Burkina Faso - Country Profile

Various groups have occupied the land currently known as Burkina Faso since its early history. The Bobo, Lobi and Guruni peoples were living in the western region by 1100 AD, and invaders from present-day Ghana conquered the central and eastern parts and established three Mossi states. Although the amount of people conquered outnumbered the amount of conquerors, invaders used religion, primarily ancestor worship, to create Mossi states that would last 500 years. The states grew strong armies capable of defending against any attacks by the Mali or Songhai empires.

During the European nations’ race to colonize the continent of Africa, France gained control of the region at the end of the nineteenth century through the negotiation of a protectorate, annexation and force. In 1898, the region’s border with present-day Ghana, then the Gold Coast, was determined. The region was part of the French colony of Sudan until 1919 when it became the protectorate of Upper Volta. While the region was temporarily divided between Sudan, Niger and Côte d'Ivoire, Upper Volta was established as a separate territory in the French Union in 1932 and later an autonomous republic in the French Community in 1958. Upper Volta obtained complete independence on August 5, 1960 and created a constitution and a presidential government. A series of coups from the mid-1960s to the l980s led to several new leaders and new constitutions. Long-term drought and the emergence of a national strike after a border dispute between Upper Volta and Mali increased the adversity of the period. During the strike, the Burkinabe people exacted higher wages and expressed their desire to return to civilian rule. In order to emphasize its break from colonialism, Upper Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. The new name was a combination of several local languages and can be roughly translated to mean “the land of incorruptible men.”

In 1986, president Thomas Sankara, who overthrew the previous president by a coup, was assassinated and current leader Blaise Campaoré began his presidency. He has worked to grow Burkina Faso’s private sector and to draw foreign investment. The relationship between Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire has recently been one of tension. The former has accused the latter of mistreating its people, and the government of Côte d'Ivoire has expressed its belief that the Burkinabe government was aiding its Northern rebels.

The Burkinabe economy has received crucial blows as well, making Burkina Faso one of the world’s poorest countries. With its high population density, the landlocked nation possesses very few natural resources and has a weak industrial base. Thus, 90% of its population of 15,264,735 practices subsistence agriculture, which is often hindered by drought. Burkina Faso does not receive any more than 45 inches of rain annually and only 10% of its land can be cultivated without irrigation. Like Mali, Burkina Faso’s primary export is cotton. The two countries, along with Chad and Niger, lobby in the World Trade Organization to reduce subsidies to cotton producers in other nations. In 2004, Burkina Faso altered investment code to attract foreign investment. Legislation has been passed to grow the country’s mining sector and gold exploration has developed. Still, GDP growth was hit hard in 2007 by increases in energy costs, imported foodstuffs and low cotton prices. While the labor force is 5 million, employment is an issue in Burkina Faso because many males migrate to other countries to find seasonal work. However, internal crisis in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana has made it difficult for workers to find employment outside the Burkinabe borders. In 2004, there was a 77% unemployment rate in Burkina Faso and 46.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.

While the official language of Burkina Faso is French, 90% of the people speak a Sudanic family African language. Half of the population is Muslim, 40% practice indigenous religions and 10% are Christian, with many being Roman Catholic. Medical care can be difficult to receive in the country, with limited facilities and emergency care, especially outside of the capital HIV/AIDS plays a detrimental role in Burkina Faso. With a prevalence rate of 4.2% in 2003, at least 300,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS and an estimated 29,000 died from HIV/AIDS. Burkinabe people have a very high degree of risk for infectious diseases such as bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis, and meningococcal meningitis. Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has also been found in the country. The Burkinabe people are not expected to live past the age of 52.

Only 21.8% of the Burkinabe population over the age of 15 can read and write. While formal education is technically obligatory for children until age 16, less than half of all primary school aged children are enrolled in school. Often, the opportunity cost for children to attend school is high because the amount of money that children can make for their families by working surpasses the alternative. School fees and the cost of supplies make it challenging for families to send their children to get an education, even though school itself is free. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge Account threshold grant to benefit primary education for girls and is likely to receive additional grants for infrastructural and agricultural projects in the future. The University of Ouagadougou as founded in 1974.

Sources:
The CIA World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
UNDP Human Development Reports- undp.org
BURKINA FASO. The Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition 2008. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press.
The U.S. State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs. www.travel.state.gov
The U.S. State Department Bureau of African Affairs. Background Note: Burkina Faso. www.state.gov