Burkina Faso

§1. Burkina Faso 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.

§2. Burkina Faso Geography

Location:
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 274,200 kmē
  land: 273,800 kmē
  water: 400 kmē

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 kmē (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

§3. Burkina Faso People

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.)

§4. Burkina Faso Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:
  parliamentary

Capital:
  Ouagadougou

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

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 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

§5. Burkina Faso Economy

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.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

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

Currency code:
  XOF

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

§6. Burkina Faso Communications

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)

Radios:
  370,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  100,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2000)

§7. Burkina Faso Transportation

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)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  33 (2000 est.)

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.)

§8. Burkina Faso Military

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)

§9. Burkina Faso Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
