Burkina Faso

§1. Burkina Faso Introduction

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. 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.

§2. Burkina Faso Geography

Location:
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 274,200 km²
  land: 273,800 km²
  water: 400 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Colorado

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

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

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

Irrigated land:
  250 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts

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

Geography - note:
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and
  White Voltas

§3. Burkina Faso People

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.)

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.)

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

Population growth rate:
  3% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

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

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.85 years
  male: 47.33 years
  female: 50.42 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  300,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  29,000 (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 is a high risk in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)

Nationality:
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:
  Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

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

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

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

§4. Burkina Faso Government

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

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Ouagadougou

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

Independence:
  5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:
  2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; amended
  April 2000

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6 November
    2000)
  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; 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, and allowing the president to be
    reelected only once; 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%

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 5 May 2002 (next to be held
    May 2007)
  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

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or RDA-ADF
  [Herman YAMEOGO]; 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 or PDP [Joseph
  KI-ZERBO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union of Greens for the
  Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Cynthia AKUETTEH
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S. Department
    of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 306723
  FAX: [226] 303890

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

§5. Burkina Faso Economy

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 harsh
  climatic conditions. Cotton is the key crop and the government has joined
  with other cotton producing countries in the region 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $16.83 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $5.394 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 39.5%
  industry: 19.3%
  services: 41.3% (2004 est.)

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% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.033 billion
  expenditures: $1.382 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  375.6 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  349.3 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  8,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-562 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $395 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:
  China 31.9%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $992 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:
  France 29.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 16%, Togo 9.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $791 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.85 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $468.4 million (2003)

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

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Burkina Faso Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  81,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  398,000 (2004)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .bf

Internet hosts:
  373 (2005)

Internet users:
  53,200 (2005)

§7. Burkina Faso Transportation

Airports:
  33 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 17 (2005)

Railways:
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 12,506 km
  paved: 2,001 km
  unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

§8. Burkina Faso Military

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for
  voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,664,572 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,323,548 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $74.83 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (2005 est.)

§9. Burkina Faso Transnational Issues

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


<Factbook 2006>
