Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
land : 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 3,192 km
border countries: 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)

Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Black Volta River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

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

Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 50%
other : 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified : Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked

Population:12,603,185
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.3% (male 3,007,675; female 2,960,697)
15-64 years : 49.8% (male 3,000,411; female 3,271,594)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 151,976; female 210,832) (2002 est)

Population growth rate: 2.64% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 44.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.11 years
male: 46.78 years (2002 est.)
female : 45.45 years

Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups: Mossi about 24%, 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:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 36% (2001)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta

Data code: UV

Government type: parliamentary

National capital: Ouagadougou

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
note: a new electoral code was approved by the National Assembly in January 1997; the number of administrative provinces was increased from 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo), however, this change has not yet been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names

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: universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6 November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: ppresident elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5% percent of the vote.

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of People's Deputies or Assemblee des Deputes Populaires (111 seats; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms).
elections :National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Noyabtigungu Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, 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, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577, 6895

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy J. KOLKER
embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
telephone: [226] 306723 through 306725
FAX : [226] 303890

Flag description: 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, landlocked Burkina Faso has a high population density and a high population growth rate, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. Over 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture which is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31%
industry: 28%
services: 41% (2000)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1999)
note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment
by occupation: agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $316 million
expenditures : $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 121,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production: 282 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 262.26 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Exports:
total value : $265 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
commodities: cotton, gold, animal products
partners: Venezuela 14.7%, Benelux 12.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 7.0% (2000)

Imports:
total value: $580 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
commodities : machinery, food products, petroleum
partners: Cote d'Ivoire 25.1%, Venezuela 23.4%, France 17.0% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (1999)

Economic aid:
recipient: $484.1 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992)
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

Telephones: 53,200 (2000)

Telephone system: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations
international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios: 394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)

Televisions: 131,340 (2002)

Railways:
total: 622 km (517 km from Ouagadougou to the Cote d'Ivoire border and 105 km from Ouagadougou to Kaya)
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways:
total: 12,506 km
paved : 2,001 km
unpaved: 10,505 km (1996)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 33 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m : 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m:12
under 914 m: 16 (2001)

Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,688,072 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 1,379,010 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:$40.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01)

Disputes - international: none