1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 274,200 sq km land area: 273,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Climate
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
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
International disputes
following mutual acceptance of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in December 1986 on their international boundary dispute, Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Irrigated land
160 sq km (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, north of Ghana
Map references
Africa
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 2,488,662; male 2,517,245) 15-64 years: 49% (female 2,707,601; male 2,378,957) 65 years and over: 3% (female 184,578; male 145,785) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
48.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
18.22 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Mossi (about 2.5 million), Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Infant mortality rate
116.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA (most adults are employed in subsistance 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)
Languages
French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 46.6 years male: 45.71 years female: 47.51 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 18% male: 28% female: 9%
Nationality
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Net migration rate
-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
10,422,828 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
2.79% (1995 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Total fertility rate
6.88 children born/woman (1995 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
elections last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 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
Capital
Ouagadougou
Constitution
2 June 1991
Digraph
UV
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
Executive branch
chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987); election last held December 1991 head of government: Prime Minister Roch KABORE (since March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
FAX
[226] 312368
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
unicameral
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, 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, 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, Simon COMPAORE, Secretary General; 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
Suffrage
none
Type
parliamentary
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
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: $483 million expenditures: $548 million, including capital expenditures of $189 million (1992)
Currency
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: 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
capacity: 60,000 kW production: 190 million kWh consumption per capita: 17 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1995), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) 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
Exports
$273 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: cotton, gold, animal products partners: EC 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Taiwan 15% (1992)
External debt
$865 million (December 1991 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$636 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum partners: EC 49%, Africa 24%, Japan 6% (1992)
Industrial production
growth rate 6.7% (1992); accounts for about 15% of GDP
Industries
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold mining and extraction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.6% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$660 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
0.4% (1993 est.)
Overview
One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina 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 provides about 40% of GDP and is mainly of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP. Following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies. Even with the best of plans, however, the government faces formidable problems on all sides.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
NA telephones; all services only fair local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay, wire, and radio communication stations international: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 48 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 26 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 16
Highways
total: 16,500 km paved: 1,300 km unpaved: improved earth 7,400 km; unimproved earth 7,800 km (1985)
Ports
none
Railroads
total: 620 km (520 km Ouagadougou to Cote d'Ivoire border and 100 km Ouagadougou to Kaya; single track) narrow gauge: 620 km 1.000-m gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 6.4% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ BURMA
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 2,081,999; males fit for military service 1,065,605 (1995 est.)