Burkina Faso

Major Cities of Burkina Faso in the continent of Africa

Aribinda • Bagré • Banfora • Batié • Bobo Dioulasso • Bogandé • Boromo • Boulsa • Boussé • Dano • Dédougou • Diapaga • Diébougou • Djibo • Dori • Fada N'gourma • Gaoua • Garango • Gayéri • Gorom-Gorom • Gourcy • Houndé • Kantchari • Kaya • Kindi • Kokologo • Kombissiri • Kongoussi • Kordié • Koudougou • Kouka, Bam • Kouka, Banwa • Koupéla • Léo • Loropeni • Manga • Méguet • Mogtedo • Niangoloko • Nouna • Orodara • Ouagadougou • Ouahigouya • Ouargaye • Pama • Pissila • Pô • Pouytenga • Réo • Saponé • Sapouy • Sebba • Séguénéga • Sindou • Solenzo • Tangin Dassouri • Tenkodogo • Tikaré • Titao • Toma • Tougan • Villy • Yako • Ziniaré • Zorgo •

Burkina Faso Photo Gallery

Burkina Faso Realty

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THE BURKINA FASO COAT OF ARMS

Location of Burkina Faso within the continent of Africa

Map of Burkina Faso

Flag Description of Burkina Faso:The Burkina Faso flag was officially adopted on August 4, 1984. The red symbolizes the recent revolution, the green the abundance of natural riches and the yellow star the guiding light of that revolution.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion. But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened . Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions. Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE? Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace? WHY?? There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance: The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Official name Burkina Faso (Burkina Faso)
Form of government transitional 1
Head of state President1: Michel Kafando (interim)
Head of government Prime Minister1: Lieut. Col. Isaac Yacouba Zida (interim)
Capital Ouagadougou
Official language French
Official religion none
Monetary unit CFA franc (CFAF)
Population (2013 est.) 18,012,000COLLAPSE
Total area (sq mi) 104,543
Total area (sq km) 270,764
Urban-rural population

Urban: (2011) 26.5%

Rural: (2011) 73.5%

Life expectancy at birth

Male: (2009) 51 years

Female: (2009) 54.9 years

Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate

Male: (2007) 36.7%

Female: (2007) 21.6%

GNI per capita (U.S.$) (2013) 670

1The government and National Assembly were dissolved on Oct. 30, 2014, Pres. Blaise Compaoré resigned on Oct. 31, 2014, and a transitional administration, with a 90-member National Transitional Council to serve as the legislature, was established in November 2014.

Background of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in the middle of West Africa's "hump." It is geographically in the Sahel--the agricultural region between the Sahara Desert and the coastal rain forests. Most of central Burkina Faso lies on a savanna plateau, 200 meters-300 meters (650 ft.-1,000 ft.) above sea level, with fields, brush, and scattered trees.

Burkina Faso, landlocked country in western Africa. The country occupies an extensive plateau, and its geography is characterized by a savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south.

A former French colony, it gained independence as Upper Volta in 1960; the name Burkina Faso, which means “Land of Incorruptible People,” was adopted in 1984. Since independence it has been ruled primarily by the military and has experienced several coups. A new constitution was promulgated in 1991, and the country’s first multiparty presidential elections were held soon after. The capital, Ouagadougou, is in the centre of the country and lies about 500 miles (800 km) from the Atlantic Ocean.

Geography of Burkina Faso

• 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: 3,611 km

border countries: Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1,325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 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: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

• Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
• Land use:

arable land: 20.79%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 78.98% (2011)

• Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003)
• Total renewable water resources: 12.5 cu km (2011)
• Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.72 cu km/yr (46%/3%/51%)

per capita: 54.99 cu m/yr (2005)

• 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, 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

• Geography - note landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Land

Burkina Faso is bounded by Mali to the north and west, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, and Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo to the south.

• Relief, drainage, and soils

Burkina Faso is situated on an extensive plateau, which is slightly inclined toward the south. The lateritic (red, leached, iron-bearing) layer of rock that covers the underlying crystalline rocks is deeply incised by the country’s three principal rivers—the Black Volta (Mouhoun), the Red Volta (Nazinon), and the White Volta (Nakambé)—all of which converge in Ghana to the south to form the Volta River. The Oti, another tributary of the Volta, rises in southeastern Burkina Faso. Great seasonal variation occurs in the flow of the rivers, and some rivers become dry beds during the dry season. In the southwest there are sandstone plateaus bordered by the Banfora Escarpment, which is about 500 feet (150 metres) high and faces southeast. Much of the soil in the country is infertile.

