Burkina Faso vs. Cote d'Ivoire
Introduction
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Many of Burkina Faso's ethnic groups arrived in the region between the 12th and 15th centuries. The Gurma and Mossi peoples established several of the largest kingdoms in the area and used horse-mounted warriors in military campaigns. Of the various Mossi kingdoms, the most powerful were Ouagadougou and Yatenga. In the late 19th century, European states competed for control of the region. France eventually conquered the area and established it as a French protectorate. The area achieved independence from France in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups were common in the country's first few decades. The last successful coup occurred in 1987 when Blaise COMPAORE deposed the former president, established a government, and ruled for 27 years. In October 2014, COMPAORE resigned following protests against his repeated efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration led a year-long transition period organizing presidential and legislative elections. In November 2015, Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president; he was reelected in November 2020. Terrorist groups - including groups affiliated with Al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State - began attacks in the country in 2016 and conducted attacks in the capital in 2016, 2017, and 2018. By late 2020, terrorist attacks had resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths and over 1 million internally displaced persons. In addition to terrorism, the country faces a myriad of problems including high population growth, recurring drought, pervasive and perennial food insecurity, and limited natural resources. It is one of the world's poorest countries.
| Various small kingdoms ruled the area of Cote d'Ivoire between the 15th and 19th centuries, when European explorers arrived and then began to expand their presence. In 1844, France established a protectorate. During this period, many of these kingdoms and tribes fought to maintain their cultural identities - some well into the 20th century. For example, the Sanwi kingdom - originally founded in the 17th century - tried to break away from Cote d'Ivoire and establish an independent state in 1969. After becoming independent in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire took advantage of close ties with France, cocoa production and export, and foreign investment to become one of the most prosperous states in West Africa. In December 1999, however, a military coup overthrew the government. In late 2000, junta leader Robert GUEI held rigged elections and declared himself the winner. Popular protests forced him to step aside and Laurent GBAGBO was elected. In September 2002, Ivoirian dissidents and members of the military launched a failed coup that developed into a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in rebels holding the north, the government holding the south, and peacekeeping forces occupying a buffer zone in the middle. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister. The two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in five months of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters and UN and French forces. In 2015, OUATTARA won a second term. In October 2020, OUATTARA won a controversial third presidential term, despite a two-term limit in the Ivoirian constitution. In March 2021, the International Criminal Court in The Hague ruled on a final acquittal for GBAGBO, who was on trial for crimes against humanity.
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Geography
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, north of Ghana | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia |
| Geographic coordinates | 13 00 N, 2 00 W | 8 00 N, 5 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km | total: 322,463 sq km land: 318,003 sq km water: 4,460 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Colorado | slightly larger than New Mexico |
| Land boundaries | total: 3,611 km border countries (6): Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 km | total: 3,458 km border countries (5): Burkina Faso 545 km, Ghana 720 km, Guinea 816 km, Liberia 778 km, Mali 599 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 515 km |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
| Climate | three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert | tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) |
| Terrain | Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast. Occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. (2019) | mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m mean elevation: 297 m | highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m mean elevation: 250 m |
| Natural resources | gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt | petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 44.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 22% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.) forest: 19.3% (2018 est.) other: 36.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 14.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.) forest: 32.7% (2018 est.) other: 2.5% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 550 sq km (2016) | 730 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | recurring droughts | coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible |
| Environment - current issues | recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019) | deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage, and from industrial, mining, and agricultural effluents |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas | most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated |
| Total renewable water resources | 13.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 84.14 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map | the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,382,659 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected | 28,088,455 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 43.58% (male 4,606,350/female 4,473,951) 15-24 years: 20.33% (male 2,121,012/female 2,114,213) 25-54 years: 29.36% (male 2,850,621/female 3,265,926) 55-64 years: 3.57% (male 321,417/female 423,016) 65 years and over: 3.16% (male 284,838/female 374,057) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 38.53% (male 5,311,971/female 5,276,219) 15-24 years: 20.21% (male 2,774,374/female 2,779,012) 25-54 years: 34.88% (male 4,866,957/female 4,719,286) 55-64 years: 3.53% (male 494,000/female 476,060) 65 years and over: 2.85% (male 349,822/female 433,385) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 17.9 years male: 17 years female: 18.7 years (2020 est.) | total: 20.3 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.3 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.58% (2021 est.) | 2.21% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 34.34 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 28.67 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.92 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 50.71 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 46.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 57.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 63.06 years male: 61.28 years female: 64.89 years (2021 est.) | total population: 61.8 years male: 59.62 years female: 64.05 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 4.39 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 3.6 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.7% (2020 est.) | 2.1% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe | noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian |
