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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 48 usable: 38 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 8

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

16,500 km total; 1,300 km paved, 7,400 km improved, 7,800 km unimproved (1985)

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

620 km total; 520 km Ouagadougou to Cote d'Ivoire border and 100 km Ouagadougou to Kaya; all 1.00-meter gauge and single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

all services only fair; microwave radio relay, wire, and radio communication stations in use; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,947,935; fit for military service 995,532 (1993 est.); no conscription

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 30% of GDP; cash crops - peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops - sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains

Budget [time series]

revenues $495 million; expenditures $786 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

120,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$304.8 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: cotton, gold, animal products partners: EC 45%, Taiwan 15%, Cote d'Ivoire 15% (1987)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$865 million (December 1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$593 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum partners: EC 51%, Africa 25%, US 6% (1987)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 5.7% (1990 est.), accounts for about 23% of GDP (1989)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-1% (1990)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion (1991)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$350 (1991)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.3% (1990 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina has a high population density, few natural resources, and relatively infertile soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is entirely of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 274,200 km2 land area: 273,800 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado

Climate [time series]

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

recent droughts and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy; overgrazing; deforestation

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Irrigated land [time series]

160 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 37% forest and woodland: 26% other: 27%

Location [time series]

Western Africa, between Ghana and Mali

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Ouagadougou

Constitution [time series]

June 1991

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant) chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-5577 or 6895

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held December 1991 Assembly of People's Deputies: last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (107 total), ODP-MT 78, CNPP-PSD 12, RDA 6, ADF 4, other 7

Executive branch [time series]

president, Council of Ministers

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

5 August 1960 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Appeals Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

Assembly of People's Deputies note: the current law also provides for a second consultative chamber, which had not been formally constituted as of 1 July 1992

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Burkina Faso conventional short form: Burkina former: Upper Volta

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

committees for the defense of the revolution; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Organization for People's Democracy-Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party, Marc Christian Roch KABORE; National Convention of Progressive Patriots-Social Democratic Party (CNPP-PSD), Pierre TAPSOBA; African Democratic Assembly (RDA), Gerard Kango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation (ADF), Herman YAMEOGO

Suffrage [time series]

none

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward P. BYRNN embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou telephone: [226] 30-67- 23 through 25 FAX: [226] 31-23-68

People

Birth rate [time series]

48.8 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

18.19 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

119.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3.3 million residents; 30,000 are wage earners by occupation: agriculture 82%, industry 13%, commerce, services, and government 5% note: 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (1984); 44% of population of working age (1985)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 47.47 years male: 46.66 years female: 48.3 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 18% male: 28% female: 9%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

9,852,529 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.83% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 25%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%

Total fertility rate [time series]

7 children born/woman (1993 est.)