1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than Colorado
Climate
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 2 00 W
Geography--note
landlocked
Irrigated land
200 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 3,192 km border countries: 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: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 50% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Location
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
recurring droughts
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (male 2,792,895; female 2,759,072) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,700,253; female 2,978,168) 65 years and over: 3% (male 147,017; female 198,493) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
45.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
17.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Mossi about 24%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Infant mortality rate
107.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 45.89 years male: 44.97 years female: 46.84 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 19.2% male: 29.5% female: 9.2% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Net migration rate
-1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
11,575,898 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.7% (1999 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.56 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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)
Capital
Ouagadougou
Constitution
2 June 1991
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta
Data code
UV
Executive branch
chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Kadre Desire OUEDRAOGO (since 6 February 1996) 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 number of terms which a president may serve is not limited; 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 88% percent of the vote, with 56% of voter turnout
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
Government type
parliamentary
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, MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan Rimwangulya OUEDRAOGO chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Appeals Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Nongma OUEDRAOGO, president]; Burkinabe Environmentalist Party or Political pressure groups and leaders: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or HBDHP; Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; Group of 14 February
Legal system
based on French civil law system and customary law
Legislative branch
bicameral; consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee des Deputes Populaires (ADP) (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the purely consultative Chamber of Representations or Chambre des Representants (120 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
National holiday
Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Suffrage
universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Budget
revenues: $277 million expenditures: $492 million, including capital expenditures of $233 million (1995 est.)
Currency
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$715 million (December 1996)
Economic aid--recipient
$484.1 million (1995)
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 85% 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 1999-2000 depends on continued low inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private investment.
Electricity--consumption
220 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
220 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 63.64% hydro: 36.36% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Exports
$400 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities
cotton, animal products, gold
Exports--partners
Cote d'Ivoire, France, Italy, Mali
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$11.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 35% industry: 25% services: 40% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$700 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery, food products, petroleum
Imports--partners
Cote d'Ivoire, France, Togo, Nigeria
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (1995)
Industries
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force
4.679 million (persons 10 years old and over, according to a sample survey taken in 1991) note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 85%, industry, commerce, services, government (1998)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)
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
1 (1997)
Televisions
49,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Airports
33 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 16 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1995 est.) Ports and harbors: none
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.)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$66 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 2,399,724 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,230,713 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none