Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 274,200 sq km
land area: 273,800 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 3,192 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km,
Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: following mutual acceptance of an International Court of
Justice (ICJ) ruling in December 1986 on their international boundary dispute, Burkina
Faso and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
lowest point: 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: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 37%
forest and woodland: 26%
other: 27%
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural
activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation;
deforestation
natural hazards: recurring droughts
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not
ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic note: landlocked
Population: 10,623,323 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 2,569,806; female 2,537,106)
15-64 years: 49% (male 2,444,601; female 2,738,726)
65 years and over: 3% (male 145,479; female 187,605) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.53% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 47.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 19.99 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 117.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.21 years
male: 43.46 years
female: 42.95 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic divisions: Mossi about 24%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic)
10%
Languages: French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken
by 90% of the population
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 19.2%
male: 29.5%
female: 9.2%
Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta
Data code: UV
Type of government: parliamentary
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi,
Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,
Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Constitution: 2 June 1991
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) elected
for a seven-year term by popular vote; election last held NA December 1991 (next to be
held NA 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Roch KABORE (since NA March 1994) appointed by
the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of People's Deputies: elections last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held NA
1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (107 total), ODP-MT 78, CNPP-PSD 12,
RDA 6, ADF 4, other 7
note: the current law also provides for a second consultative chamber, which has
not been formally constituted
Judicial branch: Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: Organization for People's Democracy - Labor Movement
(ODP-MT), ruling party, Secretary General Simon COMPAORE; National Convention of
Progressive Patriots-Social Democratic Party (CNPP-PSD), Moussa BOLY; African Democratic
Rally (RDA), Gerard Kango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation (ADF), Amadou
Michel NANA
Other political or pressure groups: committees for the defense of the revolution;
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, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGO
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577, 6895
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. MCCONNELL
embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
telephone: [226] 306723 through 306725
FAX: [226] 303890
Flag: 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
Economic overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina Faso has a
high population density and a high population growth rate, few natural resources, and a
fragile soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within a
landlocked country. Agriculture is mainly subsistence farming. Industry remains dominated
by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the Communaute Financiere
Africaine currency devaluation on 12 January 1994, exports appear to have risen, but no
official figures have been released yet. The upswing apparently continued in 1995, with
growth perhaps at 4%. The government has updated its development program in conjunction
with international agencies, yet even with the best of plans, the government faces
formidable problems on all sides.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.4 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $700 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 32%
industry: 24%
services: 44% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1995 est.)
Labor force: NA (most adults are employed in subsistence agriculture)
by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry 15%, commerce, services, and government 5%
note: 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for
seasonal employment (1984)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $483 million
expenditures: $548 million, including capital expenditures of $189 million (1992)
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 60,000 kW
production: 190 million kWh
consumption per capita: 17 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;
livestock
Exports: $273 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: cotton, gold, animal products
partners: EC, Cote d'Ivoire, Taiwan, Thailand
Imports: $636 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum
partners: EC, Africa, Japan
External debt: $1 billion (December 1993 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995),
555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)
note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French
franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Railways:
total: 622 km (1995 est.)
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (517 km Ouagadougou to Cote d'Ivoire border and
105 km opened in 1993 from Ouagadougou to Kaya)
Highways:
total: 16,400 km
paved: 1,280 km
unpaved: 15,120 km (1987 est.)
Ports: none
Airports:
total: 23
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 8
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10 (1995 est.)
Telephones: 21,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: 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 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 49,000 (1991 est.)
Branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's
Militia
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 2,149,485
males fit for military service: 1,101,184 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 6.4% of GDP (1994)
Any comments or questions, please contact Manpover-member Gordon Larssen.