Centre-Nord: population, poverty, schools, health, electricity and regional budgets
Centre-Nord is a region of Burkina Faso, number 4 of 13 by population. The INSD projects the population of the Centre-Nord region at 2,252,997 for 2026, 9.1% of Burkina Faso's 24.74 million; 4th largest of the 13 regions. The projection starts from the 2019 census and does not count people who have since fled insecurity to other regions.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Centre-Nord: The national power utility had 36,153 low-voltage customers in Centre-Nord at the end of 2024, 17 per 1,000 people, 3rd lowest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 49); there were 21,172 in 2018.
- Health in Centre-Nord: For every 1,000 babies born in Centre-Nord, 30 died before their first birthday and 59 before their fifth, according to the 2021 Demographic and Health Survey; the under-five rate is 6th highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 30 and 48).
- Education in Centre-Nord: 39.3% of people aged 15 and over in Centre-Nord could read and write in 2021, 5th highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 42.0%).
- Poverty and living standards in Centre-Nord: 49.6% of people in Centre-Nord lived below the national poverty line in 2021 (Harmonised Survey on Household Living Conditions, EHCVM), 5th highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 43.2%). The region holds 10.5% of the country's poor.
How fast is Centre-Nord's population growing?
The projections add 59,512 people to Centre-Nord between 2025 and 2026, growth of 2.71% in a year (Burkina Faso: 2.77%).
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyHow many people did the 2019 census count in Centre-Nord?
The 2019 general census counted 1,874,669 people in Centre-Nord, up from 1,202,025 in 2006, with 95.0 people per square kilometre (Burkina Faso: 20,505,155 and 75.1 per km²).
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyHow many children do women in Centre-Nord have?
Women in Centre-Nord had 5.1 children each on average in 2021, according to the Demographic and Health Survey, 3rd highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 4.4; Centre-Nord in 2010: 6.7).
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyHow much money does the Centre-Nord regional council have?
The Centre-Nord regional council collected 2,050 million CFA francs in revenue in 2023 according to its administrative accounts, about 988 francs per resident, 6th lowest of the 13 regions per person (all 13 councils: 26,918 million).
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyHow much does the Centre-Nord regional council spend?
The Centre-Nord regional council spent 721 million CFA francs in 2023, 35% of its revenue for the year (all councils: 9,258 million, 34%).
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyMore figures
- Revenue of the Centre-Nord regional council went from 1,295 million CFA francs in 2019 to 2,050 million in 2023 (all councils: 13,438 to 26,918 million). Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copy
How regions are governed in Burkina Faso
Regions (17 since the July 2025 reorganisation; 13 before). Governor appointed by central government; the elected regional council has been replaced by an appointed special delegation since 2022. Both a state administrative area and, in law, a local government for planning and development.
Every tier of government in Burkina Faso
Other regions of Burkina Faso
- Centre 3,891,214
- Hauts-Bassins 2,723,874
- Est 2,375,271
- Boucle du Mouhoun 2,222,560
- Nord 2,039,335
- Centre-Ouest 1,961,304
- Centre-Est 1,882,070
- Sahel 1,282,085
- Plateau-Central 1,151,005
- Sud-Ouest 1,037,896
- Cascades 1,004,913
- Centre-Sud 912,304
Up a level: Burkina Faso · government and power in Burkina Faso · cities
Sources
- Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD): Annuaire statistique national 2024 (census, EHCVM poverty, education, health, energy, water, roads, agriculture, regional council accounts, road accidents by region), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9f9fc3790552…)
- INSD and ICF (The DHS Program): Enquête démographique et de santé du Burkina Faso 2021: rapport des indicateurs clés (Tables 9, 10, 12 and 20 by region), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36556756d8db…)
- Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD): RGPH 2019, Volume 4: Projections démographiques 2020-2035 (national synoptic table and regional tables by year), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6d6b78160572…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.