Chapter 22
Birth rate: 45.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 17.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 107.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.89 years male: 44.97 years female: 46.84 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic groups: Mossi about 24%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Languages: French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 19.2% male: 29.5% female: 9.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta
Data code: UV
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo note: a new electoral code was approved by the National Assembly in January 1997; the number of administrative provinces was increased from 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo)
Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Constitution: 2 June 1991
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Kadre Desire OUEDRAOGO (since 6 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; the number of terms which a president may serve is not limited; election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 88% percent of the vote, with 56% of voter turnout
Legislative branch: bicameral; consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee des Deputes Populaires (ADP) (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the purely consultative Chamber of Representations or Chambre des Representants (120 seats; members are appointed to serve three-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--CDP 101, PDP 6, RDA 2, ADF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Nongma OUEDRAOGO, president]; Burkinabe Environmentalist Party or
Political pressure groups and leaders: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or HBDHP; Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; Group of 14 February
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan Rimwangulya OUEDRAOGO chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy--overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has a high population density, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. About 85% of the population is engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture which is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased. Maintenance of its macroeconomic progress in 1999-2000 depends on continued low inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$11.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 25% services: 40% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.679 million (persons 10 years old and over, according to a sample survey taken in 1991) note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry, commerce, services, government (1998)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $277 million expenditures: $492 million, including capital expenditures of $233 million (1995 est.)
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1995)
Electricity--production: 220 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 63.64% hydro: 36.36% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 220 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Exports: $400 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: cotton, animal products, gold
Exports--partners: Cote d'Ivoire, France, Italy, Mali
Imports: $700 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum
Imports--partners: Cote d'Ivoire, France, Togo, Nigeria
Debt--external: $715 million (December 1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $484.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 21,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: all services only fair domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 49,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 622 km (517 km from Ouagadougou to the Cote d'Ivoire border and 105 km from Ouagadougou to Kaya) narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 33 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 16 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,399,724 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,230,713 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $66 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Burma -----
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Coastline: 1,930 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 49% other: 34% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,680 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
People
Population: 48,081,302 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 8,883,099; female 8,542,087) 15-64 years: 60% (male 14,343,888; female 14,293,233) 65 years and over: 4% (male 906,517; female 1,112,478) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.61% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 28.48 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 76.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.74 years male: 53.24 years female: 56.32 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%
Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist beliefs 1%, other 2%
Languages: Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 88.7% female: 77.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Data code: BM
Government type: military regime
Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Administrative divisions: 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular--yin) and 7 states (pyine-mya, singular--pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved
Legal system: does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note--the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note--the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened election results: percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: National Unity Party or NUP SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social eight minor legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Coalition individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF
International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador TIN WINN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kent M. WIEDEMANN embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
Economy
Economy--overview: Burma has a mixed economy with private activity dominant in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with substantial state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and the rice trade. Government policy in the last 10 years, 1989-98, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased; foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success; and efforts continue to increase the efficiency of state enterprises. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black-market trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Although Burma remains a poor Asian country, its rich resources furnish the potential for substantial long-term increases in income, exports, and living standards. The short-term outlook is for continued sluggish growth because of internal unrest, minimal foreign investment, and the large trade deficit.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$56.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.1% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 11% services: 30% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 50% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 18.8 million (FY95/96 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65.2%, industry 14.3%, trade 10.1%, government 6.3%, other 4.1% (FY88/89 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 9.2% (FY95/96 est.)
Electricity--production: 3.75 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 61.33% hydro: 38.67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 3.75 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; hardwood
Exports: $940 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: pulses and beans, teak, rice, rubber, hardwood
Exports--partners: India 17%, Singapore 14%, China 11%, Thailand 9%, Japan 4% (1997)
Imports: $2.2 billion (1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products
Imports--partners: Singapore 30%, Japan 17%, China 10%, Thailand 10%, Malaysia 7% (1997)
Debt--external: $4.3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $156.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1--6.1163 (January 1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997), 5.9176 (1996), 5.6670 (1995), 5.9749 (1994); unofficial--310-350 (1998)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 122,195 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998 est.)
Televisions: 88,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,740 km narrow gauge: 3,740 km 1.000-m gauge (1997)
Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 464,478 GRT/695,923 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 20, container 2, oil tanker 3, passenger-cargo 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Japan owns 2 ships, US 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 80 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 12,475,987 females age 15-49: 12,224,947 (1999 est.) note: both sexes liable for military service
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,660,309 females age 15-49: 6,510,730 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 496,912 females: 477,803 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.904 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: sporadic conflict with Thailand over alignment of border
Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of illicit opium (cultivation in 1998--130,300 hectares, a 16% decline from 1997; potential production--1,750 metric tons, down 26% due to drought and the first eradication effort since the current government took power in 1987) and a minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of serious government commitment and resources continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; growing role in the production of methamphetamines for regional consumption
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@Burundi -------
Introduction
Background: Since the end of the Belgian trusteeship in 1962, Burundi has suffered from ethnic uprisings, coups, and other societal dislocations. In a series of waves since October 1993, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the ethnic violence between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi and have crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC). Since October 1996, an estimated 120,000 Burundian Hutu refugees from the DROC have been compelled to return to Burundi because of insecurity in the region. Continuing ethnic violence with the Tutsi has caused additional Hutu to flee to Tanzania, thus raising their numbers in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps in that country to about 260,000. Burundian troops have joined armies from Rwanda and Uganda and Congolese Tutsi in trying to overthrow DROC President KABILA and restore security to their borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Geography
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland