Location:
Western Africa
Capital City:
Ouagadougou
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km
Land boundaries:
Total: 3,611 km
border countries (6):
Benin 386 km,
Cote d’Ivoire 545 km,
Ghana 602 km,
Mali 1,325 km,
Niger 622 km,
Togo 131 km
Coastline: 0 km
Total: 3611 km
Burkina Faso
Climate:
tropical;
warm, dry winters;
hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Elevation:
mean elevation: 297 m
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, phosphates, pumice, salt
Land use:
agricultural land: 43%
arable land 20.8%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 21.9%
forest: 20.4%
other: 36.6% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2012)
Population – distribution:
the population is concentrated in the central and southern parts of the country; the east, north, and southwest are less populated
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts
People and Society
Burkina Faso has a young age structure – the result of declining mortality combined with steady high fertility – and continues to experience rapid population growth, which is putting increasing pressure on the country’s limited arable land. More than 65% of the population is under the age of 25, and the population is growing at 3% annually. Mortality rates, especially those of infants and children, have decreased because of improved health care, hygiene, and sanitation, but women continue to have an average of almost 6 children. Even if fertility were substantially reduced, today’s large cohort entering their reproductive years would sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future. Only about a third of the population is literate and unemployment is widespread, dampening the economic prospects of Burkina Faso’s large working-age population.
Migration has traditionally been a way of life for Burkinabe, with seasonal migration being replaced by stints of up to two years abroad. Cote d’Ivoire remains the top destination, although it has experienced periods of internal conflict. Under French colonization, Burkina Faso became the main labor source for agricultural and factory work in Cote d’Ivoire. Burkinabe also migrated to Ghana, Mali, and Senegal for work between the world wars. Burkina Faso attracts migrants from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the Burkinabe. Despite its food shortages and high poverty rate, Burkina Faso has become a destination for refugees in recent years and hosts about 33,500 Malians as of May 2017.
Population:
20,107,509
Nationality:
Burkinabe
Ethnic groups:
Mossi 52%, Fulani 8.4%, Gurma 7%, Bobo 4.9%, Gurunsi 4.6%, Senufo 4.5%, Bissa 3.7%, Lobi 2.4%, Dagara 2.4%, Tuareg/Bella 1.9%, Dioula 0.8%, unspecified/no answer 0.3%, other 7.2% (2010 est.)
Languages:
Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages
Religions:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Ethnicity, Language, and Religion
Its population of over 15 million people belongs to two major West African cultural groups, the Voltaic and the Mande. The Voltaic are far more numerous and include the Mossi, which make up almost half of the population. The Mossi claim descent from warriors who migrated to present-day Burkina Faso and established an empire that lasted more than 800 years. Predominantly, farmers, the Mossi are still bound by the traditions of the Mogho Naba, who holds court in Ouagadougou. Other ethnic groups include the Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, and Fulani. In addition to the African population, about 5,000 Europeans reside in Burkina Faso.
The most significant ethnic divide in the country is between Mossi farmers and Fulbe herders. The root of the conflict lies in the long history of Mossi domination over its neighbors. In recent years the conflict has escalated along job activity lines. The high population density, rapidly growing population, growing pressure on natural resources, the growth of herds, and the extension of cultivated areas all contribute to the tensions between divergent culturally-based resource users. A minority of scholars has challenged this rationale, asserting that it is not really an ethnically-based conflict over resource-use decisions, but rather a “modern” struggle to conceal personal wealth. The result is nonetheless the same. The rich Mossi and Fulbe societies have been clashing with increasing frequency.
Burkina Faso’s most ritualized ethnic group is likely the Dagara centered in Birifu. While comprising only three percent of the total population of the country, Dagara ritualistic beliefs transcend much of Burkinabe society. At the center of these rituals are the bagr rituals. Bagr rituals form a series of private and public events that last a season or even a year. They guide social and cultural life. Fundamental to this set of beliefs is the consideration of fate.
French is the official language, however, many indigenous languages (over 60) are typically spoken. Songhay, Senoufo, Sano, Nuni, More, Marka, Lyele, Lobi, Kasem, Karoboro, Jula, Gourma, Fulfulde, Dagara, Cerne, Bwamu, Bomu, Bobo-Madare, Bissa, and Malba-Birifor are among the main languages — most of which belong to Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Mande and Nilo-Saharan ethnolinguistic families of languages. A plurality of Burkinabe (over fifty percent) is Muslim. The introduction of Islam to Burkina Faso was initially resisted by the Mossi rulers. Indeed, even among self-professed Muslims, there is also adherence to traditional African religions. Indeed, about 40 percent of the people are said to follow traditional beliefs. The Christians, both Roman Catholics, and Protestants comprise about a tenth of the population, with their largest concentration in urban areas.
