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$Unique_ID{COW00617}
$Pretitle{407}
$Title{Burkina Faso
Demographics}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC}
$Subject{burkina
faso
country
dc
embassy
washington
west
economic
population
sector}
$Date{1988}
$Log{Baby and Mother*0061702.scf
Tribal Huts*0061705.scf
Traditional Crafts*0061706.scf
President of Burkina Faso*0061707.scf
Table 1.*0061701.tab
Table 2.*0061702.tab
Table 3.*0061703.tab
Table 4.*0061704.tab
}
Country: Burkina Faso
Book: Burkina Faso: a Survey
Author: Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC
Date: 1988
Demographics
Burkina Faso, (formerly Republic of Upper Volta), is located in West
Africa. It is a landlocked country, completely surrounded by:
- MALI on the west and north;
- NIGER on the east;
- BENIN, TOGO, GHANA, and COTE D'IVOIRE on the south.
Burkina Faso is a country of 274,200 square kilometres, (105,869 sq. mi.)
the size of Colorado; with a population of 8,300,000 inhabitants (1987). The
growth rate is 2.9 percent.
The country is a vast plateau, notched by valleys. The highest
"mountain", the TENAKOUROU, whose height is 747 metres, is located at the
Burkina-Mali border, in the south-west of the country.
The main rivers are: Mouhoun, Nakambe, and Nazinon, (formerly the Black,
White, and Red Volta Rivers respectively), the Comoe, the Buguriba, and the
Pendjari. The most important of these is the Mouhoun.
While the North is sahelian and arid, the Central area is a dry savannah.
The South and South-West are covered by a wooded savannah. The most fertile
and rich soils are located in the South-West, the South and parts of the East.
The Capital of the Country, OUAGADOUGOU, has a population of 500,000
inhabitants.
[See Baby and Mother: Courtesy Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC.]
[See Table 1.: The following towns have a population of over 100,000
inhabitants.]
- While French is the official language, More, Dioula and Fulani are the
most spoken african languages.
[See Tribal Huts: Courtesy Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC.]
[See Table 2.: Other Statistics]
ECONOMIC INFORMATION
- ECONOMIC DESCRIPTION:
[See Traditional Crafts: Courtesy Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington DC.]
Subsistence Agriculture is the backbone of the Burkinabe economy,
contributing 67% to the GNP, and employing 87% of the predominantly
rural population. Millet, sorghum, rice and maize are the main food crops
produced. Sesame, peanuts and karite (shea nuts) are exported.
Agricultural products represent about 65% of the total exports of Burkina
Faso. Like in many sahelian countries, animal husbandry plays an important
role in the economy of Burkina Faso. It includes bovines, porcines, caprines,
sheep, equines, azines, camelines, and poultry. Cattle represents 35% of the
exports. Poultry is mainly exported to Cote d'Ivoire, while bovines, sheep,
and capines are exported to Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria.
Mineral resources, including significant deposits of manganese,
phosphate, limestone, copper and gold are located in several areas of the
country, mainly in the Northeastern region. The construction of railways from
OUAGADOUGOU to TAMBAO and other infrastructure currently underway will
facilitate the exploitation of this mineral wealth.
[See Table 3.: Economic Information]
- ECONOMIC SECTORS:
The main economic sectors are:
1) AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: (87% of the labor force)
Agricultural products represent about 65% of the Total Export and 38% of GDP
with an annual growth of 5.7% . The Burkinabe Agricultural Sector is one of
the most successful in West Africa. Cotton (3rd place in West Africa, after
Cote d'Ivoire and Mali). Peanuts, Karite (Sheanuts), Sesame are the main
industrial products. Cattle represents 35% of the exports.
- INDUSTRY AND MINING: With 25% of the GDP (in 1987) and 2% of the
active population includes Textile and Food industries: (Slaughter-houses,
Breweries, Soap Factories, Sugar Refineries, Oil Factories, etc...)
- Craftsman's trade is the most important generator of employment after
Agriculture.
- Increasing mining activities with the extraction of gold in Poura and
many reserves of phosphate, manganese, calcaine etc...
THE SERVICE SECTOR: With 38% of the GDP, it includes Tourism and
hostelry, Commerce, Transport and Communications.
THE GOVERNMENT STRATEGY
[See President of Burkina Faso: Courtesy Embassy of Burkina Faso, Washington
DC.]
- As a country with a predominantly Agricultural Sector, the Government
encourages investment to develop the textile and food industry by creating
many factories and introducing technology for increasing finished products.
- As a landlocked country, the government develops and modernizes the
Transportation system and the communication services.
- With its rich mineral reserves, its mineral resources have not yet
reached the peak of mining exploitation.
- Besides the public sector, the Government encourages and promotes the
private sector providing it with the necessary guarantee and protection.
MONETARY AND BANKING INFORMATION
Like many French speaking West African Countries, Burkina Faso is a
member of the Zone Franc (Franc Zone). The CFA franc is the currency with a
fixed rate CFA TO FRENCH FRANC: 50 CFA = 1 FF
Burkina Faso is also a member of the West African Monetary Union. The
country has a very developed Banking System. The Banking System includes:
[See Table 4.: Banking System]