Country Summary: Burkina Faso
Country Name: Burkina Faso
Capital: Ouagadougou
Official Visa & Travel Information: Burkina Faso e-Visa Applicant Web Portal (Visa Services)
Government Type: presidential republic
Background: Many of Burkina Faso’s ethnic groups arrived in the region between the 12th and 15th centuries. The Gurma and Mossi peoples established several of the largest kingdoms in the area and used horse-mounted warriors in military campaigns. Of the various Mossi kingdoms, the most powerful were Ouagadougou and Yatenga. In the late 19th century, European states competed for control of the region. France eventually conquered the area and established it as a French protectorate.
The country achieved independence from France in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups were common in the country’s first few decades. In 1987 Blaise COMPAORE deposed the former president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In October 2014, COMPAORE resigned following protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition period organizing presidential and legislative elections. In November 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president; he was reelected in November 2020. In 2022, military personnel conducted two takeovers. First, in January 2022, Paul Henri DAMIBA, a colonel in the army, overthrew KABORE in a coup d'etat and then, in September 2022, army captain Ibrahim TRAORE deposed DAMIBA and declared himself transition president. The transition government had planned to hold democratic elections by July 2024, but may be delayed due to security concerns.
Continent: Africa
Population: 22,489,126 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Mossi 52%, Fulani (Peuhl) 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%, Dyula 0.8%, unspecified/no answer 0.3%, other 7.2% (2010 est.)
Languages: Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.)
Religions: Muslim 63.8%, Roman Catholic 20.1%, Animiste 9%, Protestant 6.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.7% (2019 est.)
Economic Overview: highly agrarian, low-income economy; limited natural resources; widespread poverty; terrorism disrupting potential economic activity; improving trade balance via increases in gold exports; economy inflating after prior deflation; growing public debt but still manageable
Currency: West African CFA Franc (XOF)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $49 million (31 December 2017 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $48.949 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 1.78% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per Capita: $2,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Exports:
$6.234 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 127
Export Commodities: gold, cotton, zinc, cashews, sesame seeds (2021)
Export Partners: Switzerland 59%, India 21% (2019)
Imports:
$5.835 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 141
Import Commodities: refined petroleum, delivery trucks, packaged medicines, electricity, aircraft (2019)
Import Partners: Cote d'Ivoire 15%, China 9%, Ghana 8%, France 8%, India 6%, United States 5% (2019)
Natural Resources: gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt
Agricultural Products: sorghum, maize, millet, cotton, cow peas, sugar cane, groundnuts, rice, sesame seed, vegetables
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
-8.28% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Comparison Ranking: 209
Labor Force: 8.328 million (2022 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 5.07% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Natural Hazards: Geography:
Total: 274,200 sq km
Land: 273,800 sq km
Water: 400 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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