#Republic of upper volta flag free

#Republic of upper volta flag free

Schooling is in theory free and compulsory until the age of 16, but only about 54% of Burkina's primary school-age children are enrolled in primary school due to actual costs of school supplies and school fees and to opportunity costs of sending a child who could earn money for the family to school. Christians, both Roman Catholics and Protestants, comprise about 25% of the population, with their largest concentration in urban areas.įew Burkinabe have had formal education. The introduction of Islam to Burkina Faso was initially resisted by the Mossi rulers. A plurality of Burkinabe are Muslim, but most also adhere to traditional African religions. These flows of workers are obviously affected by external events the September 2002 coup attempt in Cote d'Ivoire and the ensuing fighting there have meant that hundreds of thousands of Burkinabe returned to Burkina Faso. Hundreds of thousands of Burkinabe migrate to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, many for seasonal agricultural work. Most of Burkina's people are concentrated in the south and center of the country, sometimes exceeding 48 per square kilometer (125/sq. Predominantly farmers, the Mossi kingdom is still led by the Mogho Naba, whose court is in Ouagadougou.īurkina Faso is an ethnically integrated, secular state. The Mossi claim descent from warriors who migrated to present-day Burkina Faso from Ghana and established an empire that lasted more than 800 years. The Voltaic Mossi make up about one-half of the population. In July-September, the rains bring a 3-month cooler and greener humid season.īurkina Faso's 14.84 million people (2007) belong to two major West African cultural groups-the Voltaic and the Mande (whose common language is Dioula). The cooler season, November to February, is pleasantly warm and dry (but dusty), with cool evenings. Annual average rainfall varies from about 100 centimeters (40 in.) in the south to less than 25 centimeters (10 in.) in the north and northeast, where hot desert winds accentuate the dryness of the region. Infrastructure and tourism are, however, not well developed. Game preserves also are home to lions, hippos, monkeys, warthogs, and antelope. Burkina Faso has West Africa's largest elephant population. The largest river is the Mouhoun (Black Volta), which is partially navigable by small craft. Most of central Burkina Faso lies on a savanna plateau, 200 meters-300 meters (650 ft.-1,000 ft.) above sea level, with fields, brush, and scattered trees. $1).īurkina Faso is a landlocked country located in the middle of West Africa's 'hump.' It is geographically in the Sahel-the agricultural region between the Sahara Desert and the coastal rain forests.

Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) francs 656=1 euro (2003: approx. Official exchange rate: Fixed to the euro. Major markets-Singapore, China, Thailand, European Union, Asia. Trade (2004): Exports-$439 million: cotton, gold, livestock, peanuts, shea nut products. Industry (19% of GDP): Type-mining, agricultural processing plants, brewing and bottling, light industry. Natural resources: Manganese, gold, limestone, marble, phosphate.Īgriculture (37% of GDP): Products-cotton, millet, sorghum, rice, livestock, peanuts, shea nuts, maize. Political parties: Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP), Alliance for Democracy Federation/ African Democratic Assembly (ADF/RDA), Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party (PDP/PS), National Union for Democracy and Development (UNDD), and numerous other small opposition parties.Ĭentral government budget (2005): $540 million. Subdivisions: 13 regions, 45 provinces, 350 departments. Work force: Agriculture-90% industry-2.1% commerce, services, and government-5.5%.īranches: Executive-president (head of state) prime minister (head of government). Languages: French (official), Moore, Dioula, others. Religions: Traditional beliefs 20%, Muslim 55%, Christian 25%. Nationality: Noun and adjective-Burkinabe (accent on last e).Įthnic groups: 63 ethnic groups among which are Mossi (almost half of the total population), Bobo, Mande, Lobi, Fulani, Gourounsi, and Senufo. Terrain: Savanna brushy plains and scattered hills.Ĭlimate: Sahelian pronounced wet and dry seasons. mi.) about the size of Colorado.Ĭities: Capital-Ouagadougou (pop. Large ceramic storage container from Burkina Faso adorned with stick figures, December 2, 2005.