age 15–49: 1,693,597 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 59,887 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $226.8 million (1997)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.2% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: twenty bilateral agreements remain unsigned in a dispute over Bulgarian nonrecognition of Macedonian as a language distinct from Bulgarian
Illicit drugs: major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; significant producer of amphetamines, much of which are consumed in the Middle East
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@Burkina Faso——————
Geography
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: Mouhoun (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
People
Population: 11,575,898 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 48% (male 2,792,895; female 2,759,072)
15–64 years: 49% (male 2,700,253; female 2,978,168)
65 years and over: 3% (male 147,017; female 198,493) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.7% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 45.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 17.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: −1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 107.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.89 years male: 44.97 years female: 46.84 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1999 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: 19.2%
male: 29.5%
female: 9.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta
Data code: UV
Government type: parliamentary
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)
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 Kadre Desire OUEDRAOGO (since 6
February 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers