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 Match 41   DB Rec# - 7,493  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Burkina 
Text          : 
                                     Burkina 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Western Africa, north of Ghana 
Map references: 
    Africa 
Area: 
  total area: 
    274,200 sq km 
  land area: 
    273,800 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    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 
International disputes: 
    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 
Climate: 
    tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers 
Terrain: 
    mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast 
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 sq km (1989 est.) 
Environment: 


  current issues: 
    recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural 
    activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil 
    degradation; deforestation 
  natural hazards: 
    recurring droughts 
  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 
Note: 
    landlocked 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    10,422,828 (July 1995 est.) 
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.) 
Population growth rate: 
    2.79% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    48.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    18.22 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    -1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    116.9 deaths/1,000 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.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Burkinabe (singular and plural) 
  adjective: 
    Burkinabe 
Ethnic divisions: 
    Mossi (about 2.5 million), Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani 
Religions: 
    indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10% 
Languages: 
    French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 
    90% of the population 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) 
  total population: 
    18% 
  male: 


    28% 
  female: 
    9% 
Labor force: 
    NA (most adults are employed in subsistance agriculture) 
  by occupation: 
    agriculture 80%, industry 15%, commerce, services, and government 5% 
  note: 
    20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for 
    seasonal employment (1984) 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    Burkina Faso 
  conventional short form: 
    Burkina 
  former: 
    Upper Volta 
Digraph: 
    UV 
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 
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 
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: 
    Organization for People's Democracy - Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party,
 
    Simon COMPAORE, Secretary General; National Convention of Progressive 
    Patriots-Social Democratic Party (CNPP-PSD), Moussa BOLY; African Democratic
 
    Rally (RDA), Gerard Kango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation 
    (ADF), Amadou Michel NANA 
Other political or pressure groups: 
    committees for the defense of the revolution; watchdog/political action 
    groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities 
 
                                   Government 
Member of: 
    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 US: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGO 
  chancery: 
    2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 
  telephone: 
    [1] (202) 332-5577, 6895 
US diplomatic representation: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL 
  embassy: 
    Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou 
  mailing address: 
    01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 
  telephone: 
    [226] 306723 through 306725 
  FAX: 
    [226] 312368 
Flag: 
    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 
 
                                     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. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (1993 est.) 


National product real growth rate: 
    0.4% (1993 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $660 (1993 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    -0.6% (1993 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    NA% 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $483 million 
  expenditures: 
    $548 million, including capital expenditures of $189 million (1992) 
Exports: 
    $273 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    cotton, gold, animal products 
  partners: 
    EC 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Taiwan 15% (1992) 
Imports: 
    $636 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    machinery, food products, petroleum 
  partners: 
    EC 49%, Africa 24%, Japan 6% (1992) 
External debt: 
    $865 million (December 1991 est.) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate 6.7% (1992); accounts for about 15% of GDP 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    60,000 kW 
  production: 
    190 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    17 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles,
 
    gold mining and extraction 
Agriculture: 
    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 
 
                                     Economy 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US) 
    countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.9 billion; 
    Communist countries (1970-89),  $113 million 
Currency: 
    1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes 
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 
Fiscal year: 


    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
  total: 
    620 km (520 km Ouagadougou to Cote d'Ivoire border and 100 km Ouagadougou to
 
    Kaya; single track) 
  narrow gauge: 
    620 km 1.000-m gauge 
Highways: 
  total: 
    16,500 km 
  paved: 
    1,300 km 
  unpaved: 
    improved earth 7,400 km; unimproved earth 7,800 km (1985) 
Ports: 
    none 
Airports: 
  total: 
    48 
  with paved runways over 3,047 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways under 914 m: 
    26 
  with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 
    4 
  with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    16 
 
                                 Communications 
 
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 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    2 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia 
Manpower availability: 


    males age 15-49 2,081,999; males fit for military service 1,065,605 (1995 
    est.) 
Defense expenditures: 
    exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 6.4% of GDP (1994) 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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