"text":"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. Former President Blaise COMPAORE (1987-2014) resigned in late October 2014 following popular protests against his efforts to amend the Constitution's two-term presidential limit. By mid-November, a framework for an interim government was adopted under the terms of the National Transition Charter. An interim administration, led by President Michel KAFANDO and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac ZIDA began organizing presidential and legislative elections planned for October 2015, but these have been postponed due to continuing political turmoil. Burkina Faso's high population growth and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens."
"text":"recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation"
},
"Environment - international agreements":{
"party to":{
"text":"Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands"
},
"signed, but not ratified":{
"text":"none of the selected agreements"
}
},
"Geography - note":{
"text":"landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas"
}
},
"People and Society":{
"Nationality":{
"noun":{
"text":"Burkinabe (singular and plural)"
},
"adjective":{
"text":"Burkinabe"
}
},
"Ethnic groups":{
"text":"Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)"
},
"Languages":{
"text":"French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population"
"text":"estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)"
"text":"highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)"
}
},
"Obesity - adult prevalence rate":{
"text":"5.2% (2014)"
},
"Children under the age of 5 years underweight":{
"text":"26.2% (2010)"
},
"Education expenditures":{
"text":"3.4% of GDP (2011)"
},
"Literacy":{
"definition":{
"text":"age 15 and over can read and write"
},
"total population":{
"text":"36%"
},
"male":{
"text":"43%"
},
"female":{
"text":"29.3% (2015 est.)"
}
},
"School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)":{
"total":{
"text":"8 years"
},
"male":{
"text":"8 years"
},
"female":{
"text":"7 years (2013)"
}
},
"Child labor - children ages 5-14":{
"total number":{
"text":"1,521,006"
},
"percentage":{
"text":"38% (2006 est.)"
}
},
"Unemployment, youth ages 15-24":{
"total":{
"text":"3.8%"
},
"male":{
"text":"4.6%"
},
"female":{
"text":"2.9% (2006 est.)"
}
}
},
"Government":{
"Country name":{
"conventional long form":{
"text":"none"
},
"conventional short form":{
"text":"Burkina Faso"
},
"local long form":{
"text":"none"
},
"local short form":{
"text":"Burkina Faso"
},
"former":{
"text":"Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta"
}
},
"Government type":{
"text":"parliamentary republic"
},
"Capital":{
"name":{
"text":"Ouagadougou"
},
"geographic coordinates":{
"text":"12 22 N, 1 31 W"
},
"time difference":{
"text":"UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
}
},
"Administrative divisions":{
"text":"13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest"
},
"Independence":{
"text":"5 August 1960 (from France)"
},
"National holiday":{
"text":"Republic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community"
},
"Constitution":{
"text":"several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991; amended several times, last in 2012 (2012)"
},
"Legal system":{
"text":"civil law based on the French model and customary law"
},
"International law organization participation":{
"text":"has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
"text":"Interim President Michel KAFANDO (since 1 November 2014); note - President Blaise COMPAORE resigned on 31 October 2014 after efforts to amend the constitution to enable him to run for another term led to violent protests; military chief Gen. Honore TRAORE temporarily assumed power on 31 October 2014, but the army named Lt. Col. Yacouba Isaac ZIDA as the head of a transitional government on 1 November 2014; on 14 November, military and opposition party leaders agreed to a charter returning the government to civilian rule and holding elections in late 2015; Michel KAFANDO became interim president on 18 November 2014 and ZIDA became prime minister on 19 November 2014; KAFANDO and ZIDA were ousted in a military coup on 16 September 2015 and returned to power on 23 September 2015"
"text":"president elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second); election last held on 21 November 2010 (the scheduled 11 October 2015 election rescheduled for 29 November); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly"
"text":"Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.2%, Hama Arba DIALLO 8.2%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 6.3%, other 5.3%; note - President COMPAORE resigned on 31 October 2014; Michel KAFANDO took office as interim president on 18 November 2014, after being selected by a special electoral college; Lt. Col. Yacouba Isaac ZIDA was appointed as prime minister on 19 November 2014; a 25-member transitional government will rule until elections on 11 October 2015; a 90-member national transitional council will serve as a legislative body; KAFANDO was ousted in a 16 September 2015 military coup and replaced with a National Council of Democracy led by Gen. Gilbert DIENDERE but was restored to power on 23 September 2015"
"text":"percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 70, ADF-RDA 19, Union for Progress and Reform 19, UNIR-MS 4, UPR 4, CFD-B 3, PDS/Metba 2, other 6"
}
},
"Judicial branch":{
"highest court(s)":{
"text":"Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of the council president and 3 judges)"
},
"judge selection and term of office":{
"text":"Supreme Court judge appointments mostly controlled by the president of Burkina Faso; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council judges appointed by the president of Burkina Faso upon the proposal of the minister of justice and the president of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of judges renewed every 3 years"
},
"subordinate courts":{