• Climate

The climate of Burkina Faso is generally sunny, hot, and dry. Two principal climate zones can be distinguished. The Sahelian zone in the north is semiarid steppe, characterized by three to five months of rainfall, which is often erratic. To the south, in the Sudanic zone, the climate becomes increasingly of the tropical wet-dry type, with a greater variability of temperature and rainfall and greater total rainfall than the north.

Four seasons may be distinguished in Burkina Faso: a dry and cool season from mid-November to mid-February, with temperatures dropping to about 60 °F (16 °C) at night; a hot season from mid-February to June, when maximum temperatures rise into the low 100s F (about 40 °C) in the shade and the harmattan—a hot, dry, dust-laden wind blowing off the Sahara desert—is prevalent; a rainy season, which lasts from June to September; and an intermediate season, which lasts from September until mid-November. Annual rainfall varies from about 40 inches (1,000 mm) in the south to less than 10 inches (250 mm) in the north.

• Plant and animal life

The northern part of the country consists of savanna, with prickly shrubs and stunted trees that flourish during the rainy season. In the south, the prickly shrubs give way to scattered forests, which become more dense along the banks of the perennial rivers. The karite (shea tree) and the baobab (hibiscus tree) are endemic in this region.

Animal life includes buffalo, antelope, lions, hippopotamuses, elephants, crocodiles, and monkeys. Bird and insect life is rich and varied, and there are many species of fish in the rivers. Burkina Faso’s national parks include Po in the south-centre of the country, Arly in the southeast, and “W” in the east, straddling the border with Benin and Niger.

Demographics of Burkina Faso

• Population: 18,365,123

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 2014 est.)

• Age structure

0-14 years: 45.4% (male 4,173,236/female 4,156,245)

15-24 years: 20.1% (male 1,851,801/female 1,833,496)

25-54 years: 29% (male 2,702,573/female 2,622,603)

55-64 years

3.1% (male 240,520/female 332,421)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 171,284/female 280,944) (2014 est.)

• Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 91.3 %

youth dependency ratio: 86.6 %

elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 %

potential support ratio: 21.5 (2014 est.)

• Median age

total: 17 years

male: 16.9 years

female: 17.2 years (2014 est.)

• Population growth rate: 3.05% (2014 est.)
• Birth rate: 42.42 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
• Death rate: 11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
• Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)
• Urbanization

urban population: 26.5% of total population (2011)

rate of urbanization: 6.02% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

• Major cities - population: OUAGADOUGOU (capital) 2.053 million (2011)
• Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

• Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.4

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)

• Infant mortality rate

total: 76.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 84.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 69.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

• Life expectancy at birth

total population: 54.78 years

male: 52.77 years

female: 56.85 years (2014 est.)

• Total fertility rate: 5.93 children born/woman (2014 est.)
• Contraceptive prevalence rate: 16.2% (2010/11)
• HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1% (2012 est.)
• HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 114,500 (2012 est.)
• HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,500 (2012 est.)
• Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 75.8% of population

total: 81.7% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 24.2% of population

total: 18.3% of population (2012 est.)

• Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 50.4% of population

rural: 6.7% of population

total: 18.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: 49.6% of population

rural: 93.3% of population

total: 81.4% of population (2012 est.)

• Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever, 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 (2013)

• Nationality

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)

adjective: Burkinabe

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

Religions :Muslim 60.5%, Catholic 19%, animist 15.3%, Protestant 4.2%, other 0.6%, none 0.4% (2006 est.)

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

• Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 28.7%

male: 36.7%

female: 21.6% (2007 est.)

• School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2012)

• Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 1,521,006

percentage: 38 % (2006 est.)

• Education expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2011)
• Maternal mortality rate: 300 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
• Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 26.2% (2010)
• Health expenditures: 6.5% of GDP (2011)
• Physicians density: 0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
• Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)
• Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 2.3% (2008)

People

• Ethnic groups and languages

The major ethnolinguistic group of Burkina Faso is the Mossi. They speak a Niger-Congo language of the Gur branch and have been connected for centuries to the region they inhabit. They have absorbed a number of peoples including the Gurma and the Yarse. The last-mentioned group has Mande origins but is assimilated into the Mossi and shares their language (called Moore). Other Gur-speaking peoples are the Gurunsi, the Senufo, the Bwa, and the Lobi.

Mande languages, which also form a branch of the Niger-Congo family, are spoken by groups such as the Samo, the Marka, the Busansi, and the Dyula. Other groups of Burkina Faso include the Hausa and the Tuareg, whose languages are classified as Afro-Asiatic, and the Fulani, whose language (Fula) is a Niger-Congo language of the Atlantic branch.

Citizens of Burkina Faso, regardless of their ethnic origin, are collectively known as Burkinabé. French is the official language, although it is not widely spoken. Moore, the language of the Mossi, is spoken by a great majority of the population, and Dyula is widely used in commerce.

