Map of Burkina Faso | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background: Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in 1960. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana.


top of page


Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 274,200 km²
Land: 273,800 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries: total 3,192 km, Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 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

Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 37%
Forest and woodland: 26%
Other: 27%

Irrigated land: 160 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: landlocked


top of page


Population: 10,422,828 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.79% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
Adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups: Mossi (about 2.5 million), Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

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

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 2,488,662; male 2,517,245)
15-64 years: 49% (female 2,707,601; male 2,378,957)
65 years and over: 3% (female 184,578; male 145,785) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.79% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 48.05 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 18.22 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
Current issues natural hazards: recurring droughts
Current issues 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 116.9 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 46.6 years
Male: 45.71 years
Female: 47.51 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.88 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 18%
Male: 28%
Female: 9%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Burkina Faso
Conventional short form: Burkina
Former: Upper Volta

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Ouagadougou

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)

Constitution: 2 June 1991

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: none

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987); election last held December 1991
Head of government: Prime Minister Roch KABORE (since March 1994)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of People's Deputies: elections last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 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

Judicial branch: Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, 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, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGO
In the us chancery: 2,340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-5,577, 6,895
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL
From the us embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou
From the us mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
From the us telephone: [226] 306,723 through 306,725
From the us FAX: [226] 312,368

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina 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 provides about 40% of GDP and is mainly of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP. Following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies. Even with the best of plans, however, the government faces formidable problems on all sides.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0.4% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $660 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for about 40% of GDP; cash crops - peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops - sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.7% (1992; accounts for about 15% of GDP

Labor force: NA (most adults are employed in subsistance agriculture)
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation commerce services and government: 5%
Note: 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (1984)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $483 million
Expenditures: $548 million, including capital expenditures of $189 million (1992)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $273 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: cotton, gold, animal products
Partners: EC 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Taiwan 15% (1992)

Imports: $636 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: machinery, food products, petroleum
Partners: EC 49%, Africa 24%, Japan 6% (1992)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $865 million (December 1991 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1995), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)
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


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 60,000 kW
Production: 190 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 17 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system: NA telephones; all services only fair
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay, wire, and radio communication stations
International: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $104 million, 6.4% of GDP (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 48
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 26
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: following mutual acceptance of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in December 1986 on their international boundary dispute, Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs