|
|
|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Western
Africa, north of Ghana |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
13 00 N,
2 00 W |
|
Map references:
|
Africa
|
|
Area:
|
total:
274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly
larger than Colorado |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584
km, Ghana 549 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,
phosphates, pumice, salt |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 14.43%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 85.38% (2001) |
|
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
the Black, Red, and White Voltas |
|
Population:
|
13,925,313
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 2005 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 46% (male 3,213,436/female 3,193,253)
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,487,201/female
3,635,673)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 164,418/female
231,332) (2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
16.82 years
male: 16.43 years
female: 17.22 years (2005 est.) |
|
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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
97.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 105.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 89.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 48.45 years
male: 46.96 years
female: 49.99 years (2005 est.) |
|
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: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in
some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
(2004) |
|
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: 26.6%
male: 36.9%
female: 16.6% (2003 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta |
|
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: 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 five-year term; election last held 15 November 1998
(next to be held NA 2005); in April 2000, the
constitution was amended reducing the presidential term
from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and
allowing the president to be reelected only once; it is
unclear whether this amendment will be applied
retroactively or not; 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 |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held 5
May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5,
PAI 5, others 17 |
|
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: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
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 Anthony HOLMES
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba,
Secteur 4
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01;
pouch mail - U. S. Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou
Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440
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 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: 39.5%
industry: 19.3%
services: 41.3% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
5 million
note: a large part of the male labor force
migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal
employment (2003) |
|
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%: 2%
highest 10%: 46.8% (1994) |
|
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: $695.2 million
expenditures: $876.3 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
|
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: 69.9%
hydro: 30.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
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 |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
65,400
(2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
227,000
(2003) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
|
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) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends
into Cote D'Ivoire (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
12,506 km
paved: 2,001 km
unpaved: 10,505 km (1999) |
|
Airports:
|
33 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.) |
|
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: 2,664,572 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 1,323,548 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$64.2
million (2004) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.3%
(2004) |
|
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 |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