• Religion

More than half the population is Muslim. About one-fifth of the Burkinabé are Roman Catholic, and one-sixth follow traditional religions. Most of the remainder are Protestant or nonreligious. The seat of the Roman Catholic archbishopric is in Ouagadougou; and there are several bishoprics throughout the country.

• Settlement patterns

The population as a whole is unevenly distributed among the different regions. The eastern and central regions are densely settled and contain about half the total population. In the remaining regions the population is scattered.

About three-fourths of the people are rural and live in villages, which tend to be grouped toward the centre of the country at higher elevations away from the Volta river valleys. For several miles on either side of the Volta rivers, the land is mostly uninhabited because of the prevalence of the deadly tsetse fly, which carries sleeping sickness, and the Simulium fly, which carries onchocerciasis, or river blindness.

Ouagadougou, the administrative capital and the seat of government, is a modern city where several companies have their headquarters. It is also the residence of the morho naba (“great lord”) of the Mossi and an important regional centre for international aid programs.

Apart from Ouagadougou, the principal towns are Bobo Dioulasso, Koudougou, Banfora, Ouahigouya, Pouytenga, and Kaya. Bobo Dioulasso, in the west, was the economic and business capital of the country when it formed the terminus of the railroad running to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on the coast. Since 1955, however, when the railroad was extended to Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso has lost some of its former importance, although it remains a commercial centre.

• Demographic trends

In the early 21st century, yearly population growth averaged about 3 percent; nearly half the population was below age 15. Average life expectancy was just above 50 years—lower than the global average but similar to that of neighbouring countries.

Government and Society of Burkina Faso

• Constitutional framework

Burkina Faso’s constitution was adopted by referendum in 1991 and has since been amended. It allows for multiparty elections and a parliamentary republic with a president as chief of state and a prime minister, who is appointed by the president, as the head of the government. The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term and may serve up to two consecutive terms. The legislative branch of the government is represented by the National Assembly, whose members are elected by universal suffrage for five-year terms. In 2014 popular unrest led to the dissolution of the government in October, followed by the establishment of a transitional administration in November.

• Local government

Burkina Faso is divided into régions, which in turn are divided into provinces, which are further divided into départements. Each région is administered by a governor, and each province is administered by a high commissioner.

• Health and welfare

The state of health of the Burkinabé is generally poor. Most hospitals are in the larger towns, but the government has improved access to primary health care by increasing the number of village clinics. Main causes of death in Burkina Faso include lower respiratory diseases, malaria, and diarrheal diseases. Other diseases in the country include onchocerciasis, sleeping sickness, leprosy, yellow fever, and schistosomiasis. Periodic droughts have contributed to malnutrition and related diseases, especially among young children and pregnant women. Burkina Faso has a lower prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS than do many other African countries, although it is higher than the world average. The government has focused on prevention and treatment of AIDS with some success, and the prevalence rate has decreased since the beginning of the 21st century.

• Education

School enrollment is one of the lowest in Africa, even though the government devotes a large portion of the national budget to education. French is the language of instruction in primary and secondary schools. About one-fourth of the population aged 15 and older is literate. The primary institution for higher education is Ouagadougou University (established 1974). Research institutes in Ouagadougou offer degrees in rural engineering and hydrology. There are a polytechnic university and a college for rural development in Bobo Dioulasso. A university was established in Koudougou in 2005. Some Burkinabé seek higher education in France, Senegal, or Côte d’Ivoire.

• Country name

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

• Government type parliamentary republic

• Capital name: Ouagadougou

geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

• Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)

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

• Constitution: several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991; amended several times, last in 2012 (2012)

• Legal system:

civil law based on the French model and customary law

International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

• Executive branch : 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
• 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 National Assembly
• 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%

• Legislative branch: 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

• Judicial branch:

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of the council president and 3 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge appointments mostly controlled by the president of Burkina Faso; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council judges appointed by the president of Burkina Faso upon the proposal of the minister of justice and the president of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of judges renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: Appeals Court; High Court; first instance tribunals; district courts; specialized courts relating to issues of labor, children, and juveniles; village (customary) courts

• Political parties and leaders

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 [Zio Eric FRANCOIS]

Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Assimi KOUANDA]

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 [Francois O. KABORE]

Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Hama Arba DIALLO]

Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Barry TAHIROU]

People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Roch March KABORE]

Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE]

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 Change or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE]

Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA]

Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]

Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]

• Political pressure groups and leaders Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON]
• Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE]
• Citizen's Resistance Front [Luc Marius IBRIGA]
• Group of 14 February [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA]
• 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

• International organization participation: 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, MINUSMA, 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

• Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Seydou BOUDA (since 2 September 2011)

chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

• Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI (since 25 July 2013)

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] 50-49-53-00

FAX: [226] 50-49-56-28

• Flag description: 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

• National anthem

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

Economy of Burkina Faso

About nine-tenths of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture or livestock raising. Difficult economic conditions, made worse by severe intermittent droughts, have provoked considerable migration from rural to urban areas within Burkina Faso and to neighbouring countries, most notably Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. As many as 1.5 million people, or almost one-third of the country’s labour force, have been abroad at any given time. (In the early 21st century, however, unrest in neighbouring countries, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, made it difficult for Burkinabés to find employment.) The development of industry in Burkina Faso is hampered by the small size of the market economy and by the absence of a direct outlet to the sea. Beginning in the late 1990s, the government began to privatize some state-owned entities in order to attract foreign investment.

• Agriculture

Agricultural production consists of subsistence foodstuffs, with the surplus being sold as cash crops. Surplus cotton, shea nuts, sesame, and sugarcane are exported, while sorghum, millet, corn (maize), peanuts (groundnuts), and rice are grown for local consumption. Fonio (a crabgrass with seeds that are used as cereal), cassava (manioc), sweet potatoes, and beans are also grown. Livestock raising is one of the principal sources of revenue; animals raised include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, horses, camels, chickens, ducks, and guinea fowl.

• Resources

Minerals, particularly manganese and gold, are the chief sources of potential wealth for the country. There are gold mines at Poura, southwest of Koudougou, and smaller gold deposits near Sebba and Dori-Yalogo in the north exist. Reserves of nickel, bauxite, zinc, lead, and silver are also found in the country. Burkina Faso’s substantial manganese deposits at Tambao in the northeast potentially represent its most important resource and one of the world’s richest sources of this mineral. Exploitation is limited by existing transport inadequacies.

• Manufacturing

Industry is limited to a number of plants that are mainly in the cities and larger towns. Chief manufactures include foodstuffs, beverages, textiles, shoes, and bicycle parts.

• Finance

Burkina Faso’s currency is the CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) franc, which has been officially pegged to the euro. It is issued by the Central Bank of West African States, an agency of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, which consists of eight countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo) that were once French colonies in Africa. Branches of the central bank in Burkina Faso are located in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Among the partially or wholly state-owned commercial banks, the most important is the Banque Internationale du Burkina in Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso is also a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a body encompassing most states in western Africa, which attempts to integrate and harmonize the economic interests of the region. One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina Faso relies heavily on international aid and on remittances from migrants to help offset its current account deficit.

• Trade

Burkina Faso’s main exports in the early 21st century included cotton, gold, livestock, sugar, and fruit. Most of its exports are sent to neighbouring African countries, but some, including cotton and minerals, are exported to China, Singapore, and the countries of the European Union. Chief imports include petroleum, chemical products, machinery, and foodstuffs, which mainly come from surrounding countries as well as from France. There is a deficit in the balance of payments, largely because of the relatively small amounts of exports, which are not of sufficient value to equal the value of imported materials required for promoting further development.

• Transportation

A rail line links Ouagadougou to the port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire; it is some 700 miles (1,100 km) long, of which about 320 miles (500 km) run through Burkina Faso. (For several years in the early 2000s, the line was closed because of civil war in Côte d’Ivoire). Running from east to west before crossing the border, the line serves the towns of Koudougou, Bobo Dioulasso, and Banfora.

The capital is also linked by road to the principal administrative centres in the country and to the capitals of neighbouring countries. Burkina Faso’s road networks are poorly developed, with only a small percentage of the network usable year-round. The remainder consists mostly of unpaved rural roads.

International airports are located at Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Numerous smaller airstrips are found throughout the country.

• Economy - overview

Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. Cotton and gold are key exports. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has begun to privatize state-owned enterprises and in 2004 revised its investment code to attract foreign investment. As a result, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and export. The Burkinabe economy experienced high levels of growth over the last few years but growth is highly dependent on swings in gold and cotton prices. In 2013 Burkina Faso experienced a number of public protests over the cost of living, corruption, and other socioeconomic issues. To defuse tensions the government has offered higher housing bonuses, reduced income taxes, and price controls. Turmoil in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose longer-term challenges.

• GDP (purchasing power parity)

$26.51 billion (2013 est.)

$24.9 billion (2012 est.)

$22.85 billion (2011 est.)

note: data are in 2013 US dollars

• GDP (official exchange rate): $12.13 bi
• GDP - real growth rate

6.5% (2013 est.)

9% (2012 est.)

5% (2011 est.)

• GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,500 (2013 est.)

$1,400 (2012 est.)

$1,300 (2011 est.)

note: data are in 2013 US dollars

• Gross national saving

12.2% of GDP (2013 est.)

