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#CARD:Burkina:Background Notes
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE BACKGROUND NOTES:  BURKINA FASO

June 1990
Official Name:  Burkina Faso

PROFILE
Geography
Area:  274,200 sq. km. (106,000 sq. mi); about the size of Colorado.
Cities:  Capital-Ouagadougou (pop. 500,000).  Other
cities-Bobo-Dioulasso (250,000), Koudougou (70,000).  Terrain:  Savanna;
brushy plains, and scattered hills.  Climate:  Sahelian; pronounced wet
and dry seasons.

People
Nationality:  Noun and adjective-Burkinabä.  Population (1988):  8.5
million.  Annual growth rate (1985):  3.3%.  Ethnic groups:  Mossi,
Bobo, Mande, Fulani, others.  Religions:  Traditional African 45%,
Muslim 40%, Christian 15%.  Languages:  French (official), More, others.
 Education:  Attendance-(1985): 32%.  Literacy-27%.  Health:  Infant
mortality rate-152/1,000.  Life expectancy-48 yrs.  Work force:
Agriculture-92%.  Industry-2.1.  Commerce, services, and
government-5.5%.

Government
Type:  Military.  Independence:  August 5, 1960. Constitution:  November
27, 1977 (abolished Nov. 25, 1980). Branches:  Executive-president
(chief of state, head of government).  Legislative-none.
Judicial-independent. Subdivisions:  30 provinces. Political parties:
Five political organizations recognized under the umbrella organization
of the Popular Front; two are Marxist-Leninist, and three are social
democratic. Suffrage:  N/A. Central government budget (1987):   $174
million. Defense (1987 est.):  16% of government budget. National
holiday:  Revolution Day,     August 4.
Flag:  Two horizontal bands-red and green top to bottom, with a yellow
star in the middle.

Economy
GDP (1987 est.):  $1.6 billion.  Annual growth rate (1982-87):  4.3%.
Per capita income (1987):  $174.  Avg. inflation rate 1987, -2.1%; 1988:
 4.4% Natural resources (limited quantites): Manganese, gold, limestone,
marble, phosphate, zinc. Agriculture (36.4% of GNP):  Products-cotton,
millet, sorghum, rice, livestock, peanuts, shea nuts, maize. Industry
(22% of GNP):  Types-mining, agricultural processing plants, brewing and
bottling, light industry, Trade (1987):  Exports-f.o.b. $233.6 million:
cotton, gold, livestock, peanuts, shea nut products.  Major markets-Cìte
d'Ivoire, European Community, China.  Imports-c.i.f. $535.8 million.
Official exchange rate (1988):  Floats with French franc CommunautÇ
Financiäre Africaine (CFA) francs 50=1FF; about 300 CFA francs=US$1.
Fiscal year:  Calendar year.

Membership in International Organizations
 UN and some of its specialized and related agencies; Organization of
African Unity (OAU); Council of the Entente; West African Economic
Community (CEAO); Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS-Burkina recently hosted an ECOWAS summit where Blaise Compaore
was elected president of the organization); West African Monetary Union
(WAMU); Niger Basin Authority; Permanent Inter-State Committee on
Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS); INTELSAT; Sahel Club; Organization
of the Islamic Conference (OIC); Nonaligned Movement; Lome Convention.

GEOGRAPHY
  Burkina Faso is a landlocked Sahel country that shares borders with
six nations.  It lies between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea,
south of the loop of the Niger River.  The land is green in the south,
with forests and fruit trees, and desert in the north.  Most of central
Burkina Faso lies on a savanna plateau, 198-305 meters (650-1,000 ft.)
above sea level, with fields, brush, and scattered trees.  Burkina
Faso's game preserves-the most important of which are Arly, Nazinga, and
Park W-contain lions, elephants, hippopotamus, monkeys, warthog, and
antelopes.  Tourism is not well developed.
 Annual rainfall varies from about 100 centimeters (40 in.) in the south
to less than 25 centimeters (10 in.) in the extreme north and northeast,
where hot desert winds accentuate the dryness of the region.  Burkina
Faso has three distinct seasons: warm and dry (November-March); hot and
dry (March-May); and hot and wet (June-October).  Rivers are not
navigable.

