ating plains; hills in west
and southeast

_#_Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits
of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc,
silver

_#_Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 37%; forest and woodland 26%; other 27%, includes irrigated
NEGL%

_#_Environment: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
marginal agricultural activities, population distribution, economy;
overgrazing; deforestation

_#_Note: landlocked

_*_People
_#_Population: 9,359,889 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 53 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Burkinabe; adjective--Burkinabe

_#_Ethnic divisions: more than 50 tribes; principal tribe is Mossi
(about 2.5 million); other important groups are Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi,
Bobo, Mande, and Fulani

_#_Religion: indigenous beliefs about 65%, Muslim 25%,
Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%

_#_Language: French (official); tribal languages belong to Sudanic
family, spoken by 90% of the population

_#_Literacy: 18% (male 28%, female 9%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 3,300,000 residents; 30,000 are wage earners;
agriculture 82%, industry 13%, commerce, services, and government 5%;
20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for
seasonal employment (1984); 44% of population of working age (1985)

_#_Organized labor: four principal trade union groups represent less
than 1% of population

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Burkina Faso

_#_Type: military; established by coup on 4 August 1983

_#_Capital: Ouagadougou

_#_Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba,
Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri,
Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno,
Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo

_#_Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France; formerly Upper Volta)

_#_Constitution: none; constitution of 27 November 1977 was abo