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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.
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Common Name: Burkina Faso
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Local Official Name: Burkina Faso
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Abbreviated Name: Burkina Faso
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Official Name: Burkina Faso
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Official Script Name: Burkina Faso
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Local Common Name: Burkina Faso
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Former Name: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Blaise COMPAORE
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Government Type: parliamentary republic
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Independence: 1960 August 5 (from France)
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Constitution: 1991 June 2 (approved by referendum (1991 June 11 formally adopted; amended 2000 April)
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National Holiday: Republic Day, 11 December
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International Organization Participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Administrative Divisions: 45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on French civil law system and customary law
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Suffrage: universal years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6 November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing the president to be reelected only once; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%
Legislative Branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, other 17
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court
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Party Leaders: African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Noyabtigungu Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]
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International Disputes: two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Burkina Faso: Western Africa, north of Ghana
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Continent: Africa
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Land Area Total: 274,200 sq km
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Region: Western African |
Land Area Land: 273,800 sq km
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Capitol City: Ouagadougou
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Land Area Water: 400 sq km
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Latitude: 013 00 N
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Border Boundary Land: 3,193 km
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Longitude: 002 00 W
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Border Boundary Coastline: 0 km
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Arable Land: 17.66 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 0.22 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 749 m
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Location: Tena Kourou
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Lowest Elevation: 200 m
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Location: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River
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Largest City in Burkina Faso: Ouagadougou
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Ouagadougou Largest City Population: 1,062,000
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Threatened Species: 12
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Environmental Issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Irrigated Land: 250
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Bordering Countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
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Natural Resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt
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Geographical Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
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Comparative Area of Burkina Faso: slightly larger than Colorado
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Burkina Faso's Geography: landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas
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General Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
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Natural Hazards: recurring droughts
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Economic Overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Cotton is the key crop and the government has joined with other cotton producing countries in the region to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the CFA franc currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance.
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GDP: $16,950,000,000 USD
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Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
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GDP per Capita: $1,300 USD
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Currency Code: XOF
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GDP Growth Rate: 4.50 %
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Currency Exchange Rate History: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
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GDP of Agriculture: 39.50 %
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GDP of Industry: 19.30 %
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GDP of Services: 41.30 % |
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Inflation Rate: 3.00 % |
Population in Poverty: 45.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 0.00 %
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Tourism: 218,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 2.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $1,033,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 46.80 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $1,382,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 375,600,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 349,300,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 70.92%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 29.08%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $1,850,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $468,400,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
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Primary Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
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Industrial Growth Rate: 14.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $992,000,000 USD - capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum
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Import Partners: France 27.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 19.7%, Togo 9.4%
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Export Amount in USD: $395,000,000 USD - cotton, livestock, gold
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Export Partners: China 32%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3%
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GINI Index: 48.20%
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Labor Force Number of People: 5,000,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 23 |
Number of People with Radios: 394,020 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 1 |
Number of People with Televisions: 131,340 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 81,400 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 398,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 373 |
Internet Users: 53,200 |
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Internet Country Code: .bf |
Newspapers: 1 |
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Two Letter Country Code: UV |
Weights and Measures: metric |
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Phone Country Code: 226 |
Electricity Voltage: 220 Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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Highways: 2,001 km |
Railways: 622 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 0 km
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Airports: 2 |
Heliports: 0
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Motor Vehicles: 5 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 971,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 0.31 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: NA
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Ports and Harbors: NA
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Population: 13,902,972 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 45.62 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 42.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 15.60 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 3.00% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 6.47 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 3,267,202 |
Population Female 0-14: 3,235,190 |
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Population Male 15-64: 3,513,559 |
Population Female 15-64: 3,538,623 |
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Population Male 65+: 140,083 |
Population Female 65+: 208,315 |
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Population 0-14: 46.80% |
Literacy Rate: 26.60% |
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Population 15-64: 50.70% |
Literacy rate of Males: 36.90% |
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Population 65+: 2.50% |
Literacy rate of Females: 16.60% |
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Population that is Male: 49.50
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Population that is Female: 50.50% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 48.85 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 91.35 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 47.33 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 50.42 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 4.20%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 300,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 29,000 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 0.00
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Nationality: BURKINABE
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Ethnic Groups: Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
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Primary Language: native African
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Other Languages: French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
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Primary Religion: Muslim
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Other Religions: Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
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Branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 18 years
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Manpower Available: 2,651,687 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 1,530,324 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 0 People per year
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Expenditures: $74,830,000 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 1.30
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Burkina Faso Spa and Resort Directory
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Burkina Faso Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Burkina Faso Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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