Education
Burkina Faso has made enormous progress in education since 1960 when the country gained independence. The primary-education rate has gone from almost 7 percent in 1960 to more than 81 percent in 2012/2013. Progress has been made in reducing gender inequality, with nearly equal female and male primary-education rates. The progress seen especially in the last decade may be attributed to the Ten Year Plan for Development of Basic Education, put in place from 2002 to 2011. Important efforts still need to be made to attain universal primary school education.
Statistics from the 2006 national census of population information on children’s demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the households in which they live show that the national completion rates for different levels of schooling in Burkina Faso hide disparities: the law school enrollment of girls compared to boys, of children in rural areas compared to urban areas, of children in poor households compared to privileged households, of orphans compared to those who are not, and of handicapped children compared with nonhandicapped children. Geographic disparities are particularly important. Living in a rural area, for example, is more damaging to a child’s schooling than is being a girl. Being an orphaned girl without both parents and living in a rural area considerably limits one’s educational opportunities. Similarly, a handicapped girl living in a rural area faces major obstacles to education.
The country’s 2007 Education Orientation Law introduced universal compulsory free education in 45 national districts with the goal of building an integrated system of education for all students ages 6-16. While the country is among the world’s poorest, school enrollment has risen steadily, and the government and its development partners have implemented reforms including bi-lingual education in French and national languages to improve access to schooling for all children.
Pre-primary education is not widely available in Burkina Faso; early childhood centers are mainly found in larger cities and towns. Primary education begins at age 6, lasts 6 years, and is obligatory (although attendance is not enforced). It is divided into three levels: two years of preparatory elementary school, two years of elementary school and two years of middle school. At the end of the final level, students earn a certificate of primary studies (CEP).
Secondary students follow either a two-year or three-year track, depending on whether they wish to end their formal education at the high school level or pursue further studies at a university or technical school. Special multi-lingual schools also have been established to foster proficiency in French and the eight major national languages, as well as life skills training. High school graduates earn a baccalaureate certificate.
There are three institutions of higher learning in Burkina Faso, namely the Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso, the Teachers Training College of Koudougou, and the University of Ouagadougou. The University of Ouagadougou is illustrated here, was established in 1974, and has faculties of languages arts & communication, human sciences, legal and politic sciences, economic sciences & management, applied sciences, health sciences, life & earth sciences, and an institute of arts & crafts.
Economy
Burkina Faso has achieved generally good macroeconomic performance in recent years, attributable to the implementation of economic reforms supported by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. In 2008 and 2009, economic activity was negatively affected by several shocks, including an increase in global food and fuel prices, the global economic crisis, and heavy flooding in the capital area in September 2009. These shocks contributed to lower growth and deterioration in the population’s welfare. The government acted promptly in dealing with the adverse impact of the shocks through fiscal stimulus measures to support economic activity. In the meantime, despite a difficult environment, the government implemented structural reforms in tax administration and the cotton sector. By 2010, gold had become the main source of export revenue for the country with gold mining production doubling between 2009 and 2010. Burkina Faso is among the five countries in sub-Saharan Africa charging consumers the highest prices for power.
Economic growth showed 5.9 percent in 2016 and 6.4 percent in 2017 due to the recovery of mining and the return to democratic institutions. The opening up of new industrial mines coupled with a slight rebound in gold and cotton prices and rising grain production paved the way for an acceleration of economic growth in 2016. Real GDP grew at 5.9 percent, well above the 4 percent rate of 2015 and close to the average of 6 percent posted during the 2003-2013 period, according to the World Bank.
Burkina Faso continued to improve its external position in 2016, with a current account [deficit] of 6.8 percent of GDP, compared to 8 percent in 2015. External support and the resumption of foreign direct investments (FDI), particularly in the mining sector, helped narrow the external deficit, noted the World Bank. In August 2017, Burkina Faso announced a US$819 million infrastructure development plan that aimed to create jobs and boost economic growth in the country’s northern region. There, jobless youths had become prime recruitment targets for Islamist militants. The project would prioritize the building of schools, roads, medical facilities and water infrastructure, according to Prime Minister Paul Kaba Thieba as cited by Bloomberg. The funds will be disbursed to small and medium-sized businesses to boost employment and prevent the radicalization of young people, he added.
Burkina Faso is part of the West African Monetary and Economic Union (UMEOA) and has adopted the CFA franc. This is issued by the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO), situated in Dakar, Senegal. The BCEAO manages the monetary and reserve policy of the member states and provides regulation and oversight of the financial sector and banking activity. Microfinance institutions are governed by a separate law, which regulates microfinance activities in all WAEMU countries. The insurance sector is regulated through the Inter-African Conference on Insurance Markets (CIMA).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$35.68 billion (2017 est.)
$33.54 billion (2016 est.)
$31.68 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$13.19 billion (2017 est.)
GDP – real growth rate:
6.4% (2017 est.)
5.9% (2016 est.)
4% (2015 est.)
GDP – per capita (PPP):
$1,900 (2017 est.)
$1,800 (2016 est.)
$1,700 (2015 est.)
Gross national saving:
9.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
7.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
5.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
GDP – composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 31.9%
industry: 22%
services: 46.1% (2017 est.)
Agriculture – products:
cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Industries:
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Population below poverty line:
40.1% (2009 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.635 billion
expenditures: $3.332 billion (2017 est.)
Agriculture
Agriculture is by far the most important sector of the country’s economy, providing a livelihood for about four-fifths of the population and accounting for a large portion of Eritrea’s exports. Small-scale cultivation and traditional pastoralism are the main forms of agricultural activity. These are not mutually exclusive occupations since most cultivators also keep animals and most pastoralists cultivate grains when possible. Both cultivators and pastoralists produce primarily for their own subsistence, and only small surpluses are available for trade.
The area of cultivation is limited by climate, soil erosion, and the uneven surface of the plateau. Under the Italian and Ethiopian rule, irrigated plantations produced vegetables, fruit, cotton, sisal, bananas, tobacco, and coffee for the growing urban markets, but this agricultural sector was disrupted by the long period of warfare leading to independence. Today staple grain products include sorghum, millet, and an indigenous cereal named teff (Eragrostis tef). Pulses, sesame seeds, vegetables, cotton, tobacco, and sisal also are produced. Among the livestock raised are sheep, cattle, goats, and camels.
Eritrea has 565,000 hectares (1,396,000 acres) of arable land and permanent crops. Three-quarters of Eritrea’s people are subsistence farmers dependent on unreliable rainfall to feed families that average seven children. The present government dissolved the former Ethiopian military regime’s marketing board and reinstituted private markets for agricultural products. Principal crops in 2004 included sorghum, 56,700 tons; millet, 11,600 tons; barley, 16,900 tons; and wheat, 17,200 tons. Legumes, vegetables, fruits, sesame, and linseed are also grown. War, drought, deforestation, and erosion caused about 70–80% of the population to become dependent on food aid.
Sheep, goats, cattle (especially zebu), and camels make up the majority of Eritrea’s livestock. The government is emphasizing the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in order to decrease the reliance on international relief, caused by war and drought. With Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia, access to about 1,011 km (628 mi) of Red Sea coastline was obtained. Because Eritrea now controls the coastline, long-term prospects for development of offshore fishing and oil are good. The total catch rose from 475 tons in 1993 to 6,689 tons in 2003. The Eritrean navy patrols the coastal waters to limit poaching by unauthorized non nationals. The development of local fishing will decrease the dependence on foreign food aid, even though fish has not been a major source of Eritreans’ protein intake.
Electricity access:
population without electricity: 14,100,000
electrification – total population: 17%
electrification – urban areas: 56%
electrification – rural areas: 1% (2013)
Electricity – production:
944 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity – consumption:
1.321 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity – exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity – imports:
443 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity – installed generating capacity:
306,000 kW (2015 est.)
Electricity – from fossil fuels:
86.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Electricity – from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Telephones – fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 75,727
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.)
Telephones – mobile cellular:
total: 15,404,040
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (July 2016 est.)
Internet country code:
.bf
Internet users:
total: 2,723,950
percent of population: 14.0% (July 2016 est.)
Manufacturing
Industry accounted for about 28% of Burkina’s GDP in 2000, yet employed only 2% of the population. The principal centers for economic activity are Bobo-Dioulasso, Ouagadougou, Banfora, and Koudougou, cities on the rail line to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Burkinabe industry reflects an interesting diversity but is dominated by unprofitable state-controlled corporations. Important sectors are food processing, textiles, and leather, although small-scale operations manufacture cigarettes, bricks, and light metal goods such as beds and agricultural implements. Other enterprises are a brewery and moped and bicycle assembly plants.
Cotton production (cotton is Burkina Faso’s main export) reached record levels in 1999, reaching 419,000 tons, marking the fifth consecutive year of strong growth in the sector. Gold production (gold is the country’s second-largest export) has increased markedly in recent years. Efforts were underway in 2003 to develop a shea butter industry in Burkina Faso: shea butter is used as a skin moisturizer and as a substitute for cocoa butter in the production of chocolate. Of 42 state enterprises selected for sale, 21 were divested by 1999. Shell, Elf Oil, Mobil Oil, and Texaco operate in Burkina Faso; the country has no hydrocarbon resources. Sonabel (Société Nationale Burkinabe d’Electricité) is the state-owned utility supplying electricity to the country. Burkina Faso has undeveloped phosphate resources and manganese deposits.
