Est: population, poverty, schools, health, electricity and regional budgets
Est is a region of Burkina Faso, number 3 of 13 by population. The INSD projects the population of the Est region at 2,375,271 for 2026, 9.6% of Burkina Faso's 24.74 million; 3rd 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 Est: The national power utility had 28,307 low-voltage customers in Est at the end of 2024, 13 per 1,000 people, the lowest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 49); there were 21,244 in 2018.
- Health in Est: For every 1,000 babies born in Est, 30 died before their first birthday and 60 before their fifth, according to the 2021 Demographic and Health Survey; the under-five rate is 5th highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 30 and 48). Insecurity kept the survey out of large parts of this region, and the survey report says its figures for the region should be read with caution.
- Education in Est: 32.9% of people aged 15 and over in Est could read and write in 2021, 4th lowest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 42.0%).
- Poverty and living standards in Est: 53.9% of people in Est lived below the national poverty line in 2021 (Harmonised Survey on Household Living Conditions, EHCVM), 4th highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 43.2%). The region holds 11.9% of the country's poor.
How fast is Est's population growing?
The projections add 67,750 people to Est between 2025 and 2026, growth of 2.94% 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 Est?
The 2019 general census counted 1,942,805 people in Est, up from 1,212,284 in 2006, with 41.0 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 Est have?
Women in Est had 5.5 children each on average in 2021, according to the Demographic and Health Survey, 2nd highest of the 13 regions (Burkina Faso: 4.4; Est in 2010: 7.5). Insecurity kept the survey out of large parts of this region, and the survey report says its figures for the region should be read with caution.
Source: Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) · saved copyHow much money does the Est regional council have?
The Est regional council collected 2,199 million CFA francs in revenue in 2023 according to its administrative accounts, about 1,012 francs per resident, 7th highest 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 Est regional council spend?
The Est regional council spent 1,703 million CFA francs in 2023, 77% 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 Est regional council went from 1,202 million CFA francs in 2019 to 2,199 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
- Centre-Nord 2,252,997
- 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…)
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