14.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

16.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

• GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 55.2%

government consumption: 16.9%

investment in fixed capital: 18.3%

investment in inventories: 0.2%

exports of goods and services: 34.4%

imports of goods and services: -25%

(2013 est.)

• GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 33.6%

industry: 23.6%

services: 42.8% (2013 est.)

• Population below poverty line: 46.7% (2009 est.)
• Labor force

6.668 million

note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2007)

• Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

• Unemployment rate: 77% (2004)
• Unemployment, :youth ages 15-24

total: 3.8%

male: 4.6%

female: 2.9% (2006)

• Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 32.2% (2009 est.)

• Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.5 (2007)

48.2 (1994)

• Budget revenues: $2.838 billion
• expenditures: $3.228 billion (2013 est.)
• Taxes and other revenues: 23.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
• Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -3.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
• Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2013 est.)

3.8% (2012 est.)

• Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2010 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

• Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA%
• Stock of narrow money

$2.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.845 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

• Stock of broad money

$4.211 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$3.343 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

• Stock of domestic credit

$2.711 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$2.123 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

• Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA
• Agriculture - products cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
• Industries cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
• Industrial production growth rate 6.5% (2013 est.)
• Current Account Balance

-$364.9 million (2013 est.)

-$247.6 million (2012 est.)

• Exports

$2.844 billion (2013 est.)

$2.746 billion (2012 est.)

• Exports - commodities gold, cotton, livestock
• Exports - partners

China 25.9%,

Turkey 24.8%,

Belgium 5.2% (2012)

• Imports

$2.941 billion (2013 est.)

$2.675 billion (2012 est.)

• Imports - commodities capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum
• Imports - partners

Cote dIvoire 17.6%,

France 15.2%,

Ghana 4.8%,

Togo 4.4% (2012)

• Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.115 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.025 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

• Debt - external

$2.863 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$2.607 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

• Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

500.7 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

495.28 (2010 est.)

472.19 (2009)

447.81 (2008)

• Fiscal year: calendar year

Burkina Faso Economic Outlook

• Burkina Faso suffered from lower gold prices in 2013. Despite difficult economic circumstances, real growth remained strong at 6.9%. It was down, however, from 9.0% the previous year. Agriculture and mining remained the main engines of growth in 2013.
• The weak capacity to absorb public investment is the main problem with state finances. This constitutes a growth constraint and could harm Burkina Faso’s chances of reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
• Burkina Faso struggles to participate in global value chains (GVCs) because of poor infrastructure and access to energy and a lack of skilled labour. The country needs to put in place a coherent strategy to develop GVCs.

Burkina Faso saw dynamic economic growth in 2013 despite a fall in gold prices on international markets. The GDP is estimated at 6.9% in 2013 after 9.0% the previous year. Growth of 7.0% is predicted for 2014. Agriculture and mining should be the main growth generators. The agricultural sector could benefit from measures to speed up productivity gains, particularly through access to agricultural inputs and equipment. Mining should be boosted in 2014 by increased gold production.

Inflation should be controlled through lower food prices. The government has set up special stores across the country to sell consumer products at prices accessible to low-revenue households. Inflation is expected to remain under 3% in 2014 and 2015, below the average for West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) member states.

The government is also launching a vast infrastructure building programme as part of its accelerated growth and sustainable development strategy, known under the French acronym SCADD. Work will concentrate on buildings and roads, events for the commemoration of Burkina Faso’s independence and paving major roads, particularly from Dédougou to Nouna and the Mali frontier, Ziniaré to Zitenga and Boromo to Skeins. Work is also about to start on Ouagadougou’s new Donsin airport. Major work on the runways should start in 2014 and the airport should be finished in 2017. The government is also pushing ahead with development programmes and growth zones, including at Bagre, Sourou and Samandéni. Low capacity to absorb public investment is a key obstacle, so the country must reform the way it prepares and executes projects to improve results.

The social climate remained tense in 2013 because of the authorities’ intention to revise the country’s constitution to allow the president to serve a fifth term, and also because of the high cost of living.

After major political tensions in 2011, legislative and municipal elections were held in December 2012 without any major incidents, and a normalisation of the social-political atmosphere was expected in 2013. However, the adoption in May 2013 of a law creating a senate set off a new peak in tensions, with protest marches organised by opposition political parties and civil society groups.

In a bid to calm protests, the government slowed the process towards creating a senate and, in September, took social measures to counter the high cost of living. The government still intends to set up the senate and revise Article 37 of the constitution on the limitation of mandates. The period up to the next presidential election in 2015 is certain to be a risky one for the country. The main political challenge will be to ensure a smooth political transition in 2015.

