Burkina Faso
Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone receives more than 35 inches (900 mm)[1] of rain a year and cooler average temperatures.
[
Natural resources
Burkina Faso has many natural resources, including; manganese, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt and small deposits of gold.
Burkina Faso's fauna and flora is protected in two national parks and several reserves, see list at List of national parks in Africa.
[
Economy
Burkina Faso has one of the lowest GDP per capita incomes in the world: $1,200. This ranks it as the 27th poorest nation.[2] Agriculture represents 32% of its gross domestic product and occupies 80% of the working population. It consists mostly of livestock but also, especially in the south and southwest, of growing sorghum, pearl millet, maize (corn), peanuts, rice and cotton.
Unemployment causes a high rate of emigration: for example, three million citizens of Burkina Faso live in Côte d'Ivoire. According to the Central Bank of Western African States (Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest), these migrants send tens of billions of Euros back to Burkina Faso each year. Since the 1967 expulsions from Ghana, this situation has provoked tensions in the recipient countries. The most recent crisis occurred owing to the events of 2003 in Côte d'Ivoire, which led to the return of 300,000 migrants.
A large part of the economic activity of the country is funded by international aid.
The currency of Burkina Faso is the CFA franc.
There is mineral exploitation of copper, iron, manganese and, above all, gold.
Burkina Faso also hosts the International Art and Craft Fair, Ouagadougou, better known by its French name as SIAO, Le Salon International de l' Artisanat de Ouagadougou, one of the most important African handicraft fairs.
[
Demographics
Burkina Faso has an estimated life expectancy at birth of slightly under 50 years of age. The median age of its inhabitants is under 17.
Population growth rate: 3.00% (2006)
The population is concentrated in the south and center of the country, sometimes exceeding 48 per square kilometer (125/sq. mi.). This high population density, causes annual migrations of hundreds of thousands, for seasonal employment.
Approximately 50% of the population is Muslim; Christians account for about 30%, and followers of traditional African religions (typically animism of various forms) make up about 20%. Many Christians incorporate elements of animism into their religious practices.[citation needed]
[
Culture
| Date | English Name |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| January 3 | Anniversary of the 1966 Coup d'État |
| March 8 | International Women's Day |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| August 4 | Revolution Day |
| August 5 | Independence Day |
| August 15 | Assumption |
| October 15 | Anniversary of the 1987 coup d’état |
| November 1 | All Saints' Day |
| December 11 | Proclamation of the Republic |
| December 25 | Christmas |
[
Education
Education in Burkina Faso is divided into primary, secondary, and higher education. However, schooling is not free. Secondary school costs approximately $115 (50,000CFA) a year, which is far above the means of most Burkinabe families. Boys receive preference in schooling; as such, girls' education and literacy rates are far lower. An increase in girls' schooling has been observed due to the government's policy of making school cheaper for girls and granting them more scholarships. In order to proceed from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, or high school to college, national exams must be passed. Institutions of higher education include the University of Ouagadougou, and The Polytechnical University in Bobo-Dioulasso, the University of Koudougou, which is also a teacher training institution. A number of private colleges for specific trainings have recently appeared in the capital city Ouagadougou but are affordable to a very small portion of the population.
There is also an International School of Ouagadougou (ISO), which is an American-based private school located in the capital city, Ouagadougou.
The United Nations Development Program Report used to place Burkina Faso as the most illiterate country in the world, with only 12.8% in 1990. However, with the consistent effort of the government in making schooling more accessible and affordable, the literacy rate has doubled and is now at 25.3% of the population.
[
See also
|
|
[
References
- ^ a b SIM Country Profile: Burkina Faso. Retrieved on August 5, 2006.
- ^ CIA World Factbook, GDP Per Capita Rank Order.
- ^ Burkina Faso Public Holidays 2008. World Travel Guide. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
[
External links
| Find more about Burkina Faso on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
|---|---|
 |
Dictionary definitions |
 |
Textbooks |
 |
Quotations |
 |
Source texts |
 |
Images and media |
 |
News stories |
 |
Learning resources |
Research
Charities
Culture
- Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO)
- "The Art of Burkina Faso" By Christopher D. Roy
- Photos and stories of life in the North of Burkina Faso
- Photos from Burkina Faso
- Photographs of daily life in Burkina Faso (1970-2004)
- Listen to "Fulbe" (Fulani) music
- Women authors from Burkina Faso at a glance
- Encyclopedia of the Nations: Burkina Faso
Government and organizations
- Premier Ministère official government portal (in French)
- Embassy of Burkina Faso in Washington, DC government information and links
- Aid organization, photos and videos from Burkina Faso
News
- allAfrica - Burkina Faso news headline links
- Journeyman Pictures: The Flowering Desert - Burkina Faso
Overviews
- BBC News - Country Profile: Burkina Faso
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Country Page - Burkina Faso
- Burkina Faso entry at The World Factbook
Directories and portals
- Burkina Faso videos, music, poems, photos, etc. (French)
- Open Directory Project - Burkina Faso directory category
- Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Burkina Faso directory category
- University of Pennsylvania - African Country Studies: Burkina Faso
- Yahoo! - Burkina Faso directory category
- OuagaNet.com: A portal site about Burkina Faso English/French
- Fasosante.net: A portal site about Health in Burkina Faso /French
- Burkina Faso map and information page by World Atlas
- Burkina Faso's location on a 3D globe (Java)
- Africa: Burkina Faso
Tourism
- Burkina Faso revues about tourism, parcs, hotels, etc. (French)
- Burkina Faso travel guide from Wikitravel
- Guide Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
- Real Estate Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
- Four weeks in Burkina Faso Travelling notes on life and culture
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For more information review our copyright contact and privacy policy.