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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.bf

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

1,951 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150

Internet users [time series]

140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 rapidly from a low base domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

144,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2.553 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (1 national, 2 private)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.409 billion expenditures: $1.786 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

Current account balance [time series]

-$931 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 -$564 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$1.665 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $1.33 billion (2007)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

39.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 64 48.2 (1994)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 in the World Trade Organization for fewer subsidies to producers in other competing countries. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a gradual but successful privatization of state-owned enterprises. Having revised its investment code in 2004, Burkina Faso hopes to attract foreign investors. Thanks to this new code and other legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration and production. While the bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire is beginning to be resolved, it is still having a negative effect on Burkina Faso's trade and employment. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) threshold grant to improve girls' education at the primary school level, and signed an MCC compact that focuses on the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, and land reform in July 2008.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

568.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

611.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Exports [time series]

$544 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $618 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners [time series]

Singapore 17%, Belgium 12.9%, China 11.3%, Thailand 9.1%, Ghana 7%, Niger 5.2%, Denmark 4.9% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$8.116 billion (2008 est.)

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

$17.96 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $17.11 billion (2007 est.) $16.5 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 29.1% industry: 19.9% services: 51% (2008 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $1,200 (2007 est.) $1,200 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 3.7% (2007 est.) 5.5% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.2% (2004)

Imports [time series]

$1.343 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1.221 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners [time series]

Cote d'Ivoire 26.7%, France 18.4%, Togo 7.4%, Libya 4.2% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 -0.2% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

19.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Labor force [time series]

6.668 million country comparison to the world: 64 note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2007)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - consumption [time series]

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - imports [time series]

8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Population below poverty line [time series]

46.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$926.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $905.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $1.051 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $663 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

77% (2004) country comparison to the world: 197

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 274,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 74 land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than Colorado

Climate [time series]

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%) per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

250 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

recurring droughts

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

17.5 cu km (2001)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

approved by referendum 2 June 1991; formally adopted 11 June 1991; last amended January 2002

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel C. LAEUCHLI 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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Paramanga Ernest YONLI chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Executive branch [time series]

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 (Flag description) [time series]

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type [time series]

parliamentary republic

Independence [time series]

5 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

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, ADF-RDA 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 [time series]

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

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

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Democratic and Popular Rally or RDP [Nana THIBAUT]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Soumane TOURE]; Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Jeanne TRAORE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Fidele HIEN]; Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende STANISLAS]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]

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

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON]; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE]; Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO]; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE] other: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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. In January 2008, Burkina Faso assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 2,197,557 females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 182,540 female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 129

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in supporting roles (2009)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648) 15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

44.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Death rate [time series]

13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 98

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

130,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 84.49 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 15 male: 92.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 52.95 years country comparison to the world: 199 male: 51.04 years female: 54.91 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Median age [time series]

total: 16.8 years male: 16.6 years female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Net migration rate [time series]

Population [time series]

15,746,232 country comparison to the world: 61 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.103% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Religions [time series]

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 5 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 20% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a 2005 ICJ decision; 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 more than 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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Railways [time series]

total: 622 km country comparison to the world: 109 narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2008)

Roadways [time series]

total: 92,495 km country comparison to the world: 51 paved: 3,857 km unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)