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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

2 TV stations - 1 state-owned and 1 privately-owned; state-owned radio runs a national and regional network; substantial number of privately-owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters available in Ouagadougou (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.bf

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

1,795 (2012) country comparison to the world: 164

Internet users [time series]

178,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 144

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: system includes microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations; 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 domestic: 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 international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

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

141,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 136

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

7.682 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 92

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.256 billion expenditures: $2.693 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-4.3% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.25% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

NA%

Current account balance [time series]

-$481.1 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 -$125.8 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.442 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $2.336 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

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

39.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 62 48.2 (1994)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that relies heavily on cotton and gold exports for revenue. The country 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. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a gradual privatization of state-owned enterprises and in 2004 revised its investment code to attract foreign investment. As a result of this new code and other legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration and production. By 2010, gold had become the main source of export revenue. Gold mining production doubled between 2009 and 2010. Two new mining projects were launched the third quarter of 2011. Local community conflict persists in the mining and cotton sectors, but the Prime Minister has made efforts to defuse some of the economic cause of public discontent, including announcing income tax reductions, reparations for looting victims, and subsidies for basic food items and fertilizer. An IMF mission to Burkina Faso in October 2011 expressed general satisfaction with the measures. The risk of a mass exodus of the 3 to 4 million Burinabe who live and work in Cote D'Ivoire has dissipated and trade, power, and transport links are being restored. Burkina Faso experienced a severe drought in 2011 which decimated grazing land and decreased harvests, creating food insecurity and damaging the country's agricultural base.

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 514.1 (2012 est.) 471.87 (2011 est.) 495.28 (2010 est.) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008)

Exports [time series]

$2.734 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $2.438 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

gold, cotton, livestock

Exports - partners [time series]

China 21%, Turkey 16.9%, Singapore 8.4%, Indonesia 6.6%, Thailand 4.9%, Malaysia 4.3% (2011)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$10.27 billion (2012 est.)

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

$24.03 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $22.46 billion (2011 est.) $21.56 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

agriculture: 34.4% industry: 23.4% services: 42.2% (2012 est.)

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

$1,400 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $1,300 (2011 est.) $1,300 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 4.2% (2011 est.) 7.9% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 32.2% (2009 est.)

Imports [time series]

$2.868 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $2.347 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners [time series]

Cote dIvoire 16.7%, France 15.2%, Ghana 5%, Togo 4.7%, Belgium 4.2% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 2.8% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

20.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

46.7% (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.433 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $957 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$3.91 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $2.805 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$2.414 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.705 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $1.56 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

22% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Unemployment rate [time series]

77% (2004) country comparison to the world: 198

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

1.441 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - consumption [time series]

762.5 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

87.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

12.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - imports [time series]

144.6 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

252,000 kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - production [time series]

664.4 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

9,960 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

12,540 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 274,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 75 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]

300 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]

13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest

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 Thomas DOUGHERTY 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 Seydou BOUDA 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 Luc-Adolphe TIAO (since 18 April 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 November 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.2%, Hama Arba DIALLO 8.2%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 6.3%, other 5.3%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type [time series]

parliamentary republic

Independence [time series]

5 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Council of State or Conseil d'Etat; Court of Accounts or la Cour des Comptes; Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel

Legal system [time series]

civil law based on the French model and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats; members are elected by proportional representation in one national constituency of 16 seats, and 45 multi-member constituencies having between 2 and 9 seats with members serving five-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held on 2 December 2012 (next to be held in 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 70, ADF-RDA 19, Union for Progress and Reform 19, UPR 4, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, PDS/Metba 2, other 6

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Le Ditanye" (Anthem of Victory) lyrics/music: Thomas SANKARA note: adopted 1974; also known as "Une Seule Nuit" (One Single Night), Burkina Faso's anthem was written by the country's president, an avid guitar player

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community

National symbol(s) [time series]

white stallion

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/Metba or PDS/Metba [Hama Arba DIALLO]; 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 Progress and Reform; 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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 3,735,735 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 2,366,168 females age 16-49: 2,367,673 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 193,905 female: 191,662 (2010 est.)

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

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2011)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 116

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 45.7% (male 3,954,621/ female 3,935,367) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,474,547/ female 4,480,892) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 165,048/ female 264,640) (2012 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

43.2 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

37.4% (2006) country comparison to the world: 8

Death rate [time series]

12.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.6% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 75

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]

1.2% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

7,100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

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

110,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

6.4% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 96

Hospital bed density [time series]

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 79.84 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 9 male: 87.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 72.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 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: 54.07 years country comparison to the world: 203 male: 52.09 years female: 56.1 years (2012 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 urban areas - population (Major cities - population) [time series]

OUAGADOUGOU (capital) 1.777 million (2009)

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)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

300 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 38

Median age [time series]

total: 17 years male: 16.8 years female: 17.2 years (2012 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.064 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population [time series]

17,275,115 (July 2012 est.) 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

Population growth rate [time series]

3.073% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Religions [time series]

Muslim 60.5%, Catholic 19%, animist 15.3%, Protestant 4.2%, other 0.6%, none 0.4%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 33% of population rural: 6% of population total: 11% of population unimproved: urban: 67% of population rural: 94% of population total: 89% of population

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

total: 6 years male: 7 years female: 6 years (2009)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.07 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 26% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 6.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

adding to illicit cross-border activities, Burkina Faso has issues concerning unresolved boundary alignments with its neighbors; demarcation is currently underway with Mali, the dispute with Niger was referred to the ICJ in 2010, and a dispute over several villages with Benin persists; Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso around the town of Koualou

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 40,322 (Mali) (2013)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Burkina Faso is a country of origin, transit, and destination for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; children are forced to work as farm hands, gold panners and washers, street vendors, domestic servents, and beggars; girls are exploited in the commercial sex trade; women from Burkina Faso are recruited for legitimate jobs in Europe and are subsequently forced into prostitution; West African women are lured to Burkina Faso for legal work and are forced into domestic servitude, prostitution, or forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 - Burkina Faso does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government recognizes that sex trafficking and forced labor are problems and continued efforts to identify child victims; steps have not been taken to identify adult victims among vulnerable populations; the government sustained anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts but struggled to compile complete data on these efforts (2012)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

24 (2012) country comparison to the world: 132

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 6 (2012)

Railways [time series]

total: 622 km country comparison to the world: 106 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: 15,272 km country comparison to the world: 121 note: does not include urban roads (2010)