*Burkina, Geography

Location:
  Western Africa, between Ghana and Mali
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  274,200 km2
 land area:
  273,800 km2
 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:
  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
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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  recent droughts and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural
  activities, population distribution, economy; overgrazing; deforestation
Note:
  landlocked

*Burkina, People

Population:
  9,852,529 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.83% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  48.8 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  18.19 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  119.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  47.47 years
 male:
  46.66 years
 female:
  48.3 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  7 children born/woman (1993 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 65%, Muslim 25%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Languages:
  French (official), tribal languages belong to Sudanic family, spoken by 90%
  of the population
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  18%
 male:
  28%
 female:
  9%
Labor force:
  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)

*Burkina, 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)
Constitution:
  June 1991
Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law
National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Political parties and leaders:
  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
Other political or pressure groups:
  committees for the defense of the revolution; watchdog/political action
  groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
Suffrage:
  none
Elections:
 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:
  president, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
  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
Judicial branch:
  Appeals Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)

*Burkina, Government

Member of:
  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
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  (vacant)
 chancery:
  2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 332-5577 or 6895
US diplomatic representation:
 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
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

*Burkina, Economy

Overview:
  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.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion (1991)
National product real growth rate:
  1.3% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
  $350 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -1% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $495 million; expenditures $786 million, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1991)
Exports:
  $304.8 million (f.o.b., 1990)
 commodities:
  cotton, gold, animal products
 partners:
  EC 45%, Taiwan 15%, Cote d'Ivoire 15% (1987)
Imports:
  $593 million (f.o.b., 1990)
 commodities:
  machinery, food products, petroleum
 partners:
  EC 51%, Africa 25%, US 6% (1987)
External debt:
  $865 million (December 1991 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 5.7% (1990 est.), accounts for about 23% of GDP (1989)
Electricity:
  120,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles,
  gold mining and extraction
Agriculture:
  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
Economic aid:
  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 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11
  (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Burkina, Communications

Railroads:
  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
Highways:
  16,500 km total; 1,300 km paved, 7,400 km improved, 7,800 km unimproved
  (1985)
Airports:
 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
Telecommunications:
  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

*Burkina, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 1,947,935; fit for military service 995,532 (1993 est.); no
  conscription
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP