A, ECA, EIB (associate), Entente, FAO,
GATT, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OCAM, OIC,
UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul Desire KABORE;
Chancery at 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-5577 or 6895;
US--Ambassador David H. SHINN; Embassy at Avenue Raoul Follerau,
Ouagadougou (mailing address is B. P. 35, Ouagadougou);
telephone p226o 30-67-23 through 25

Flag: 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
Overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina
has a high population density, few natural resources, and relatively infertile
soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within
a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is
entirely of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable
government-controlled corporations, accounted for 13% of GDP in 1985.

GDP: $1.43 billion, per capita $170; real growth rate 7.7% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1988)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $422 million; expenditures $516 million, including
capital expenditures of $25 million (1987)

Exports: $249 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--oilseeds, cotton, live animals, gold;
partners--EC 42% (France 30%, other 12%), Taiwan 17%,
Ivory Coast 15% (1985)

Imports: $591 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--grain, dairy products, petroleum, machinery;
partners--EC 37% (France 23%, other 14%), Africa 31%, US 15%
(1985)

External debt: $969 million (December 1988)

Industrial production: growth rate 7.1% (1985)

Electricity: 121,000 kW capacity; 320 million kWh produced, 37 kWh per
capita (1989)

Industries: agricultural processing plants; brewery, cement, and brick
plants; a few other small consumer goods enterprises

Agriculture: cash crops--peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food
crops--sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food
grains

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $271 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.5 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $94 million

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--fran