PEOPLE
 Burkina Faso's 8.5 million people belong to two major West African
cultural groups-the Voltaic and the MandÇ.  The Voltaic are far more
numerous and include the Mossi, which make up about one-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 emperor, the Moro Naba, who holds court in
Ouagadougou.  About 5,000 Europeans reside in Burkina Faso.
 Most of Burkina Faso's people are concentrated in the south and center
of the country, sometimes exceeding 48 per square kilometer (125/sq.
mi.).  This population density, high for Africa, causes annual
migrations of hundreds of thousands of Burkinabä to Cìte d'Ivoire and
Ghana for seasonal agricultural work.
 A plurality of Burkinabä adhere to traditional African religions.  The
introduction of Islam to Burkina Faso was initially resisted by the
Mossi rulers.  Christians, predominantly Catholics, are largely
concentrated among the urban Çlite.
 Few Burkinabä have had formal education.  Schooling is free but not
compulsory, and only about 29% of Burkina Faso's primary school-age
children receive a basic education.  The country's sole institution of
higher education, the University of Ouagadougou, was founded in 1974.

HISTORY
 Until the end of the 19th century, the history of Burkina Faso was
dominated by the empire-building Mossi, who are believed to have come
from central or eastern Africa sometime in the 11th century.  For
centuries, the Mossi peasant was both farmer and soldier, and the Mossi
people were able to defend their religious beliefs and social structure
against forcible attempts to convert them to Islam by Muslims from the
northwest.
 When the French arrived and claimed the area in 1896, Mossi resistance
ended with the capture of their capital at Ouagadougou.  In 1919,
certain provinces from the Ivory Coast were united into a separate
colony called the Upper Volta in the French West Africa federation.  In
1932, the new colony was dismembered in a move to economize; it was
reconstituted in 1937 as an administrative division called the Upper
Coast.  After World War II, the Mossi renewed their pressure for
separate territorial status, and on September 4, 1947, Upper Volta
became a French West African territory again in its own right.
 A revision in the organization of French Overseas Territories began
with the passage of the Basic Law (Loi Cadre) of July 23, 1956.  This
act was followed by reorganizational measures approved by the French
parliament early in 1957 that ensured a large degree of self-government
for individual territories.  Upper Volta became an autonomous republic
in the French Community on December 11, 1958.
 Upper Volta achieved independence on August 5, 1960.  The first
president, Maurice YamÇogo, was the leader of the Voltaic Democratic
Union (UDV).  The 1960 constitution provided for election by universal
suffrage of a president and a national assembly for 5-year terms.  Soon
after coming to power, YamÇogo banned all political parties other than
the UDV.  The government lasted until 1966 when after much unrest-mass
demonstrations and strikes by students, labor unions, and civil
servants-the military intervened.  The military coup deposed YamÇogo,
suspended the constitution, dissolved the National Assembly, and placed
Lt. Col. Aboukar SangoulÇ Lamizana at the head of a government of senior
army officers.  The army remained in power for 4 years, and on June 14,
1970, the Voltans ratified a new constitution that established a 4-year
transition period toward complete civilian rule.  Lamizana remained in
power throughout the 1970s as president of military or mixed
civil-military governments.  After conflict over the 1970 constitution,
a new constitution was written and approved in 1977, and Lamizana was
re-elected by open elections in 1978.
 Lamizana's government faced problems with the country's traditionally
powerful trade unions, and on November 25, 1980, Col. Saye Zerbo
overthrew President Lamizana in a bloodless coup.  Colonel Zerbo
established the Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress
(CMRPN) as the supreme governmental authority, thus eradicating the 1977
constitution.  Since then, the country has been under military rule.
 Colonel Zerbo also encountered resistance from trade unions and was
overthrown 2 years later, on November 7, 1982, by Maj. Dr. Jean-Baptiste
OuÇdraogo and the Council of Popular Salvation (CSP). The CSP continued
to ban political parties and organizations, yet promised a transition to
civilian rule and a new constitution.
 Factional infighting developed between the moderates in the CSP and the
radicals, led by Capt. Thomas Sankara, who was appointed prime minister
in January 1983.  The internal political struggle and Sankara's leftist
rhetoric led to his arrest and subsequent efforts to bring about his
release, directed by Capt. Blaise CompaorÇ.  This release effort
resulted in yet another military coup d'etat on August 4, 1983.
 After the coup, Sankara formed the National Council for the Revolution
(CNR), with himself as president.  Sankara also established Committees
for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs) to "mobilize the masses" and
implement the CNR's revolutionary programs.  The CNR, whose exact
membership remained secret until the end, contained two small
intellectual Marxist-Leninist groups.  Sankara, CompaorÇ, Capt. Henri
Zongo and Maj. Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lengani, all leftist military
officers, dominated the regime.
 The CNR's policies focused on the peasantry and the redistribution of
wealth, yet were more nationalist than Maoist.  On August 4, 1984, Upper
Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso, meaning "the country of upright
people."  Sankara, a charismatic leader, sought by word, deed, and
example to mobilize the masses and launch a massive bootstrap
development movement.  But many of the strict austerity measures taken
by Sankara met with growing resistance and disagreement.  Despite his
initial popularity and personal charisma, problems began to surface in
the implementation of the revolutionary ideals.
 One of the key problems involved the conflicting role of the CDR's and
the several trade unions.  The latter attempted to retain their
traditional independent power base, but the government moved to block
efforts and arrested and intimidated union leaders.  At the same time,
the CDR's, which were formed as popular mass organizations, deteriorated
in some areas into gangs of armed thugs.  By 1987, tensions over the
repressive tactics of the government and its overall direction were
mounting steadily.  On October 15, 1987, Sankara was assassinated and
CompaorÇ became leader of the newly formed Popular Front (FP).

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
 President CompaorÇ and the Popular Front pledged to continue and pursue
the goals of the revolution and to "rectify" Sankara's "deviations" from
the original aims.  Compaore, Zongo, and Lengani formed the core of the
FP, along with three small groups of leftist military and civilians.
The new government, realizing the need for popular support, tacitly
changed many of Sankara's policies.  The FP lowered the price of beer,
rehired civil servants fired by Sankara, raised civil servants'
salaries, and disarmed the CDR's, which were renamed Revolutionary
Committees (CR).
 The political situation has stabilized and moderated considerably since
October 1987.  As part of a much-discussed political "opening" process,
several political organizations, three of them non-Marxist, have been
accepted under an umbrella political organization created in June 1979
by the Popular Front.  Right-wing political organizations associated
with the pre-1983 period remain on the fringes.

Principal Government Officials
President of the Popular Front, Chief of State, Head of
Government-Capt. Blaise CompaorÇ

Ministers
People's Defense and Security Affairs-Maj. Boukary Jean-Baptiste Lengani

Economic Promotion-Capt. Henri Zongo
Coordination with the Popular Front-Oumarou ClÇment OuÇdraogo
Peasant's Cooperative Action-Capt. Laurent SÇdogo
External Relations-Issouf Go
Information and Culture-BÇatrice Damiba
Health and Social Action-Kanidoua Nabao
Sports-Capt. Theodore KilimitÇ Hien
Labor, Social Security and Public Functions-Salif Sampebogo
Finances-Bintou Sanogho
Guardian of the Seal, Minister of Justice-Sambo Antoine Komi
Transport and Communications-Thomas Sanon
Secondary and Higher Education, Scientific Research-Mouhoussine Nacro
Primary Education and Literacy-Alice TiendrebÇogo
Environment and Tourism-Maurice DieudonnÇ Bonanet Territorial
Administration-Jean LÇonard CompaorÇ
Commerce and People's Supply-FrÇdÇric Assumption Korsaga
Equipment-Daprou Kambou Water-Alfred NombrÇ
Agriculture-Albert Guigma
 Secretary General of the Government and the Council of
Ministers-Prosper Vokouma
Ambassador to the United States-Paul KaborÇ

 Burkina Faso maintains an embassy in the United States at 2340
Massachusetts Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20008 (tel. [phone]).

ECONOMY
 Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in Africa, with GNP per
capita estimated at $174.  Approximately 80% of the population relies on
subsistence agriculture, with only a small fraction directly involved in
industry and services.  The agricultural economy remains highly
vulnerable to fluctuations in rainfall.  Drought, poor soil, lack of
adequate communications and other infrastructure, a low literacy rate,
and a stagnant economy are all longstanding problems.  The export
economy also remains subject to fluctuations in world prices.
 Many Burkinabä migrate to neighboring countries for work, and their
remittances provide a substantial contribution to the balance of
payments.  Burkina Faso suffers chronic budget and balance-of-payments
deficits and increasing arrears.  It is attempting to improve the
economy by developing its mineral resources, improving its
infrastructure, making its agricultural and livestock sectors more
productive and competitive, and stabilizing the supplies and prices of
food grains.
 President CompaorÇ has spoken increasingly of the need for an active
business community, and attitudes within the private sector seem
positive for the future.  Currently, Burkina is negotiating with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to obtain economic
support.
 About 87% of the labor force works in the agricultural sector.  These
subsistance farmers eke out a living amidst problems of climate, soil
composition, soil erosion, and rudimentary technology.  The staple crops
are millet, sorghum, maize, and rice, and the cash crops are cotton,
groundnuts, karitÇ (shea nuts) and sesame. Livestock, once a major
export, has declined.
 Industry, still in an embryonic stage, is located primarily in
Bobo-Dioulasso, Ouagadougou, Banfora, and Koudougou.  Manufacturing is

limited to food processing, textiles, and other import-substitution,
heavily protected by tariffs.  Some factories are privately owned, and
government policy shows increasing support for expansion of the private
sector.  Burkina Faso's exploitable natural resources are limited,
although a manganese ore deposit is located in the remote northeast.
Gold mining has increased significantly since the mid-1980s, and in 1988
gold replaced cotton for the first time as the country's leading export
money earner.
 The Abidjan-Niger railroad (RAN) connects Burkina with the excellent
deepwater port at Abidjan, Cìte d'Ivoire, 1,150 kilometers (712 mi.)
away.  Burkina Faso has about 11,150 kilometers (7,120 mi.) of roads,
although only 1,300 kilometers have all-weather surfaces.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
 After taking power, the Sankara regime proclaimed its affinity with
Cuba, Libya, North Korea, and the Soviet Union while trying
simultaneously to obtain increased support from its principal donors in
Western Europe and the United States. The CompaorÇ regime has focused on
good relations with neighbors and a less confrontational stance with
Western nations, while maintaining its rhetorical support for
anti-imperialistic states.

DEFENSE
 The Burkinabä Armed Forces, including the gendarmerie, number about
8,500, and include 7,000 army and 200 air force personnel, in addition
to 1,300 paramilitary gendarmerie and other security forces.  The air
force has nine fixed-wing aircraft.  Military regiments are stationed in
Ouagadougou, Dedougou, Dori, Ouahigouya, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Po.
 Burkina Faso's military has played an important role in the nation's
history.  Frequently, the military has controlled the government or has
guaranteed the power of civilian leaders.  In addition, military
personnel often perform development tasks requiring special engineering
or other technical skills not generally found in the civilian
population.
 The United States sponsors a specialized military training program for
Burkina Faso that has brought about 30 military personnel to the United
States.  France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom,
the Soviet Union, North Korea, the Netherlands, Morocco, Cameroon, Cote
d'Ivoire, and Libya also have provided training for the Burkinabä
military.

US-BURKINA RELATIONS
 The United States generally has good relations with Burkina Faso and
supports its economic development.  US commercial interests are small
but growing in Burkina Faso.  Minerals exploration, solar energy,
communications equipment, water resources, livestock production, and
food processing offer potential areas for commercial investment.
 The US development assistance program in Burkina Faso grew out of the
US response to the drought that plagued the Sahel countries from 1968 to
1974.  Between 1973 and 1975, Burkina Faso was a major recipient of US
emergency food assistance.  Following this, the United States and other
international donors began to work with the Sahel countries to plan and
implement long term development assistance programs.  Fiscal year 1989
budget figures are $9.5 million in food aid and $2.9 million in project
aid.  The United States maintained a Peace Corps program in Burkina Faso
until the 1987, when the Sankara government allowed the agreement to
lapse.