| Ethnic groups | Mossi 52%, Fulani 8.4%, Gurma 7%, Bobo 4.9%, Gurunsi 4.6%, Senufo 4.5%, Bissa 3.7%, Lobi 2.4%, Dagara 2.4%, Tuareg/Bella 1.9%, Dioula 0.8%, unspecified/no answer 0.3%, other 7.2% (2010 est.) | Akan 28.9%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivoirian 24.2% (2014 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 97,000 (2020 est.) | 380,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim 63.2%, Roman Catholic 24.6%, Protestant 6.9%, traditional/animist 4.2%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2017-18 est.) | Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% (2014 est.) note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 3,300 (2020 est.) | 13,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population | French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.2% male: 50.1% female: 32.7% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.2% male: 53.7% female: 40.5% (2018) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 9 years (2019) | total: 11 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2017) |
| Education expenditures | 5.4% of GDP (2018) | 3.3% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 31.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 4.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 94.9% of population rural: 67.9% of population total: 75.6% of population unimproved: urban: 4.5% of population rural: 32.1% of population total: 24.4% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 90.4% of population rural: 67.8% of population total: 79.2% of population unimproved: urban: 9.6% of population rural: 32.2% of population total: 20.8% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 88.2% of population rural: 30.2% of population total: 46.9% of population unimproved: urban: 11.8% of population rural: 69.8% of population total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 75.9% of population rural: 32.7% of population total: 54.5% of population unimproved: urban: 24.1% of population rural: 67.3% of population total: 45.5% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 2.915 million OUAGADOUGOU (capital), 1.020 million Bobo-Dioulasso (2021) | 231,000 YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) (2018), 5.355 million ABIDJAN (seat of government) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 320 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 617 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 16.4% (2019) | 12.8% (2016) |
| Health expenditures | 5.6% (2018) | 4.2% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 5.6% (2016) | 10.3% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 19.4 years (2010 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 | 19.6 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 20-49 |
| Demographic profile | Burkina Faso has a young age structure - the result of declining mortality combined with steady high fertility - and continues to experience rapid population growth, which is putting increasing pressure on the country's limited arable land. More than 65% of the population is under the age of 25, and the population is growing at 3% annually. Mortality rates, especially those of infants and children, have decreased because of improved health care, hygiene, and sanitation, but women continue to have an average of almost 6 children. Even if fertility were substantially reduced, today's large cohort entering their reproductive years would sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future. Only about a third of the population is literate and unemployment is widespread, dampening the economic prospects of Burkina Faso's large working-age population. Migration has traditionally been a way of life for Burkinabe, with seasonal migration being replaced by stints of up to two years abroad. Cote d'Ivoire remains the top destination, although it has experienced periods of internal conflict. Under French colonization, Burkina Faso became a main labor source for agricultural and factory work in Cote d'Ivoire. Burkinabe also migrated to Ghana, Mali, and Senegal for work between the world wars. Burkina Faso attracts migrants from Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the Burkinabe. Despite its food shortages and high poverty rate, Burkina Faso has become a destination for refugees in recent years and hosts about 33,500 Malians as of May 2017. (2018) | Cote d'Ivoire's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d'Ivoire's high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence. Following its independence in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire's stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. Ongoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY's death in 1993 ushered in the politics of "Ivoirite," institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 30.1% (2020) | 23.3% (2018) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 87.9 youth dependency ratio: 83.4 elderly dependency ratio: 4.5 potential support ratio: 22.1 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 79.8 youth dependency ratio: 74.6 elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 potential support ratio: 19.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta etymology: name translates as "Land of the Honest (Incorruptible) Men" | conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast etymology: name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries note: pronounced coat-div-whar |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of the native name "Wogodogo," meaning "where people get honor and respect" | name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative capital); note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative capital as well as the officially designated economic capital; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 16 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled in the village of N'Gokro in 1929 at the time of French colonization; the village was renamed Yamoussoukro, the suffix "-kro" meaning "town" in the native Baoule language; Abidjan's name supposedly comes from a misunderstanding; tradition states that an old man carrying branches met a European explorer who asked for the name of the nearest village; the man, not understanding and terrified by this unexpected encounter, fled shouting "min-chan m'bidjan," which in the Ebrie language means: "I return from cutting leaves"; the explorer, thinking that his question had been answered, recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan; a different version has the first colonists asking native women the name of the place and getting a similar response |
