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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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 |
|
