Edition 2007 — Burkina Faso

Administrative divisions

45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.8% (male 3,267,202/female 3,235,190) 15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,513,559/female 3,538,623) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 140,083/female 208,315) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

34 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
total: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Area

land: 273,800 sq km
total: 274,200 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Colorado

Background

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries. Geography Burkina Faso

Birth rate

45.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $1.714 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
revenues: $1.158 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W
name: Ouagadougou
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; amended April 2000 and January 2002

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
local long form: none
local short form: Burkina Faso

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code

XOF

Current account balance

$-604.6 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

15.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.85 billion (2003)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440
telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

Disputes - international

two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.2 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$468.4 million (2003)

Economy - overview

One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the CFA franc currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance. Burkina Faso is eligible for a Millenium Challenge Account grant, which would increase investment in the country's human capital.

Electricity - consumption

372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

400 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 69.9%
hydro: 30.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 523.721 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
head of government: Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest YONLI (since 6 November 2000)

Exports

$543.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners

China 39.8%, Singapore 13.1%, Thailand 5.9%, Ghana 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Niger 4% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 667-1882

[226] 50-30-38-90, 50-31-23-68

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Burkina Faso

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 Economy Burkina Faso

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 32.6%
industry: 19.7%
services: 47.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.821 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$17.87 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas People Burkina Faso

Government type

parliamentary republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

300,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)
lowest 10%: 2%

Imports

$1.016 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners

France 23.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 23.3%, Togo 6.7% (2005)

Independence

5 August 1960 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

14% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
male: 99.17 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 91.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.bf

Internet hosts

399 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

64,600 (2005) Transportation Burkina Faso

Investment (gross fixed)

20.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Labor force

5 million
note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
total: 3,193 km

Land use

arable land: 17.66%
other: 82.12% (2005)
permanent crops: 0.22%

Languages

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

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, other 17
elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female: 50.42 years (2006 est.)
male: 47.33 years
total population: 48.85 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 16.6% (2003 est.) Government Burkina Faso
male: 36.9%
total population: 26.6%

Location

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 2,651,687 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)
male: 16.3 years
total: 16.5 years

Military branches

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso), National Gendarmerie (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$74.83 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.3% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

National holiday

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Nationality

adjective: Burkinabe
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts

Natural resources

manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

Political parties and leaders

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Population

13,902,972
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

45% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

3% (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios

394,020 (2000)

Railways

narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2005)
total: 622 km

Religions

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.328 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved: 4,766 km
total: 15,272 km
unpaved: 10,506 km (2004) Military Burkina Faso

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

Suffrage

universal

Telephone system

domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations
general assessment: all services only fair
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

97,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

572,200 (2005)

Television broadcast stations