| Administrative divisions | 13 regions; Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Centre, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau-Central, Sahel, Sud-Ouest | 12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallee du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan |
| Independence | 5 August 1960 (from France) | 7 August 1960 (from France) |
| National holiday | Republic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community | Independence Day, 7 August (1960) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991, temporarily suspended late October to mid-November 2014; initial draft of a new constitution to usher in the new republic was completed in January 2017 and a final draft was submitted to the government in December 2017; a constitutional referendum originally scheduled for adoption in March 2019 has been postponed amendments: proposed by the president, by a majority of National Assembly membership, or by petition of at least 30,000 eligible voters submitted to the Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in the Assembly; failure to meet that threshold requires majority voter approval in a referendum; constitutional provisions on the form of government, the multiparty system, and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2012 | history: previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended; amended 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law based on the French model and customary law; in mid-2019, the National Assembly amended the penal code | civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review of legislation held in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Roch Marc Christian KABORE (since 29 December 2015; re-elected 22 November 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Christophe DABIRE (since 24 January 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second); last held on 22 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2025); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly election results: Roch Marc Christian KABORE reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Roch Marc Christian KABORE (MPP) 57.9%, Eddie KOMBOIGO (CDP) 15.5%, Zephirin DIABRE (UPC)12.5%, other 14.1% | chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President (vacant); note - Vice President Daniel Kablan DUNCAN resigned 8 July 2020; note - the 2016 constitution calls for the establishment of the position of vice-president head of government: Prime Minister Patrick ACHI (since 10 March 2021); note - ACHI was acting prime minister from 8-10 March 2021 and became prime minister upon former Prime Minister Hamed BAKAYOKO's death on 10 March 2021 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term ; election last held on 31 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president; note - because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution during his second term, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms election results: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly (127 seats; 111 members directly elected in 13 multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote and 26 members elected in a nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; all member serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 22 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (preliminary results) - MPP 56, CDP 20, NTD 13, UPC 12 | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 6 March 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 49.18%, PDCI-RRA-EDS 16.53%, DPIC 6.01%, TTB 2.017% IPF 1.96% seats by party - RHDP, 137, PDCI-RRA-EDS 50, DPIC 23, TTB 8, IPF 2; composition - men 217, women 32, percent of women 13%; note - total Parliament percent of women 32% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Council of State (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of the council president and 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge appointments mostly controlled by the president of Burkina Faso; judges have no term limits; Council of State judge appointment and tenure NA; Constitutional Council judges appointed by the president of Burkina Faso upon the proposal of the minister of justice and the president of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Appeals Court; High Court; first instance tribunals; district courts; specialized courts relating to issues of labor, children, and juveniles; village (customary) courts | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts |
| Political parties and leaders | African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA [Gilbert Noel OUEDRAOGO] African People's Movement or MAP [Victorien TOUGOUMA] Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Eddie KOMBOIGO] Le Faso Autrement [Ablasse OUEDRAOGO] New Alliance of the Faso or NAFA [Mahamoudou DICKO] New Time for Democracy or NTD [Vincent DABILGOU] Organization for Democracy and Work or ODT [Anatole BONKOUNGOU] Party for Development and Change or PDC [Aziz SEREME] Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Drabo TORO] Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Philippe OUEDRAOGO] Party for National Renaissance or PAREN [Michel BERE] People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Simon COMPAORE] Rally for Democracy and Socialism or RDS [Francois OUEDRAOGO] Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE] Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Adama SERE] Soleil d'Avenir [Abdoulaye SOMA] Union for a New Burkina or UBN [Diemdioda DICKO] Union for Progress and Change or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE] Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA] Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY] Youth Alliance for the Republic and Independence or AJIR [Adama KANAZOE] | Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE] Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [former pres. Laurent GBAGBO] Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY] Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA] Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alassane OUATTARA] (alliance includes MFA, PDCI, RDR, UDPCI, UPCI) Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DIABATE] Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONAN] Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeusse MABRI] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Seydou KABORE (since 18 January 2017) chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882 email address and website: contact@burkina-usa.org https://burkina-usa.org/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou HAIDARA (since 28 March 2018) chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 email address and website: info@ambacidc.org https://ambaciusa.org/# |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Sandra E. CLARK (since 25 September 2020) embassy: Secteur 15, Ouaga 2000, Avenue Sembene Ousmane, Rue 15.873, Ouagadougou mailing address: 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440 telephone: (226) 25-49-53-00 FAX: (226) 25-49-56-23 email address and website: ouagaACS@state.gov https://bf.