Burkina Faso

This Page was last updated on the 31st. October, 2006.

Country	Burkina Faso
Official Name	Burkina Faso
Former Name	Upper Volta (formerly French; claimed the territory in 1896; colony of Upper Volta established in 1919; present borders were recognized in 1947; changed name to Burkina Faso [the country of up-right people] in 1984.)
Capital	Ouagadougou
Main Towns	Banfora, Bobo-Dioulasso (pop. 450,000), Kaya, Koudougou (pop. 90,000), Ouagadougou (pop.1 million), Ouahigouya
Subdivisions	45 provinces (13 regions, 350 departments): Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo
Constitution	2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted; amended April 2000
Independence	5 August 1960 (from France)
National Holiday	Republic Day, 11 December (1958)
UN Membership	20 September 1960
OAU Membership	25 May 1963 - now African Union (AU)
Commonwealth	n/a
Other Organisations	In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT), Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Community of Saharan and Sahelian States (CENSAD/COMESSA or Community of Sahel Saharan States, CEN-SAD), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Council of the Entente (Entente), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Franc Zone (FZ), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), West African Development Bank (WADB), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).
Population	World Bank Figures: 10,995,700 (1999), 11,274,000 (2000), 11,552,570 (2001), 11,831,090 (2002), 12,109,229 (2003) Other Sources: 10,422,828 (July 1995), 12,272,289 (July 2001 est.) 13,228,460 (July 2003 est.), 13,925,313 (July 2005 est.)
Area	105,869 sq. mls. (274,200 sq. kms.)
Density	33 per sq.km. (1995)
Highest Point	Tena Kourou 2,451 ft. (747 m.)
Lowest Point	Pendjari River 443 ft. (135 m.)
Neighbours	Mali (N&W) Niger (E) Benin (S) Togo (S) Ghana (S) & Cote d’Ivoire (S)
Life Expectancy	49 years (1995), total population: 46.41 years, male: 45.86 years, female: 46.98 years (2001 est.) total population: 44.46 years male: 43.02 years female: 45.94 years (2003 est.) total population: 43.92 years male: 42.19 years female: 45.7 years (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate	total: 99.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 107.87 deaths/1,000 live births total: 97.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 105.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 89.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS	adult prevalence rate: 6.5% (2001 est.), 4.2% (2003 est.) people living with HIV/AIDS: 440,000 (2001 est.), 300,000 (2003 est.) deaths: 44,000 (2001 est.), 29,000 (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Burkina Faso - Updated: Sept 2004 Population: 12.6 million HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 4.2 No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 300,000 No. Of People in need of ART: 43,000 No. Of People Currently On ART (Sep 04): 2,000 No. Of People on ART Public Sector: Not Defined No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: Not Defined No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 35,350 Front Line Drug Regimen: -- HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: -- Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 2: Approved 04-Nov-03): US$7,130,400.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$2,002,937.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$22. million Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: Nil Source: WHO, UNAIDS, USAID
Adult Literacy Rate	total population: 19.2%, male: 29.5%, female: 9.2% (1995 est.) total population: 26.6% male: 36.9% female: 16.6% (2003 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Mossi 40%, Fulani, Gourmantche, Bobo, Lubi, Mande, Senoufou & Bissa
Languages	French (official), African languages belonging to Sudanic family such as: More, Dioula, Gourmantche, Peul
Religions	Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%, Traditional Religion (Animist) 40%
Type of Government	Parliamentary republic
President	Captain Blaise Campaore (since 15 October 1987, elected unopposed 1991)
Prime Minister	Ernest Paramanga Yonli (since 6 November 2000)
Political Parties	African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation (RDA-ADF); Confederation for Federation and Democracy (CFD); Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP); Movement for Tolerance and Progress (MTP); Party for African Independence (PAI); Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP); Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso (UVDB).
Ruling Party	Coalition led by Organisation pour la democratie Populaire-Mouvement du travail (ODP-MT)
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA, XOF) Franc (100 centimes) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
GDP	US$294 (1992) US$290 (1995) US$2,325m (1995) GDP: US$4.5 bn (2003), US$5.1 bn (2004 est) purchasing power parity - US$15.74 billion (2004 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,080 (2002 est.), US$1,200 (2004 est.)
GNP	US$310 (1992) US$320 (1994) US$230 (1995)
Per Capita Income	US$300 (2003)
Population Below Poverty Line	45% (2001 est.), 45% (2003 est.)
Land Use	arable land: 14.43% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 85.38% (2001) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources	manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
Oil and Natural Gas	Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption:8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001)
Military	Branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 2,957,710 (2003 est.), males age 18-49: 2,664,572 (2005 est.) Expenditures - US$45.83 million, 1.4% of GDP (FY02), US$64.2 million, 1.3% of GDP (2004)
Economic Aid Received	US$484.1 million (1995) Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$36 (1999), US$30 (2000), US$34 (2001), US$40 (2002), US$37 (2003)
Debt	Moderately indebted (HIPC) World Bank Figures: US$663,000,000 (2000), US$716,000,000 (2001), US$463,000,000 (2002), US$661,600,000 (2003) Other Sources: US$1,267m (1995), US$1.3 billion (1997) US$1.3 billion (2000)
Major Imports	Transport equipment, petroleum products, cereals, machinery, capital goods
Imports from	Cote d'Ivoire 29.6%, France 24.3%, Nigeria 3.7%, Italy 3.4% (2001) China 32.3%, Singapore 10.7%, Bangladesh 4.5%, Ghana 4.4%, Colombia 4.4% (2004), US$866.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Major Exports	Cotton 23.8% Gold 13.3% live animals hides & skins 9.5%
Exports to	Singapore 14.9%, Italy 13.8%, France 7.3% (2001) China 32.3%, Singapore 10.7%, Bangladesh 4.5%, Ghana 4.4%, Colombia 4.4% (2004), US $866.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 19 October, 2005

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