with rainfall concentrated in the warm-season rainy period.
Water and landform context
National drainage is organized through the Nakambé, Mouhoun, Niger and Comoé watershed systems, linking the country to the wider Volta, Niger and Comoé basins.
Terrain, Climate and Environment
Three connected views of Burkina Faso's physical setting.
Relief and terrain
PhysicalPeneplains cover most of Burkina Faso, while the sandstone massif in the southwest contains TĂ©nakourou, the country's highest point at 749 metres.
Climate pattern
ClimateThe national climate shifts from Sahelian conditions in the north through progressively wetter zones toward the south.
Environmental setting
EnvironmentThe Nakambé, Mouhoun, Niger and Comoé watersheds organize the country's main surface-water drainage.
Understand the landscape
What Burkina Faso's geographic profile is telling you
Burkina Faso is mostly low and gently undulating, with the strongest relief in the sandstone southwest around TĂ©nakourou. Its river basins and climate both show a broad transition from drier northern conditions toward the wetter south.
Detailed Geography & Environment Data
| Measure | Reference | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Physical setting | Landlocked | Geographic classification |
| Relief anchor | Tena Kourou | Named physical feature |
| Climate | Tropical savanna to semiarid Sahelian, with a single summer rainy season and long dry season. | |
| Terrain | Mostly broad, gently undulating plateau with scattered low hills and sandstone uplands. | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of terrain does Burkina Faso have?
At country scale, the main terrain pattern is: mostly broad, gently undulating plateau with scattered low hills and sandstone uplands.
What is Burkina Faso's climate like?
The broad climate profile varies with latitude, elevation and exposure. The source summary describes it as: tropical savanna to semiarid Sahelian, with a single summer rainy season and long dry season.
What physical feature helps explain the landscape?
A useful way to read the landscape is through the relationship between relief and drainage. The country sits on the West African interior plateau and is drained mainly by tributaries of the Volta system.
Sources & methodology
Burkina Faso's profile uses government finance and environment documents for relief, TĂ©nakourou, climate zones and national hydrography.
View sources used for this page
Burkina Faso Ministry of Finance, Biophysical Baseline
Government project reference for national relief, peneplains, the south-western sandstone massif and TĂ©nakourou at 749 metres.
Burkina Faso Environment Ministry, Climate and Hydrography
Government environmental reference for national climate and the Nakambé, Mouhoun, Niger and Comoé drainage basins.