rate would produce misleading results % @Burkina *Geography #_Total area: 274,200 km2; land area: 273,800 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
_#_Land boundaries: 3,192 km total; Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Ivory Coast 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
_#_Coastline: none—landlocked
_#_Maritime claims: none—landlocked
_#_Disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
_#_Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
_#_Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
_#_Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
_#_Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 37%; forest and woodland 26%; other 27%, includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy; overgrazing; deforestation
_#_Note: landlocked
_*People #_Population: 9,359,889 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 53 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Burkinabe; adjective—Burkinabe
_#_Ethnic divisions: more than 50 tribes; principal tribe is Mossi (about 2.5 million); other important groups are Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani
_#_Religion: indigenous beliefs about 65%, Muslim 25%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
_#_Language: French (official); tribal languages belong to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
_#_Literacy: 18% (male 28%, female 9%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 3,300,000 residents; 30,000 are wage earners; agriculture 82%, industry 13%, commerce, services, and government 5%; 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (1984); 44% of population of working age (1985)
_#_Organized labor: four principal trade union groups represent less than 1% of population
_*Government #_Long-form name: Burkina Faso
_#_Type: military; established by coup on 4 August 1983
_#_Capital: Ouagadougou
_#_Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba,
Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri,
Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno,
Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
_#_Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France; formerly Upper Volta)
_#_Constitution: none; constitution of 27 November 1977 was abolished following coup of 25 November 1980; constitutional referendum scheduled for June 1991
_#_Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
_#_National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
_#_Executive branch: chairman of the Popular Front, Council of Ministers
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) was dissolved on 25 November 1980
_#_Judicial branch: Appeals Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—Chairman of the
Popular Front Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
_#_Political parties and leaders: all political parties banned following November 1980 coup
_#_Suffrage: none
_#_Elections: the National Assembly was dissolved 25 November 1980; presidential elections are scheduled for 3 November 1991 and legislative elections for 8 December 1991
_#_Communists: small Communist party front group; some sympathizers
_#_Other political or pressure groups: committees for the defense of the revolution, watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
_#_Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO,
FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul Desire KABORE; Chancery at 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332–5577 or 6895;
US—Ambassador Edward P. BRYNN; Embassy at Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou (mailing address is 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou); telephone [226] 30–67-23 through 25 and [226] 33–34-22
_#_Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
_*Economy #_Overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina has a high population density, few natural resources, and relatively infertile soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is entirely of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP.
_#_GDP: $1.75 billion, per capita $205 (1988); real growth rate 3% (1989)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): - 0.5% (1989)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%
_#_Budget: revenues $275 million; expenditures $287 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
_#_Exports: $262 million (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—oilseeds, cotton, live animals, gold;
partners—EC 42% (France 30%, other 12%), Taiwan 17%, Ivory Coast 15% (1985)
_#_Imports: $619 million (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—grain, dairy products, petroleum, machinery;
partners—EC 37% (France 23%, other 14%), Africa 31%, US 15% (1985)
_#_External debt: $962 million (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 5.7% (1990est.), accounts for about 15% of GDP (1988)
_#_Electricity: 121,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 37 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
_#_Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP; cash crops—peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops—sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains
_#_Economic