1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline
none - landlocked
Comparative area
slightly larger than Colorado
Disputes
the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Environment
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy; overgrazing; deforestation
Land area
273,800 km2
Land boundaries
3,192 km; Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Ivory Coast 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Land use
arable land 10%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 37%; forest and woodland 26%; other 27%, includes irrigated NEGL%
Maritime claims
none - landlocked
Natural resources
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
Note
landlocked
Terrain
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Total area
274,200 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
49 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
16 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
more than 50 tribes; principal tribe is Mossi (about 2.5 million); other important groups are Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani
Infant mortality rate
117 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
3,300,000 residents; 30,000 are wage earners; agriculture 82%, industry 13%, commerce, services, and government 5%; 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (1984); 44% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
French (official); tribal languages belong to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
Life expectancy at birth
52 years male, 53 years female (1992)
Literacy
18% (male 28%, female 9%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun - Burkinabe (singular and plural); adjective - Burkinabe
Net migration rate
--2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
four principal trade union groups represent less than 1% of population
Population
9,653,672 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)
Religions
indigenous beliefs about 65%, Muslim 25%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Total fertility rate
7.1 children born/woman (1992)
Government
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
Capital
Ouagadougou
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
Communists
small Communist party front group; some sympathizers
Constitution
June 1991
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Paul Desire KABORE; Chancery at 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-5577 or 6895 US: Ambassador Edward P. BYRNN; Embassy at Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou (mailing address is 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou); telephone [226] 30-67- 23 through 25 and [226] 33-34-22; FAX [226] 31-23-68
Elections
the National Assembly was dissolved 25 November 1980; presidential election held December 1991 and legislative election scheduled for 24 May 1992
Executive branch
President, Council of Ministers
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
Independence
5 August 1960 (from France; formerly Upper Volta)
Judicial branch
Appeals Court
Legal system
based on French civil law system and customary law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) was dissolved on 25 November 1980
Long-form name
Burkina Faso
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Other political or pressure groups
committees for the defense of the revolution, watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
Political parties and leaders
Organization for Popular Democracy (ODP/MT), ruling party; Coordination of Democratic Forces (CFD), composed of opposition parties
Suffrage
none
Type
military; established by coup on 4 August 1983
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 40% of GDP; cash crops - peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops - sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains
Budget
revenues $275 million; expenditures $287 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $113 million
Electricity
120,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987)
Exports
$262 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: oilseeds, cotton, live animals, gold partners: EC 42% (France 30%, other 12%), Taiwan 17%, Ivory Coast 15% (1985)
External debt
$962 million (December 1990 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $2.9 billion, per capita $320 (1988); real growth rate 1.3% (1990 est.)
Imports
$619 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: grain, dairy products, petroleum, machinery partners: EC 37% (France 23%, other 14%), Africa 31%, US 15% (1985)
Industrial production
growth rate 5.7% (1990 est.), accounts for about 15% of GDP (1988)
Industries
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
--0.5% (1989)
Overview
One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina has a high population density, few natural resources, and relatively infertile soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is entirely of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
48 total, 38 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
2 major transport aircraft
Highways
16,500 km total; 1,300 km paved, 7,400 km improved, 7,800 km unimproved (1985)
Railroads
620 km total; 520 km Ouagadougou to Ivory Coast border and 100 km Ouagadougou to Kaya; all 1.00-meter gauge and single track
Telecommunications
all services only fair; radio relay, wire, and radio communication stations in use; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, Peoples' Militia
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 2.7% of GDP (1988 est.)
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 1,904,647; 971,954 fit for military service; no conscription