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard K. BELL (since 10 October 2019) embassy: B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03 mailing address: 2010 Abidjan Place, Washington DC 20521-2010 telephone: [225] 27-22-49-40-00 FAX: [225] 27-22-49-43-23 email address and website: AbjAmCit@state.gov https://ci.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; red recalls the country's struggle for independence, green is for hope and abundance, and yellow represents the country's mineral wealth note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia | three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France |
| National anthem | name: "Le Ditanye" (Anthem of Victory) lyrics/music: Thomas SANKARA note: adopted 1974; also known as "Une Seule Nuit" (One Single Night); written by the country's former president, an avid guitar player | name: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan) lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO note: adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | white stallion; national colors: red, yellow, green | elephant; national colors: orange, white, green |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Burkina Faso dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. Irregular patterns of rainfall, poor soil, and the lack of adequate communications and other infrastructure contribute to the economy's vulnerability to external shocks. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. Cotton and gold are Burkina Faso's key exports - gold has accounted for about three-quarters of the country's total export revenues. Burkina Faso's economic growth and revenue depends largely on production levels and global prices for the two commodities. The country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and exports. In 2016, the government adopted a new development strategy, set forth in the 2016-2020 National Plan for Economic and Social Development, that aims to reduce poverty, build human capital, and to satisfy basic needs. A new three-year IMF program (2018-2020), approved in 2018, will allow the government to reduce the budget deficit and preserve critical spending on social services and priority public investments. While the end of the political crisis has allowed Burkina Faso's economy to resume positive growth, the country's fragile security situation could put these gains at risk. Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term challenges. | For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d'Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $44.266 billion (2019 est.) $41.879 billion (2018 est.) $39.238 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $134.048 billion (2019 est.) $126.185 billion (2018 est.) $118.051 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 6.4% (2017 est.) 5.9% (2016 est.) 3.9% (2015 est.) | 7.8% (2017 est.) 8.3% (2016 est.) 8.8% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $2,178 (2019 est.) $2,120 (2018 est.) $2,044 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $5,213 (2019 est.) $5,033 (2018 est.) $4,831 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 31% (2017 est.) industry: 23.9% (2017 est.) services: 44.9% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 20.1% (2017 est.) industry: 26.6% (2017 est.) services: 53.3% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 41.4% (2018 est.) | 39.5% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 32.2% (2009 est.) | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 31.8% (2008) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -3.2% (2019 est.) 1.9% (2018 est.) 1.4% (2017 est.) | -1.1% (2019 est.) 0.3% (2018 est.) 0.6% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 8.501 million (2016 est.) note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment | 8.747 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000 est.) | agriculture: 68% (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 77% (2004) | 9.4% (2013 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 35.3 (2014 est.) 48.2 (1994) | 41.5 (2015 est.) 36.7 (1995) |
| Budget | revenues: 2.666 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 3.655 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 7.749 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.464 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold | foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity |
| Industrial production growth rate | 10.4% (2017 est.) | 4.2% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sorghum, maize, millet, cotton, cow peas, sugar cane, groundnuts, rice, sesame seed, vegetables | yams, cassava, cocoa, oil palm fruit, sugar cane, rice, plantains, maize, cashew nuts, rubber |
| Exports | $3.902 billion (2018 est.) $3.954 billion (2017 est.) | $16.326 billion (2018 est.) $16.274 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | gold, cotton, zinc, cashews, sesame seeds (2019) | cocoa beans, gold, rubber, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Switzerland 59%, India 21% (2019) | Netherlands 10%, United States 6%, France 6%, Spain 5%, Malaysia 5%, Switzerland 5%, Germany 5%, Vietnam 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $5.294 billion (2019 est.) $5.381 billion (2018 est.) $5.3 billion (2017 est.) | $14.248 billion (2018 est.) $13.486 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, delivery trucks, packaged medicines, electricity, aircraft (2019) | crude petroleum, rice, frozen fish, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Cote d'Ivoire 15%, China 9%, Ghana 8%, France 8%, India 6%, United States 5% (2019) | China 18%, Nigeria 13%, France 11% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $3.056 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.88 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $13.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $11.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 605.