Cultural Life of Burkina Faso

Folkloric traditions are rich in Burkina Faso, reflecting the country’s ethnic diversity. The Mossi are known for creating antelope masks that reach heights of up to 7 feet (2 metres). Bobo butterfly masks and the wood carvings of the Lobi are also well regarded for their artistry. The biennial Pan-African Film Festival (FESPACO) in Ouagadougou is popular, as is the International Crafts Fair, which celebrates the country’s artisans. The National Museum (1962) in the capital city houses artifacts from the country’s diverse ethnic groups. Information about earlier inhabitants of the area can be gleaned from the ruins of a fortified settlement at Loropéni, located in the southern part of the country. The ruins date back some 1,000 years and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009.

Several daily newspapers are published, including the government-sponsored Sidwaya (“Truth”), as well as a number of weeklies.

Burkina Faso has made a major effort to become competitive on the African sports scene. Wrestling is popular in the country, and Burkinabé athletes have competed in the African Nations Traditional Wrestling Championship. The country has its own basketball league and an annual international cycling tour. Football (soccer), however, is by far the country’s passion. Burkina Faso boasts a highly competitive national football league, and the national team has competed in the African Nations Cup tournament.

Upper Volta first sent an Olympic team to the 1972 Munich Games, although the first athletes from Upper Volta to participate in the Olympics were two javelin throwers who competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics as members of the French team. The country’s first participation in the Olympics as Burkina Faso was in the 1988 Seoul Games.

History of Burkina Faso

• Early history

Axes belonging to a Neolithic culture have been found in the north of Burkina Faso. The Bobo, the Lobi, and the Gurunsi are the earliest known inhabitants of the country. About the 15th century ce, conquering horsemen invaded the region from the south and founded the Gurma and Mossi kingdoms, in the eastern and central areas, respectively. Several Mossi kingdoms developed, the most powerful of which was that of Ouagadougou, located in the centre of the country. Headed by an emperor, the morho naba (“great lord”), the Ouagadougou Mossi state defeated attempted invasions by the Songhai and Fulani empires yet maintained valuable commercial links with major western African trading powers, including the Dyula, the Hausa, and the Asante.

• European exploration and colonization

The German explorer Gottlob Adolf Krause traversed the Mossi country in 1886, and the French army officer Louis-Gustave Binger visited the morho naba in 1888. France obtained a protectorate over the Yatenga empire in 1895, and the French officers Paul Voulet and Charles Paul Louis Chanoine (also known as Julien Chanoine) defeated the morho naba Boukari-Koutou (Wobogo) of Mossi in 1896 and then proceeded to overrun the Gurunsi lands. The Gurma accepted a French protectorate in 1897, and in that same year the lands of the Bobo and of the Lobi were annexed by the French (though the Lobi, armed with poisoned arrows, were not effectively subdued until 1903). An Anglo-French convention of 1898 fixed the frontier between France’s new acquisitions and the northern territories of the Gold Coast.

The French divided the country into administrative cercles (“circles”) but maintained the chiefs, including the morho naba, in their traditional seats. The country at first was attached to Upper Senegal–Niger (as that colony was called from 1904 to 1920; now Mali) but was organized as a separate colony, Upper Volta (Haute-Volta), in 1919. In 1932 it was partitioned between Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, and French Sudan. In 1947, however, Upper Volta was reestablished to become an overseas territory of the French Union, with a territorial assembly of its own. The assembly in 1957 received the right to elect an executive council of government for the territory, which at the end of 1958 was transformed into an autonomous republic within the French Community. When independence was proclaimed on August 5, 1960, the new constitution provided for an executive president elected by universal adult suffrage for a five-year term and an elected Legislative Assembly.

• Independence

Since Burkina Faso became an independent nation, the military has on several occasions intervened during times of crisis. In 1966 the military, led by Lieut. Col. (later Gen.) Sangoulé Lamizana, ousted the elected government of Maurice Yaméogo. Lamizana dominated the country’s politics until November 1980, when a series of strikes launched by workers, teachers, and civil servants led to another coup, this time headed by Col. Saye Zerbo.

Zerbo’s short-lived rule ended in November 1982 when noncommissioned army officers rebelled and installed Maj. Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo as president. The Ouedraogo government soon split into conservative and radical factions, with the radicals seizing power on August 4, 1983. They set up a National Revolutionary Council (CNR), with Capt. Thomas Sankara as head of state.

A year after taking power, Sankara renamed the country Burkina Faso, meaning “Land of Incorruptible People,” and ordered all officials, including himself, to open their bank accounts to public scrutiny. His government was responsible for several concrete achievements: vaccination and housing projects, tree planting to hold back the Sahel, promotion of women’s rights, and curbing of waste in government.

During Sankara’s rule, tensions with Mali over the mineral-rich Agacher Strip erupted in a brief border war in December 1985. The dispute was settled in the International Court of Justice at The Hague a year later, to the satisfaction of both countries.