Principal US Officials
Ambassador-David H. Shinn
Counselor of Embassy-Robert M. Beecroft
Political/Economic Officer; Commercial AttachÇ-David C. Becker
Political/Military Officer-Michael E. Dougherty
Administrative Officer-Walter J. Woolwine
AID Representative-Wilbur G. Thomas
Public Affairs Officer  (USIS)-Cynthia B. Caples

 The US Embassy in Burkina Faso is located on Avenue Raoul Follereau in
Ouagadougou.  Its mailing addresses are: (international mail) 01 B.P.
35, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso; (US mail) Ouagadougou/DOS, Washington,
DC 20521-2440; tel. [phone]), telex: AEMB 5290 BF; FAX:
[phone].

TRAVEL NOTES
 Customs:  Visas and yellow fever innoculations are required for entry.
 Climate and clothing:  Except for the rainy season (June-Oct.), the
climate is similar to Arizona's.  Summer clothing is suitable for
Ouagadougou; a light wrap is recommended during the cool season
(Nov.-Feb.).
 Health:  Local medical services are limited.  Unwashed fruits and
vegetables and undercooked meats are unsafe to eat.  Tap water is not
potable; bottled mineral water is available at hotels and restaurants.
Malaria suppressants should be started 2 weeks before arrival and
continue 8 weeks after departure.  Burkina has chloroquine-resistant
malaria.  Typhoid and gamma globulin (hepatitis) innoculations are
recommended for travel in rural areas.  Do not swim in lakes or streams,
which may be infested with bilharzia.  Health requirements change; check
latest information.
 Transportation:  Ouagadougou's international airport is served by
several weekly flights from Paris, Abdijan, Niamey, Bamako, Dakar,
Algiers, Moscow, and Tripoli.  Air Burkina operates all year between the
capital and other large towns in Burkina Faso, as well as to Niamey,
Bamako, Lome, Cotonou, and Abidjan.  Ouagadougou is linked by paved
roads to Lome, Abidjan, Niamey and Bamako, and by rail to Abidjan.  The
uncertainty of road conditions complicates transportation elsewhere.
Taxis are available in large towns.
 Telecommunications:  Long-distance telephone service is via satellite.
Cable, telex, and FAX services are available.  Cable and telex are more
reliable.  Ouagadougou is five standard time zones ahead of eastern
standard time.
 Tourist attractions:  Although by international standards tourist
facilities seem limited, Burkina Faso does present tourist opportunities
for the adventurous traveler.  Worthwhile visits include the National
Museum and artisan centers in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, the
Nazinga, Arly and Park W game preserves, and interesting market towns
such as Gorom-Gorom.  For details, write the Office National Du tourisme
du Burkina Faso, 01 B.P. 624, Ouagadougou.  Every other February,
Burkina hosts a widely attended International African Film Festival
called FESPACO.

Further Information
 These titles are provided as a general indication of material published
on this country.  The Department of State does not endorse unofficial
publications.
Andriamirado, Sennen. Il s'Appelait Sankara. Paris: Jeune  Afrique
Livres, 1989. Blumenthal, Susan. Bright Continent.  Garden City:  Anchor
Press/Doubleday, 1984. Politique Africaine, V.20 (December 1985), "Le
Burkina Faso."  Paris:  Eds Karthala, 1985. Savonnet-Guyot, Claudette.
Etat et Societe au Burkina. Paris: Eds. Karthala, 1986. Skinner, Elliot
P. The Mossi of the Upper Volta:  The Political Development of a
Sudanese People. Stanford:  Stanford University Press, 1964. . "Sankara
and the Burkinabe Revolution," in Journal of Modern African Studies,
Vol. 26, No. 3, Sept.1988, pp. 435-457. Thompson, Virginia. West
Africa's Council of the Entente. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1972.

 Published by the United States Department of State --  Bureau of Public
Affairs  -- Office of  Public Communication -- Washington, DC  -- June
1990  Editor:  Juanita Adams
 Department of State Publication 8201 Background Notes Series  -- This
material is in the public domain and may  be reprinted without
permission; citation of this source is appreciated.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20402 (###)


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