Gold Mining often plays a significant role in Burkina Faso’s economy. Burkina Faso has become Africas 4th biggest producer of gold in 2012. Production of mineral commodities is limited to cement, dolomite, gold, granite, marble, phosphate rock, pumice, other volcanic materials, and salt. Child slavery is commonplace in the gold industry. According to the Ministry of Finance, gold has become the top export commodity. In 2011, it earned Burkina Faso 127 billion CFA (US$247 million). Between 2007 and 2011, it brought in 440 billion CFA, accounting for 64.7 percent of all exports and 8 percent of GDP. Production rose from 23 tonnes in 2010 to 32 tonnes in 2011. Gold mines are spread across the country’s northern, western, southwestern and central regions.
Banking and Finance
The Burkinabe financial system appears to be dominated by multinational, pan-African banks, accounting for around 90 percent of total financial system assets. The banking sector, comprised of 12 commercial banks, is highly concentrated, with the three largest banks holding nearly 50 percent of total financial sector assets. Banks are generally adequately capitalized but remain vulnerable due to their overexposure to the cotton sector. The government’s position in the banking system, a source of vulnerability in the past, appears to have stabilized, and compliance with regional prudential norms has marginally improved. As of end-June 2011, the majority of banks met the new regional minimum capital requirement of CFAF 5 billion.
According to a report by the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO) about 41 microfinance institutions (MFIs) operate in the country, serving around 800,000 customers. Authorities have, in recent years, embarked on a series of reform programs to improve the business environment and facilitate financial transactions. Recent measures include the creation of specialized commercial chambers in the court system, as well as reforms to ease property registration and transaction procedures. Authorities have also adopted a new law on decentralized financial systems, enacted in 2009, which, in cooperation with the BCEAO, introduced a single authorization system, strengthened application examination procedures, and reinforced prudential rules and mandatory certification of accounts.
As of March 2013, Burkina Faso received a sovereign rating of B by Standard and Poor. Regional and national fixed incomes markets are still in their early development stages. Issuance by corporate entities remains limited. Investors can directly access primary markets, and various brokers and dealers provide indirect access, while foreign investors participate through local banks. Commercial banks still largely dominate the investor base as the main purchasers of treasury bills and bonds. Access to secondary markets within the WAEMU remains limited; transactions can only be conducted by certified intermediaries, while most investors adopt a buy-and-hold approach.
Tourism
The tourist industry has not really taken off in the country and, as such, the facilities can be rough and ready and a little more planning is needed for travelers than in more tourist orientated African countries. The lack of tourists is not necessarily a bad thing however and some of the spots you will visit have a really unspoiled feeling about them and the family-run guesthouses feel very intimate and welcoming. The cities in Burkina Faso do not offer many sights or tourist attractions as such but the music and other forms of performing arts on offer are truly some of the greatest on offer in Africa.
Major Attraction
Ouagadougou, more commonly known by the abbreviated name Ouaga, is the capital city of Burkina Faso and also the home of the country’s administration and economic centers. The architecture here is far from inspiring and the sights will leave you underwhelmed (except for the impressive Roman Catholic cathedral) but the city is a true hive of performing arts inspiration. Dance, live music, awesome festivals and craft markets make for a memorable and rewarding travel experience and make a trip to Ouaga worthwhile.
The city of Bobo-Dioulasso, which fortunately also has an abbreviated name; Bobo, is the second largest city in Burkina Faso. Despite its size, the city has a laid-back and exclusive feel which makes it a favorite resting spot for travelers from all backgrounds and with all budgets. The city is worth exploring in the daytime but the main attraction here is the nightlife. The live music and restaurants in the city are some of the best in Burkina Faso. The local music on offer in various clubs and bars attracts the residents of the city as well as tourists from Europe and The States.
Banfora is situated in one of the most beautiful regions of Burkina Faso, the Comoe Province. The town is not much of a draw for tourists in itself but the location is perfect; the nearby attractions include Tengrela Lake, which is a great place to spot hippos, especially in the dry season, and the Karfiguela Waterfalls which make for a great hiking or picnic spot. The falls have their own parking area with security for self-drive holidaymakers.
Gorom Gorom is a town in the north of Burkina Faso, situated at what was once an important location at the crossroads of the Sahel. The main reason to visit the town is without question the market. Each Thursday, traders from all over the country travel to sell their wares at this impressive market. It is a great place for souvenir shopping with items ranging from jewelry to handcrafted leather items.
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