1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 274,200 km2 land area: 273,800 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Climate
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Environment
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy; overgrazing; deforestation
International 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
Irrigated land
160 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 3,192 km, Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 37% forest and woodland: 26% other: 27%
Location
Western Africa, between Ghana and Mali
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
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
People and Society
Birth rate
48.8 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
18.19 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Mossi (about 2.5 million), Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Infant mortality rate
119.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
3.3 million residents; 30,000 are wage earners by occupation: agriculture 82%, industry 13%, commerce, services, and government 5% note: 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
total population: 47.47 years male: 46.66 years female: 48.3 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 18% male: 28% female: 9%
Nationality
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Net migration rate
-2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
9,852,529 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.83% (1993 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 25%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Total fertility rate
7 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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
Assembly of People's Deputies
last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (107 total), ODP-MT 78, CNPP-PSD 12, RDA 6, ADF 4, other 7
Capital
Ouagadougou
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
Constitution
June 1991
Digraph
UV
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: (vacant) chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-5577 or 6895
Executive branch
president, Council of Ministers
FAX
[226] 31-23-68
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)
Judicial branch
Appeals Court
Legal system
based on French civil law system and customary law
Legislative branch
Assembly of People's Deputies note: the current law also provides for a second consultative chamber, which had not been formally constituted as of 1 July 1992
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
Names
conventional long form: Burkina Faso conventional short form: Burkina former: Upper Volta
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 People's Democracy-Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party, Marc Christian Roch KABORE; National Convention of Progressive Patriots-Social Democratic Party (CNPP-PSD), Pierre TAPSOBA; African Democratic Assembly (RDA), Gerard Kango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation (ADF), Herman YAMEOGO
President
last held December 1991
Suffrage
none
Type
parliamentary
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward P. BYRNN embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou telephone: [226] 30-67- 23 through 25
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 30% of GDP; cash crops - peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops - sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains
Budget
revenues $495 million; expenditures $786 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)
Currency
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 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)
Exports
$304.8 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: cotton, gold, animal products partners: EC 45%, Taiwan 15%, Cote d'Ivoire 15% (1987)
External debt
$865 million (December 1991 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$593 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum partners: EC 51%, Africa 25%, US 6% (1987)
Industrial production
growth rate 5.7% (1990 est.), accounts for about 23% of GDP (1989)
Industries
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold mining and extraction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-1% (1990)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion (1991)
National product per capita
$350 (1991)
National product real growth rate
1.3% (1990 est.)
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
total: 48 usable: 38 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 8
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 Cote d'Ivoire border and 100 km Ouagadougou to Kaya; all 1.00-meter gauge and single track
Telecommunications
all services only fair; microwave 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, People's Militia
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,947,935; fit for military service 995,532 (1993 est.); no conscription