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 594.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 38.1% of GDP (2017 est.) 38.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 47% of GDP (2017 est.) 47% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $49 million (31 December 2017 est.) $50.9 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.257 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.935 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$1.019 billion (2017 est.) -$820 million (2016 est.) | -$1.86 billion (2017 est.) -$414 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $14.271 billion (2018 est.) | $42.498 billion (2018 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Standard & Poors rating: B (2017) | Fitch rating: B+ (2015) Moody's rating: Ba3 (2015) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 51.4 (2020) Starting a Business score: 88.2 (2020) Trading score: 66.6 (2020) Enforcement score: 41.1 (2020) | Overall score: 60.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.7 (2020) Trading score: 52.4 (2020) Enforcement score: 57.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 21.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 19.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -7.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 8.6% male: 8.9% female: 8.4% (2019) | total: 5.5% male: 4.7% female: 6.5% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 56.5% (2017 est.) government consumption: 23.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.4% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 61.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.8% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.1% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 17.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 14.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 8.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 15.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 17.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 990 million kWh (2016 est.) | 9.73 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 1.551 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 6.245 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 872 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 630 million kWh (2016 est.) | 19 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 52,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 62,350 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 26,700 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 100 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 342,400 kW (2016 est.) | 1.914 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 80% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 40% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 12% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 69,360 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 23,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 51,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 31,450 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 23,580 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 7,405 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 22% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 69% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 2% (2019) | electrification - total population: 76% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 51% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 75,291 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 271,724 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.01 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 20,364,508 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100.39 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 37,376,603 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 139.16 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .bf | .ci |
| Internet users | total: 3,158,834 percent of population: 16% (July 2018 est.) | total: 12,295,204 percent of population: 46.82% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Burkina Faso's telecom services are some of the most expensive in the world, hindered by regulatory procedures, insufficient mobile spectrum, poor fixed-line networks; mobile telephony but below African average; Internet is provided by mobile operators; Internet penetration is low and expensive, despite improved international bandwidth via fiber links through submarine cables to adjacent countries; increased telecom tax; government infrastructure project largely completed; parliament launched inquiry on mobile network infrastructure coverage, pricing of services, and quality of service; government began computer subsidy program for university students; government progressed with large project to provide metropolitan fiber-optic infrastructure (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage 100 per 100, with multiple providers there is competition and the hope for growth from a low base; Internet penetration is 11% countrywide, but higher in urban areas (2019) international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Côte d'Ivoire telecom systems continue to benefit from strong economic growth; fixed-line, Internet, and broadband sectors remain underdeveloped; mobile sector is strong; progress in national backbone network and connection to submarine cable that will increase Internet bandwidth; country is poised to develop broadband market and digital economy; government further tightened SIM card registration rules (2020) (2020) domestic: less than 1 per 100 fixed-line, with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased to about 145 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, ACE, MainOne, and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and South and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 12,015 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.) | total: 216,723 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | since the official inauguration of Terrestrial Digital Television (TNT) in December 2017, Burkina Faso now has 14 digital TV channels among which 2 are state-owned; there are more than 140 radio stations (commercial, religious, community) available throughout the country including a national and regional state-owned network; the state-owned Radio Burkina and the private Radio Omega are among the most widespread stations and both include broadcasts in French and local languages (2019) | state-controlled Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirieinne (RTI) is made up of 2 radios stations (Radio Cote d'Ivoire and Frequence2) and 2 television stations (RTI1 and RTI2), with nationwide coverage, broadcasts mainly in French; after 2011 post-electoral crisis, President OUATTARA's administration reopened RTI Bouake', the broadcaster's office in Cote d'Ivoire's 2nd largest city, where facilities were destroyed during the 2002 rebellion; Cote d'Ivoire is also home to 178 proximity radios stations, 16 religious radios stations, 5 commercial radios stations, and 5 international radios stations, according to the Haute Autorite' de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA); govt now runs radio UNOCIFM, a radio station previously owned by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire; in Dec 2016, the govt announced 4 companies had been granted licenses to operate -Live TV, Optimum Media Cote d'Ivoire, the Audiovisual Company of Cote d'Ivoire (Sedaci), and Sorano-CI, out of the 4 companies only one has started operating (2019) |
Transportation
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 622 km (2014) narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (2014) note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire | total: 660 km (2008) narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso |
| Roadways | total: 15,304 km (2014) paved: 3,642 km (2014) unpaved: 11,662 km (2014) | total: 81,996 km (2007) paved: 6,502 km (2007) unpaved: 75,494 km (2007) note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable |
| Airports | total: 23 (2013) | total: 27 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2 (2019) over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | total: 7 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 21 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (2013) under 914 m: 5 (2013) | total: 20 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 11 (2013) under 914 m: 3 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 151,531 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 100,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 779,482 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5.8 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | XT | TU |
Military
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF): Army of Burkina Faso (L'Armee de Terre, LAT), Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie; Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (a civilian defense force established in 2019 to act as auxiliaries to the military in the fight against militants) (2021) note: the National Gendarmerie officially reports to the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Security and the Ministry of Justice; Gendarmerie troops are typically integrated with Army forces in anti-terrorism operations; for example, Gendarmerie, Army, and police forces were combined to form a 1,500-member task force known as the Groupement des Forces Anti-Terroristes (GFAT) to address terrorist activities along the country's northern border in 2013 | Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale), Cote Air Force (Force Aerienne Cote), Special Forces (Forces Speciale); National Gendarmerie (under the Ministry of Defense); National Police (under the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection); Coordination Center for Operational Decisions (a mix of police, gendarmerie, and FACI personnel for assisting police in providing security in some large cities) (2020) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2019) | 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.4% of GDP (2019) 2.1% of GDP (2018) 1.4% of GDP (2017) 1.2% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015) | 1.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.7% of GDP (2015) |
| Military - note | since at least 2016, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso have been actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS; military operations have occurred in the Centre-Est, Centre-Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel administrative regions Burkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries (2021) | the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country's political turmoil; currently, the FACI is focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d'Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020 the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017 |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF) have approximately 12,000 personnel (7,000 Army; 500 Air Force; 4,500 National Gendarmerie) (2021) | the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire have approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the FABF has a mix of foreign-supplied weapons; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of mostly donated second-hand equipment from more than 10 countries (2020) | the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, with Bulgaria as the leading supplier (2020) |
| Military deployments | 1,075 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) | 800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | adding to illicit cross-border activities, Burkina Faso has issues concerning unresolved boundary alignments with its neighbors; demarcation is currently underway with Mali; the dispute with Niger was referred to the ICJ in 2010, and a dispute over several villages with Benin persists; Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso around the town of Koualou | disputed maritime border between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 21,601 (Mali) (2021) IDPs: 1,218,754 (2021) | IDPs: 308,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2019) stateless persons: 954,531 (2020); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers |
Terrorism
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorist Group(s) | Ansarul Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T | al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T |
Environment
| Burkina Faso | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 36.78 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 3.42 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 12.85 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 23.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.67 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 10.3 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 375.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 21.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 420.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 242 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 4.54% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 2.04% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,575,251 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 309,030 tons (2005 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12% (2005 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,440,814 tons (2010 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 133,224 tons (2005 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3% (2005 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