Initially a coalition of radical groups that included army officers, trade unionists, and members of small opposition groups, the Sankara regime gradually lost most of its popular support as power became concentrated in the hands of a few military officers—the most important of which were Sankara, Capt. Blaise Compaoré, Maj. Jean-Baptiste Boukari Lingani, and Capt. Henri Zongo. Popular support continued to decline, and on October 15, 1987, a military coup overthrew Sankara, who was killed along with several others.

Compaoré took power at the head of a triumvirate that included Zongo and Lingani. However, as time went on, Lingani and Zongo disagreed with Compaoré about economic reform issues, and in 1989 they were accused of plotting to overthrow him. The two were arrested and quickly executed, and Compaoré continued to pursue his political agenda. In 1991 a new constitution was promulgated, and Compaoré was elected president in an election that was boycotted by opposition candidates.

• Myron Echenberg

Compaoré was reelected in 1998, 2005, and 2010. His regime, however, was not without opposition or controversy. Unpopular political and economic developments and the suspicious death in 1998 of Norbert Zongo, a prominent journalist known for speaking out against Compaoré’s administration, contributed to periodic episodes of social and political unrest that continued into the 2000s. In October 2003 several people were arrested and accused of planning a coup to oust Compaoré. Meanwhile, economic troubles were exacerbated by the civil war that had begun in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire in 2002. The conflict disrupted an important source of trade for Burkina Faso as well as the livelihoods of several hundred thousand Burkinabé who had found work there. Compaoré’s administration also faced public discontent over high living costs, which lead to riots in February 2008, weeks of protests, and a general strike in April.

A wave of protests in early 2011 soon came to be seen as the greatest domestic challenge to Compaoré in more than two decades of rule. Beginning in February and continuing in the following months, many demonstrations were held by university students to protest police brutality—in particular, the December death of a student while in police custody. March saw the beginning of unrelated protests by Burkinabé soldiers reportedly upset about the arrests of and, in their opinion, unnecessarily harsh sentencing of some of their comrades. Then, on April 14, thousands of Burkinabé citizens demonstrated in the capital, Ouagadougou, over the rising cost of food and other necessities. Hours later there was a small-scale mutiny in the city by some soldiers protesting unpaid food and housing allowances and salaries.

Compaoré grew alarmed with the growing unrest, which was indicative of the increasing general displeasure with the country’s slow pace of economic progress and development and a lack of confidence in his regime. The military protests were of particular concern, as such demonstrations rarely occurred under Compaoré’s authoritative rule. In response to the growing discontent, he dismissed his government as well as military officials in key positions of leadership. His actions initially did little to appease any of the protesters as the army mutiny spread to other cities, where protesting soldiers were joined by other demonstrators, including the police, students, and other Burkinabés. Payment of some funds owed to the armed forces appeared to stem the immediate threat and halt some of the demonstrations. A few days later, in an apparent effort to reassert some control over the military, Compaoré named himself the new minister of defense. In the following months the prices on some basic foods were reduced, soldiers received the allowances owed to them, and civil servants were given raises—all measures that helped reduce tensions for the time being.

Long-held suspicions that Compaoré would try to stay in power past 2015, when he was due to step down, led to an unprecedented level of violence in 2014. In October plans were announced to present a bill in the National Assembly to amend the constitution in order to remove the two-term limit on the presidency. That would allow Compaoré the opportunity to serve additional terms and, thus, extend his 27-year rule. Burkinabés took to the streets of Ouagadougou and other cities to demonstrate against the proposed bill. On October 30, the day on which lawmakers were due to vote on the controversial amendment, protests turned increasingly violent. Demonstrators set fire to cars and public buildings, including that which housed the National Assembly, and overran the headquarters of the state television station. In response, Compaoré declared a state of emergency, dissolved the government, and promised to hold talks with the opposition, yet protests continued, with many demanding Compaoré’s resignation. Hours later, Gen. Honoré Traoré, the head of the armed forces, reaffirmed that the government had been dissolved, announced that the National Assembly had also been dissolved, and declared that a transitional government would be established. Compaoré resigned on October 31, 2014, and soon afterward Traoré announced that he would assume the duties of head of state.

His assertion was quickly challenged by other members of the armed forces, who named Lieut. Col. Isaac Zida as interim president—a move that garnered widespread domestic and international criticism. Under pressure, Zida agreed to hand power to a civilian transitional administration within two weeks. A transitional charter was signed on November 16, and the next day former diplomat Michel Kafando was named interim president; he was sworn in on November 18. Zida was named prime minister of the transitional administration, which led to some concern regarding the level of military involvement in the interim government.

