| Background: |
Independence
from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in
1960. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s
was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s.
Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every
year to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. |
| Location: |
Western Africa,
north of Ghana |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
13 00 N, 2 00 W |
| Area: |
total:
274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than Colorado |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
3,192 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire
584 km, Ghana 548 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo
126 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km
(landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none
(landlocked) |
| Climate: |
tropical; warm,
dry winters; hot, wet summers |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat to
dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m |
| Natural
resources: |
manganese,
limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony,
copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
13%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 50%
other: 15% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
200 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
recurring
droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
recent droughts
and desertification severely affecting agricultural
activities, population distribution, and the economy;
overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked |
| Population: |
12,272,289
note: estimates for this country explicitly
take into account the effects of excess mortality due to
AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher
infant mortality and death rates, lower population and
growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
(July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
47.5% (male 2,937,285; female 2,892,107)
15-64 years: 49.59% (male 2,903,153; female
3,183,121)
65 years and over: 2.91% (male 150,688;
female 205,935) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.68% (2001
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
44.79
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
17.05
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.97 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
106.92
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 46.41 years
male: 45.86 years
female: 46.98 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
6.35 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
6.44% (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
350,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
43,000 (1999
est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Mossi over 40%,
Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani |
| Religions: |
indigenous
beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic)
10% |
| Languages: |
French
(official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
family spoken by 90% of the population |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 19.2%
male: 29.5%
female: 9.2% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary |
| Administrative
divisions: |
30 provinces;
Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou,
Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi,
Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga,
Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili,
Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
note: a new electoral code was approved by
the National Assembly in January 1997; the number of
administrative provinces was increased from 30 to 45
(Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde,
Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo,
Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri,
Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore,
Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou,
Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo),
however, this change has not yet been confirmed by the US
Board on Geographic Names |
| Independence: |
5 August 1960
(from France) |
| National
holiday: |
Republic Day,
11 December (1958) |
| Constitution: |
2 June 1991
approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted |
| Legal
system: |
based on French
civil law system and customary law |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15
October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Ernest
Paramanga YONLI (since 6 November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by
the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a seven-year term; the president may serve unlimited
terms; election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be
held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected
president with 87.5% percent of the vote, 56% of voter
turnout
note: President COMPAORE faces an
increasingly well-coordinated opposition; recent charges
against a former member of his Presidential Guard in the
1998 assassination of a newspaper editor signify an
attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral;
consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee des Deputes
Populaires (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms) and the purely consultative
Chamber of Representations or Chambre des Representants
(178 seats; members are appointed to serve three-year
terms)
elections: National Assembly election last
held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CDP 101, PDP 6, RDA 2, ADF 2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court;
Appeals Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
African
Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Congress for Democracy and
Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for
Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Noyabtigungu Congo KABORE];
Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO];
Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO];
Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or
UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Burkinabe
General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement
for Human Rights or HBDHP; Group of 14 February; National
Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National
Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political
action groups throughout the country in both organizations
and communities |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB,
CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB,
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Bruno ZIDOUEMBA
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Jimmy J. KOLKER
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follerau, Koulouba,
Secteur 4, Ouagadougou
mailing address: B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01
telephone: [226] 306723
FAX: [226] 303890 |
| Flag
description: |
two equal
horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular
pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
| Economy
- overview: |
One of the
poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso
has a high population density, few natural resources, and
a fragile soil. About 90% of the population is engaged in
(mainly subsistence) agriculture which is highly
vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Industry remains
dominated by unprofitable government-controlled
corporations. Following the African franc currency
devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its
development program in conjunction with international
agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased.
Maintenance of its macroeconomic progress in 2001-02
depends on continued low inflation, reduction in the trade
deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private
investment. |
| GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $12 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
26%
industry: 27%
services: 47% (1998) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.2%
highest 10%: 39.5% (1994) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.5% (2000
est.) |
| Labor
force: |
5 million
(1999)
note: a large part of the male labor force
migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal
employment |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 90%
(2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$277 million
expenditures: $492 million, including capital
expenditures of $233 million (1995 est.) |
| Industries: |
cotton lint,
beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
textiles, gold |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.2% (1995) |
| Electricity
- production: |
285 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
71.93%
hydro: 28.07%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
265.1 million
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
peanuts, shea
nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;
livestock |
| Exports: |
$220 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
cotton, animal
products, gold |
| Exports
- partners: |
Italy 13%,
France 10%, Indonesia 8%, Thailand 7% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$610 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery, food
products, petroleum |
| Imports
- partners: |
Cote d'Ivoire
30%, France 28%, Spain 3%, Benelux 3% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.3 billion
(1997) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$484.1 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Exchange
rates: |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21
(January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
(1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1
January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of
655.957 XOF per euro |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
36,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1,503 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire,
and radiotelephone communication stations
international: satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 17,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
100,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bf |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
4,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
622 km (517 km from Ouagadougou to the Cote d'Ivoire
border and 105 km from Ouagadougou to Kaya)
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (1995
est.) |
| Highways: |
total:
12,506 km
paved: 2,001 km
unpaved: 10,505 km (1996) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air
Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's
Militia |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 2,592,974 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 1,329,995 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$66 million
(FY96) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2% (FY96) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
