Location

Burkina Faso, formerly Upper Volta, is a landlocked sub Saharan country in West Africa bordered by Mali to the north and west, Niger to the north east and Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast to the south and west. It has a Sahelian climate and vegetation, the only permanent rivers are the tributaries of the Volta that flow through the country into Ghana. The capital city is Ouagadougou located on the central plateau.

A Mossi kingdom from the 16th century Burkina became part of the French empire in the 19th century. Gaining independence from France in 1960 Burkina has been ruled mainly by military dictators since then becoming a multiparty state in 1991, and was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984.

Size: 274,200 sq.km arid with 50% woodland, 22% pasture and 13% arable land, there are major problems with overgrazing and deforestation.

Economy: largely based on agriculture.

Population: 11.4 million in 2002 (projected 20 million by 2019).

Per capita income: 188 US dollars.

External debt: 61% GNP

Infant mortality:175 per 1000.

Official language: French

One of 5 poorest countries in the world.

Literacy: Men 27%, women 9%.

Life expectancy, women 46, men 44