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.

Western Africa, north of Ghana

13 00 N, 2 00 W

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

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

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

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

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

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

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

250 sq km (2003)

recurring droughts

recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

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

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.)

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.)

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

3% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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.)

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.)

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

6.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)

4.2% (2003 est.)

300,000 (2003 est.)

29,000 (2003 est.)

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)

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe

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

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

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

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

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

parliamentary republic

Ouagadougou

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

5 August 1960 (from France)

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

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

based on French civil law system and customary law

universal

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

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

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.

$16.83 billion (2005 est.)

$5.394 billion (2005 est.)

4.5% (2005 est.)

$1,200 (2005 est.)

agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 19.3%
services: 41.3% (2004 est.)

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

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

45% (2003 est.)

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

48.2 (1998)

3% (2005 est.)

20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

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

14% (2001 est.)

375.6 million kWh (2003)

349.3 million kWh (2003)

8,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

-$562 million (2005 est.)

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

cotton, livestock, gold

China 32%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3% (2004)

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

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

France 27.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 19.7%, Togo 9.4% (2004)

$791 million (2005 est.)

$1.85 billion (2003)

$468.4 million (2003)

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

calendar year

81,400 (2004)

398,000 (2004)

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)

AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

1 (2002)

.bf

373 (2005)

53,200 (2005)

33 (2005)

total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (2005)

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

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

Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (2005)

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