1996 Edition

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

Location

13 00 N, 2 00 W -- Western Africa, north of Ghana Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than Colorado

land area

273,800 sq km

total area

274,200 sq km

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

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

natural hazards

recurring droughts

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Geographic note

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

Irrigated land

160 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

total

3,192 km

Land use

arable land

10%

forest and woodland

26%

meadows and pastures

37%

other

27%

permanent crops

0%

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

Terrain

mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast

highest point

Tena Kourou 749 m

lowest point

Black Volta River 200 m

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.)

Birth rate

47.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

19.99 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Mossi about 24%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Infant mortality rate

117.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population

Life expectancy at birth

female

42.95 years (1996 est.)

male

43.46 years

total population

43.21 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

9.2%

male

29.5%

total population

19.2%

Nationality

adjective

Burkinabe

noun

Burkinabe (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

10,623,323 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.53% (1996 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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

Total fertility rate

6.8 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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 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

Capital

Ouagadougou

Constitution

2 June 1991

Data code

UV

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGO

telephone

[1] (202) 332-5577, 6895

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

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

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

Independence

5 August 1960 (from France)

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

Judicial branch

Appeals Court

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Burkina Faso

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, 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

Suffrage

none

Type of government

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

Agriculture

peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Budget

expenditures

$548 million, including capital expenditures of $189 million (1992)

revenues

$483 million

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

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.

Electricity

capacity

60,000 kW

consumption per capita

17 kWh (1993)

production

190 million kWh

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

Exports

$273 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

cotton, gold, animal products

partners

EC, Cote d'Ivoire, Taiwan, Thailand

External debt

$1 billion (December 1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

32%

industry

24%

services

44% (1990 est.)

GDP per capita

$700 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1995 est.)

Imports

$636 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

machinery, food products, petroleum

partners

EC, Africa, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold

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%

Branches

Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 6.4% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

2,149,485

males fit for military service

1,101,184 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

all services only fair

domestic

microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

21,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1987 est.)

Televisions

49,000 (1991 est.) Defense

Airports

total

23

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways over 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.)

Highways

paved

1,280 km

total

16,400 km

unpaved

15,120 km (1987 est.)

Ports

none

Railways

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)

total

622 km (1995 est.)