Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Every year, several hundred thousand seasonal farm workers seek employment in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana and are adversely affected by instability in those regions.
Location
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Area Comparative
Slightly larger than Colorado
Maritime Claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
Tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Natural Hazards
Recurring droughts
Environment Current Issues
Recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
Environment International Agreements
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography Note
Landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas
