2009 Edition

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. In January 2008, Burkina Faso assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Area

total: 274,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 74 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%) per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

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, phosphates, pumice, salt

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

17.5 cu km (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648) 15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

44.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Death rate

13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 98

Ethnic groups

Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - deaths

9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

130,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Infant mortality rate

total: 84.49 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 15 male: 92.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.95 years country comparison to the world: 199 male: 51.04 years female: 54.91 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Median age

total: 16.8 years male: 16.6 years female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Net migration rate

NA

Population

15,746,232 country comparison to the world: 61 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate

3.103% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 5 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Urbanization

urban population: 20% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Capital

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

Constitution

approved by referendum 2 June 1991; formally adopted 11 June 1991; last amended January 2002

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel C. LAEUCHLI 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

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister 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 election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%

FAX

[1] (202) 667-1882

[226] 50-30-38-90

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

5 August 1960 (from France)

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), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1

National holiday

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Political parties and leaders

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Democratic and Popular Rally or RDP [Nana THIBAUT]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Soumane TOURE]; Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Jeanne TRAORE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Fidele HIEN]; Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende STANISLAS]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON]; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE]; Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO]; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE] other: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.409 billion expenditures: $1.786 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA

Current account balance

-$931 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 -$564 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.665 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $1.33 billion (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 64 48.2 (1994)

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 in the World Trade Organization for fewer subsidies to producers in other competing countries. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a gradual but successful privatization of state-owned enterprises. Having revised its investment code in 2004, Burkina Faso hopes to attract foreign investors. Thanks to this new code and other legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration and production. While the bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire is beginning to be resolved, it is still having a negative effect on Burkina Faso's trade and employment. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) threshold grant to improve girls' education at the primary school level, and signed an MCC compact that focuses on the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, and land reform in July 2008.

Electricity - consumption

568.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

611.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Exports

$544 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $618 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners

Singapore 17%, Belgium 12.9%, China 11.3%, Thailand 9.1%, Ghana 7%, Niger 5.2%, Denmark 4.9% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 29.1% industry: 19.9% services: 51% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $1,200 (2007 est.) $1,200 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 3.7% (2007 est.) 5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.116 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$17.96 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $17.11 billion (2007 est.) $16.5 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.2% (2004)

Imports

$1.343 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1.221 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 26.7%, France 18.4%, Togo 7.4%, Libya 4.2% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 -0.2% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Labor force

6.668 million country comparison to the world: 64 note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - imports

8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Population below poverty line

46.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$926.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA (31 December 2008) $905.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$NA (31 December 2008) $1.051 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$NA (31 December 2008) $663 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

77% (2004) country comparison to the world: 197

Internet country code

.bf

Internet hosts

1,951 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150

Internet users

140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)

Telephone system

general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

144,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.553 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Television broadcast stations

3 (1 national, 2 private)

Airports

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Railways

total: 622 km country comparison to the world: 109 narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2008)

Roadways

total: 92,495 km country comparison to the world: 51 paved: 3,857 km unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,197,557 females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 182,540 female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 129

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in supporting roles (2009)

Disputes - international

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a 2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of more than 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations page last updated on November 11, 2009