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Burkina Faso |
Capital: Ouagadougou
Languages: French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population.
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States.
Background: 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. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries. One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has a high population density, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. About 90% of the population is engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall.
PEOPLE
Population: 14,326,203 (July 2007 est.); 16,241,811 (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
2007
Total Population: 49.21 years
Male: 47.68 years
Female: 50.8 years (2007 est.)
2010
Total population: 53.32 years
Male: 51.39 years
Female: 55.31 years (2010 est.)
Age structure:
2007
0-14 years: 46.7% (male 3,356,737/female 3,327,058)
15-64 years: 50.9% (male 3,635,152/female 3,650,303)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 141,554/female 215,399) (2007 est.)
2010
0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2010 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.997% (2007 est.); 3.095% (2010 est.)
Population below poverty line: 45% (2003 est.); 46.4% (2004)
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 2.0% (2006 est.); 1.6% (2007 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 150,000 (2006 est.); 130,000 (2007 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total Population: 21.8%
Male: 29.4%
Female: 15.2% (2003 est.)
Refugees and Internally Displaced People: N/A
ECONOMY
Unemployment rate: N/A
Labour force by Occupation: agriculture: 90%; industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)
Agricultural Products: cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Exports - Commodities: cotton, livestock, gold
Exports - Partners:
China 41.7%, Singapore 14.3%, Ghana 5.9%, Thailand 4.8%, Niger 4.4% (2006)
Singapore 16.76%, Belgium 12.78%, China 7.59%, Ghana 6.89%, India 6.36%, Denmark 5.76%, Niger 5.13%, Thailand 4.52% (2009)
Imports - Commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum
Imports - Partners:
Cote d'Ivoire 25.4%, France 22.3%, Togo 7% (2006)
Cote d'Ivoire 24.31%, France 19.48%, Togo 6.42% (2009
ENVIRONMENT
Environment - Current issues: Recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation.
Natural hazards: recurring droughts
Source: CIA World Factbook
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