Burkina Faso– also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Cote d'Ivoire to the southwest. The country's capital is Ouagadougou.
It is geographically in the Sahel--the agricultural region between the Sahara Desert and the coastal rain forests. Most of central Burkina Faso lies on a savanna plateau, 200 meters-300 meters (650 ft.-1,000 ft.) above sea level, with fields, brush, and scattered trees. The largest river is the Mouhoun (Black Volta), which is partially navigable by small craft. Burkina Faso has West Africa's largest elephant population. Game preserves also are home to lions, hippos, monkeys, warthogs, and antelope. Infrastructure and tourism are, however, not well developed. Annual average rainfall varies from about 100 centimeters (40 in.) in the south to less than 25 centimeters (10 in.) in the north and northeast, where hot desert winds accentuate the dryness of the region. The cooler season, November to February, is pleasantly warm and dry (but dusty), with cool evenings. March-June can be very hot. In July-September, the rains bring a 3-month cooler and greener humid season.
On August 30th, 2009 Burkina Faso experienced the worst flood in the country's recent history, leaving 150,000 people homeless, and several dead. The people requested international aid to help the victims and rebuild the country. As a result of the flood, access to clean water has been difficult for survivors.
Average life expectancy at birth in 2004 was estimated at 52 for females and 50 for males. The median age of its inhabitants is 16.7. The estimated population growth rate is 3.109%. Central government spending on health was 3% in 2001. As of 2009, it was estimated that there were as few as 10 physicians per 100,000 people. In addition there were only 41 nurses, and 13 midwives per 100,000 people.
Education in Burkina Faso is divided into primary, secondary and higher education. The UN Development Program Report ranks Burkina Faso as the country with the lowest level of literacy in the world, despite a concerted effort to double its literacy rate from 12.8% in 1990 to 25.3% in 2008.
Burkina Faso has one of the lowest GDP per capita figures in the world: $1,200. Agriculture represents 32% of its gross domestic product and occupies 80% of the working population. It consists mostly of livestock but also, especially in the south and southwest, of growing sorghum, pearl millet, maize corn, peanuts, rice and cotton. A large part of the economic activity of the country is funded by international aid.
Population (2010): 16.3 million.
Annual population growth rate (2010): 3.1%.
Ethnic groups: 63 ethnic groups among which are Mossi (almost half of the total population), followed by Gourmantche, Fulani, Dioula, and Bissa.
Religions: Muslim 60%, Catholic 19%, animist 15%, Protestant 5%.
Languages: French (official); More; Gourma; Fulfulde; Dioula; Tamasheq.
Education: Literacy (2009)--26%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2010)--91.7/1,000. Life expectancy (2010)--56.7 years.
Work force: Agriculture--77.9%; industry--2.1%; commerce, services, and government--5.5%.
I am so excited to share the love story of Jesus in Africa. I am learning French (their primary language in Burkina Faso) so that I will be able to communicate with them better. Please pray that God will restore brokenness, change lives, and give hope to the hopeless this summer. Thank you so much for all of your support. I love you all!
