Burkina Faso
(formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
COUNTRY FACTS
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km Climate:
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers Terrain:
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast Population:
13,574,820
Languages:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population Capital:
Ouagadougou
Countries
