Burkina Faso

Internet country code

.bf

Internet hosts

193 (2007)

Internet users

80,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2001)

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 and stands at about 7 per 100 persons domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

94,800 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.017 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2002)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.088 billion expenditures: $1.36 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

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

Current account balance

$-629 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.85 billion (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.5 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$659.6 million (2005)

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 Millennium Challenge Account grant, which would increase investment in the country's human capital.

Electricity - consumption

480.1 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

516.2 million kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Exports

$606 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners

China 41.9%, Singapore 14.4%, Ghana 5.9%, Thailand 4.9%, Niger 4.4% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.886 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$18.94 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 30% industry: 19% services: 51% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.2% (2003)

Imports

$1.188 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 22.9%, France 20.1%, Zimbabwe 11.4%, Togo 6.3% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

14% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.5% of GDP (2006 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% industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 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)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

46.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$554.9 million (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 274,200 sq km 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

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

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

2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; 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 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 FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90, 50-31-23-68

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

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%

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

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, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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, RDA-ADF 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; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Convention of the Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B; 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]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS; Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS

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

Suffrage

universal

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.

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.)

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.7% (male 3,356,737/female 3,327,058) 15-64 years: 50.9% (male 3,635,152/female 3,650,303) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 141,554/female 215,399) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

45.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

15.31 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 89.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 81.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 49.21 years male: 47.68 years female: 50.8 years (2007 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 is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis 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)

Median age

total: 16.5 years male: 16.3 years female: 16.7 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

14,326,203 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 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

2.997% (2007 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.657 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.41 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

two villages remain in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; 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 over 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

Airports

33 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2007)

Railways

total: 622 km narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2006)

Roadways

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