Age structure:
0–14 years: 46.3% (male 3,549,034/female 3,521,684) 15–64 years: 51.1% (male 3,885,124/female 3,922,198) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 154,476/female 232,219) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 16.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.109% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
44.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
13.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 86.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 93.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.55 years male: 50.67 years female: 54.49 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
300,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic groups:
Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo,
Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)
Religions:
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%
Languages:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Burkina Faso
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence:
5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 11 December (1958)
Constitution:
2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; last amended January 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007) 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 (eligible for a second 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; 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 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders:
African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine
QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou
Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch
Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP
[Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI
[Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist
Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism
or PDS [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Oumar
DJIGUIMDE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine
KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram
OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS
[Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for Democracy and