Guide to Burkina Faso Introduction Background: Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Geography Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries: total
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
Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 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
Geography - note: landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas
People Population: 13,925,313 note
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.53% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 44.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 6.23 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 300,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 29,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk
Nationality: noun
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
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo
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; amended April 2000
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: universal
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; 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 MBDHP; 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, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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 Economy - overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Cotton is the key crop and the government has joined with other cotton producing countries in the region to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. 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; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over microeconomic policies, including reducing the trade deficit and implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.74 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 5 million note
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Population below poverty line: 45% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 48.2 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 29.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate: 14% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 361 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 335.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Current account balance: $-471.7 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $418.6 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: cotton, livestock, gold
Exports - partners: China 32.1%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3% (2004)
Imports: $866.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum
Imports - partners: France 29.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 16%, Togo 9.8% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $474.9 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $484.1 million (1995)
Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 65,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 227,000 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)
Radios: 394,020 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
Televisions: 131,340 (2002)
Internet country code: .bf
Internet hosts: 442 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)
Internet users: 48,000 (2003)
Transportation Railways: total
Highways: total
Airports: 33 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $64.2 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (2004)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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