Energy of Burkina Faso

• Electricity - production: 670 million kWh (2010 est.)
• Electricity - consumption: 773.1 million kWh (2010 est.)
• Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
• Electricity - imports: 150 million kWh (2010 est.)
• Electricity - installed generating capacity: 252,000 kW (2010 est.)
• Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
• Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
• Oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
• Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
• Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
• Refined petroleum products - consumption: 9,960 bbl/day (2011 est.)
• Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
• Refined petroleum products - imports: 11,660 bbl/day (2010 est.)
• Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2011 est.)
• Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2010 est.)
• Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2011 est.)
• Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2011 est.)

8Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)

• Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 1.454 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telecommunications of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso Telecommunications Profile 2014

• Telephones - main lines in use: 141,400 (2012)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9.98 million (2012)

• Telephone system

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)

• Telephone system

Pgeneral 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 Pdomestic: 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 Pinternational: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

• Internet country code: .bf
• Internet hosts: 1,795 (2012)
• Internet users: 178,100 (2009)

Transportation of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso Transportation Profile 2014

• Railways:

total: 622 km

narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge

note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2008)

• Roadways

total: 15,272 km

note: does not include urban roads (2010)

• Airports: 23 (2013)

• Airports - with paved runways

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

• Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Military of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso Military Profile 2014

• Military branches :Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2011)

• Military service age and obligation :18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2013)

• Manpower available for military service :males age 16-49: 3,735,735 (2010 est.)

• Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,366,168

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

• Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 193,905

female: 191,662 (2010 est.)

• Military expenditures

1.39% of GDP (2012)

1.34% of GDP (2011)

1.39% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso Transnational Issues Profile 2014

• Disputes - international

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: refugees (country of origin): 32,170 (Mali) (2014)

Environment of Burkina Faso

Carbon dioxide emissions of Burkina Faso
Consumption of ozone-depleting substances of Burkina Faso
Energy efficiency of Burkina Faso
Habitat protection of Burkina Faso
Marine habitat protection of Burkina Faso
Resource usage of Burkina Faso
Terrestrial habitat protection of Burkina Faso

Health Issues of Burkina Faso

AIDS morbidity of Burkina Faso
AIDS mortality of Burkina Faso
AIDS orphans of Burkina Faso
Child malnutrition of Burkina Faso
Condom use of Burkina Faso
Contraceptive use among currently married women 15-49 years old of Burkina Faso
HIV prevalence rate of Burkina Faso
HIV prevention of Burkina Faso
Infant health of Burkina Faso
Malaria morbidity of Burkina Faso
Malaria mortality of Burkina Faso
Malaria prevention of Burkina Faso
Malaria treatment of Burkina Faso
Malnutrition of Burkina Faso
Maternal health of Burkina Faso
Proportion of the population using improved drinking water sources of Burkina Faso
Proportion of the population using improved sanitation facilities of Burkina Faso
Tuberculosis morbidity of Burkina Faso
Tuberculosis mortality of Burkina Faso
Tuberculosis prevention of Burkina Faso
Tuberculosis treatment of Burkina Faso
Unmet need for family planning of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso in 2013

Burkina Faso Area: 270,764 sq km (104,543 sq mi) Population (2013 est.): 18,012,000 Capital: Ouagadougou Head of state: President Blaise Compaoré Head of government: Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao ...>>>>read more<<<

Burkina Faso in 2010

Burkina Faso Area: 270,764 sq km (104,543 sq mi) Population (2010 est.): 16,287,000 Capital: Ouagadougou Head of state: President Blaise Compaoré Head of government: Prime Minister Tertius Zongo ...>>>>read more<<<

Burkina Faso in 2008

Burkina Faso Area: 267,950 sq km (103,456 sq mi) Population (2008 est.): 14,391,000 Capital: Ouagadougou Chief of state: President Blaise Compaoré Head of government: Prime Minister Tertius Zongo ...>>>>read more<<<

Burkina Faso in 2007

Burkina Faso Area: 267,950 sq km (103,456 sq mi) Population (2007 est.): 14,326,000 Capital: Ouagadougou Chief of state: President Blaise Compaoré Head of government: Prime Ministers Paramanga ...>>>>read more<<<

Burkina Faso in 2004

Burkina Faso Area: 267,950 sq km (103,456 sq mi) Population (2004 est.): 13,575,000 Capital: Ouagadougou Chief of state: President Blaise Compaoré Head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga...>>>>read more<<<

Disclaimer

This is not the official site of this country. Most of the information in this site were taken from the U.S. Department of State, The Central Intelligence Agency, The United Nations, [1],[2], [3], [4], [5],[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14],[15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24],[25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30],[31], [32], [33], [34], and the [35].

Other sources of information will be mentioned as they are posted.