Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.

Western Africa, north of Ghana

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Africa

slightly larger than Colorado

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

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

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

300 sq km (2008)

17.5 cu km (2001)

recurring droughts

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

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

16,751,455 (July 2011 est.)

3.085% (2011 est.)

43.59 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

12.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

OUAGADOUGOU (capital) 1.777 million (2009)

6.14 children born/woman (2011 est.)

1.2% (2009 est.)

110,000 (2009 est.)

7,100 (2009 est.)

urban: 95% of population

rural: 72% of population

total: 76% of population

urban: 5% of population

rural: 28% of population

total: 24% of population (2008)

urban: 33% of population

rural: 6% of population

total: 11% of population

urban: 67% of population

rural: 94% of population

total: 89% of population (2008)

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

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

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

4.6% of GDP (2007)

parliamentary republic

45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

5 August 1960 (from France)

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

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

civil law based on the French model and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

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

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

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]

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

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

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.

$19.99 billion (2010 est.)

$18.9 billion (2009 est.)

$18.3 billion (2008 est.)

$8.781 billion (2010 est.)

5.8% (2010 est.)

3.2% (2009 est.)

5.2% (2008 est.)

$1,200 (2010 est.)

$1,200 (2009 est.)

$1,200 (2008 est.)

6.668 million

77% (2004)

46.4% (2004)

39.5 (2007)

48.2 (1994)

19.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

1.4% (2010 est.)

2.6% (2009 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

NA%

$1.416 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.303 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.406 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.22 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.373 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.236 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

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

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

5.5% (2010 est.)

611.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

568.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

9,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-486 million (2010 est.)

$-330 million (2009 est.)

$991 million (2010 est.)

$772 million (2009 est.)

cotton, livestock, gold

Singapore 16.76%, Belgium 12.78%, China 7.59%, Ghana 6.89%, India 6.36%, Denmark 5.76%, Niger 5.13%, Thailand 4.52% (2009)

$1.48 billion (2010 est.)

$1.186 billion (2009 est.)

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Cote d'Ivoire 24.31%, France 19.48%, Togo 6.42% (2009)

$1.588 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.296 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.002 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.784 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

495.28 (2010)

472.19 (2009)

447.81 (2008)

493.51 (2007)

522.59 (2006)

167,000 (2009)

3.299 million (2009)

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 broadcast stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters available in Ouagadougou (2007)

.bf

1,877 (2010)

178,100 (2009)

24 (2010)

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

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

1.2% of GDP (2006)

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