The provinces of Burkina Faso are divided into 351 departments (as of 2014 and since local elections of 2012), whose urbanized areas (cities, towns and villages) are grouped into the same commune (municipality) with the same name as the department. The department also covers rural areas (including national natural parks) that are not governed locally by the elected municipal council of the commune (presided by its mayor, with representants elected for each village or urban sector), but by the state represented at departmental level by a prefect (supervized by the haut-commissaire of its province, themself assisted by a general secretary and acting under the hierarchic authority the governor of its region, all of them being nominated by the national government).
The 351 communes (municipalities) created for each one of these departments have three kinds of status :
Departments (or communes) generally have the same name as their capital city or town, with a few exceptions (for historical reasons). For the local elections in 2012, communes were created in each department that still did not have one (village councils were kept but operate at advisory level under the supervision of their commune: each administrative village or urban sector elects at least 2 seats in the municipal council of their commune; for other elections at regional or national level, the smallest electoral circonscription is the whole department).
An arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands.
The regions of Burkina Faso are divided into 45 administrative provinces. These 45 provinces are currently sub-divided into 351 departments or communes.
Banfora is a city in southwestern Burkina Faso, with a population of 117,452 making it the sixth most populous city in Burkina Faso. It is the capital of the Comoe province. The city lies 85 kilometres (53 mi) south-west of Bobo-Dioulasso, on the Abidjan – Ouagadougou Railway. The Cascades de Karfiguéla are a series of waterfalls close to Banfora.
Balé is one of the 45 provinces of Burkina Faso, located in its Boucle du Mouhoun Region with Boromo as capital. Its area is 4,596 km2 (1,775 sq mi), and had a population of 297,367 in 2019. The province is known for its Deux Balé Forest, populated by savannah elephant herds. Boromo, the provincial capital, is located on the main road from Ouagadougou to Bobo-Dioulasso. In June 2007, the Canadian mining company, Semafo, open the third gold mine in the country in Mana in the province, with an investment of about $116 million.
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
Houet is one of the 45 provinces of Burkina Faso, located in its Hauts-Bassins Region. The capital of Houet is Bobo-Dioulasso. In 2019, the province had a population of 1,509,377.
Centre is one of Burkina Faso's 13 administrative regions. The population of Centre Province was 1,727,390 at the 2006 census and increased by 75.6% in 13 years to 3,030,384 at the 2019 census, of which 50.8% was female. It is the most populous and urbanised region in Burkina Faso; in 2019 14.8% of Burkina Faso's population lived in Centre. The region's capital is Ouagadougou, which also serves as the national capital. Centre region consists of only one province, Kadiogo.
Centre-Ouest is one of Burkina Faso's 13 administrative regions. The population of Centre-Ouest was 1,659,339 in 2019. The region's capital is Koudougou. Four provinces make up the region.
Est is one of Burkina Faso's 13 administrative regions. It was created on 2 July 2001. The region's capital is Fada N'gourma. Five provinces make up the region—Gnagna, Gourma, Komondjari, Kompienga, and Tapoa.
Hauts-Bassins is one of Burkina Faso's thirteen administrative regions. It was created on 2 July 2001. The region's capital is Bobo Dioulasso. Three provinces make up the region—Houet, Kénédougou, and Tuy.
Tenkodogo is the capital city of Boulgou Province and the Centre-Est Region of Burkina Faso with a population of 61,936 (2019). Tenkodogo is also the capital of the Tenkodogo Mossi Kingdom and considered to be root of all other Mossi Kingdoms, having been found circa 1100. The literal translation of Tenkodogo is ancient-land.
Boussouma is a department or commune of Sanmatenga Province in central Burkina Faso. Its capital lies at the town of Boussouma.
Namissiguima is a department or commune of Sanmatenga Province in central Burkina Faso. Its capital lies at the town of Namissiguima.
Namissiguima is a department or commune of Yatenga Province in northern Burkina Faso. Its capital lies at the town of Namissiguima.
Burkina Faso is divided into thirteen regions, forty-five provinces, and 351 departments.
The 2011 Burkina Faso protests were a series of popular protests in Burkina Faso.
Koumbia is a town in southwestern Burkina Faso, capital of the rural municipality and Department of Koumbia in Tuy Province. It is situated about 70 km east of Bobo-Dioulasso along the trunk road Route nationale N1 to Ouagadougou where the Route régionale R25 joins the N1.
Pama is a department or commune of Kompienga Province in Burkina Faso. Its capital is the town of Pama.
Nadiagou is a village in the department and urban commune of Pama, located in the province of Kompienga in Burkina Faso. It is the main crossing point at the border with Togo and Benin.