Geography
Area: 274,200 sq. km. (106,000 sq. mi.); about the size of Colorado.
Cities: Capital--Ouagadougou (pop.1 million). Other cities--Bobo-Dioulasso
(450,000), Koudougou (90,000).
Terrain: Savanna; brushy plains and scattered hills.
Climate: Sahelian; pronounced wet and dry seasons.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Burkinabe (accent on last e).
Population (2002): 12.2 million.
Annual growth rate (2002): 5.64%.
Ethnic groups: 63 ethnic groups among which are Mossi (almost half of
the total population), Bobo, Mande, Lobi, Fulani, Gourounsi, and
Senufo.
Christian singles note-Religions: Traditional beliefs 20%, Muslim 55%,
Christian 25%.
Languages: French (official), Moore, Dioula, others.
Education: Literacy (2003)--32.25%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2003)--83/1,000. Life
expectancy (2003)--45.7 years.
Work force: Agriculture--92%; industry--2.1%; commerce,
services, and government--5.5%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: August 5, 1960.
Constitution: June 11, 1991.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state) prime minister
(head of government). Legislative--one chamber. Judiciary--independent.
Subdivisions: 13 regions, 45 provinces, 350 departments.
Political parties: Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP), Alliance
for Democracy Federation/ African Democratic Assembly (ADF/RDA), Party
for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party (PDP/PS), National Union
for Democracy and Development (UNDD), and numerous other small
opposition parties.
Suffrage: Direct universal.
Central government budget (2004): $540 million.
Defense: 5.5% of government budget.
Economy
GDP (2003): $4.5 billion.
Annual growth rate (2003): 6.5%.
Per capita income (2003): $300.
Avg. inflation rate (2003): 1.8%.
Natural resources (limited quantities): Manganese, gold, limestone,
marble, phosphate.
Agriculture (32% of GDP): Products--cotton, millet, sorghum,
rice, livestock, peanuts, shea nuts, maize.
Industry (18% of GDP): Type--mining, agricultural processing
plants, brewing and bottling, light industry.
Trade (2002): Exports--$264 million: cotton ($130 million),
gold, livestock, peanuts, shea nut products. Major markets--European
Union, Taiwan. Imports--$650 million.
Official exchange rate: Fixed to the euro. Communaute Financiere
Africaine (CFA) francs 653=1 euro (2003: approx. CFA francs
579=U.S.$1).
GEOGRAPHY
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. The largest river is the Mouhoun (Black
Volta), which is partially navigable by small craft. Burkina Faso has
West Africa's largest elephant population. Game preserves also are
home to lions, hippos, monkeys, warthogs, and antelope. Infrastructure
and tourism are, however, not well developed. Annual average rainfall
varies from about 100 centimeters (40 in.) in the south to less than
25 centimeters (10 in.) in the north and northeast, where hot desert
winds accentuate the dryness of the region. The cooler season,
November to February, is pleasantly warm and dry (but dusty), with
cool evenings. March-June can be very hot. In July-September, the
rains bring a 3-month cooler and greener humid season.
PEOPLE
Burkina Faso's 12 million people belong to two major West African
cultural groups--the Voltaic and the Mande (whose common language is
Dioula). The Voltaic Mossi make up about one-half of the population.
The Mossi claim descent from warriors who migrated to present-day
Burkina Faso from Ghana and established an empire that lasted more
than 800 years. Predominantly farmers, the Mossi kingdom is still led
by the Mogho Naba, whose court is in Ouagadougou.
Burkina Faso is an ethnically integrated, secular state. Most of
Burkina's people are concentrated in the south and center of the
country, sometimes exceeding 48 per square kilometer (125/sq. mi.).
This population density, high for Africa, causes migrations of
hundreds of thousands of Burkinabe to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, many
for seasonal agricultural work. These flows of workers are obviously
affected by external events; the September 2002 coup attempt in Cote
d'Ivoire and the ensuing fighting there have meant that hundreds of
thousands of Burkinabe returned to Burkina Faso. A plurality of
Burkinabe are Muslim, but most also adhere to traditional African
religions.
Christian singles note-The introduction of Islam to Burkina Faso was
initially resisted by the Mossi rulers. Christians, both Roman
Catholics and Protestants, comprise about 25% of the population, with
their largest concentration in urban areas.