"text":"Appeals Court; High Court; first instance tribunals; district courts; specialized courts relating to issues of labor, children, and juveniles; village (customary) courts"
"text":"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 [Zio Eric FRANCOIS] ++ Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Eddie KOMBOIGO] ++ 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 [Francois O. KABORE] ++ Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Philippe OVEDRAOGO] ++ Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Barry TAHIROU] ++ People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Roch March KABORE] ++ Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE] ++ 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 Progress and Reform or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE] ++ Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA] ++ Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY] ++ Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]"
"text":"Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON] ++ Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE] ++ Citizen's Resistance Front [Luc Marius IBRIGA] ++ Group of 14 February [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA] ++ National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO] ++ National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE]",
"other":{
"text":"watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities"
"text":"01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[226] 25-49-53-00"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[226] 25-49-56-28"
}
},
"Flag description":{
"text":"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",
"note":{
"text":"uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia"
}
},
"National symbol(s)":{
"text":"white stallion; national colors: red, yellow, green"
},
"National anthem":{
"name":{
"text":"\"Le Ditanye\" (Anthem of Victory)"
},
"lyrics/music":{
"text":"Thomas SANKARA"
},
"note":{
"text":"adopted 1974; also known as \"Une Seule Nuit\" (One Single Night); written by the country's president, an avid guitar player"
}
}
},
"Economy":{
"Economy - overview":{
"text":"Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. Cotton and gold are Burkina Faso’s key exports and Burkina Faso’s economic growth and revenue depends on global prices for the two commodities. The Burkinabe economy experienced high levels of growth over the last few years and gold accounted for about three-quarters of the country’s total export revenues in 2013. The country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and exports. Burkina Faso experienced a number of public protests over the high cost of living, corruption, and other socioeconomic issues in 2013 and the fall of the COMPAORE government in 2014 gave rise to laborers pushing for better pay and working conditions. A new three-year IMF program was approved in 2013 to focus on improving the quality of public investment and ensuring inclusive growth. Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term challenges."
"Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy":{
"text":"1.406 million Mt (2012 est.)"
}
},
"Communications":{
"Telephones - fixed lines":{
"total subscriptions":{
"text":"120,000"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"1 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephones - mobile cellular":{
"total":{
"text":"12.5 million"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"68 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephone system":{
"general assessment":{
"text":"system includes microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations; in 2006, the government sold a 51% stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23% stake in the company"
},
"domestic":{
"text":"fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base"
"text":"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 stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters available in Ouagadougou (2007)"
},
"Radio broadcast stations":{
"text":"AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)"
},
"Television broadcast stations":{
"text":"3 (1 national, 2 private)"
},
"Internet country code":{
"text":".bf"
},
"Internet users":{
"total":{
"text":"782,400"
},
"percent of population":{
"text":"4.3% (2014 est.)"
}
}
},
"Transportation":{
"Airports":{
"text":"23 (2013)"
},
"Airports - with paved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"2"
},
"over 3,047 m":{
"text":"1"
},
"2,438 to 3,047 m":{
"text":"1 (2013)"
}
},
"Airports - with unpaved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"21"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"3"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"13"
},
"under 914 m":{
"text":" ++ 5 (2013)"
}
},
"Railways":{
"total":{
"text":"622 km"
},
"narrow gauge":{
"text":"622 km 1.000-m gauge"
},
"note":{
"text":"another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2014)"
}
},
"Roadways":{
"total":{
"text":"15,272 km"
},
"note":{
"text":"does not include urban roads (2010)"
}
}
},
"Military":{
"Military branches":{
"text":"Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2011)"
},
"Military service age and obligation":{
"text":"18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2013)"
},
"Manpower available for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"3,735,735 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower fit for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"2,366,168"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"2,367,673 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually":{
"male":{
"text":"193,905"
},
"female":{
"text":"191,662 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Military expenditures":{
"text":"1.39% of GDP (2012) ++ 1.34% of GDP (2011) ++ 1.39% of GDP (2010)"
}
},
"Transnational Issues":{
"Disputes - international":{
"text":"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"
