Burkino Faso

Full name: Burkina Faso

Population: 16.9million (UN, 2011)

Capital: Ouagadougou

Area: 274,200 sq km (105,870 sq miles)

Major languages: French, indigenous languages

Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity

Life expectancy: 55 years (men), 57 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes

Main exports: Cotton, animal products, gold

GNI per capita: US $550 (World Bank, 2010)

Internet domain: .bf

International dialling code: +226

A poor country even by West African standards, landlocked Burkina Faso has suffered from recurring droughts and, until the 1980s, military coups.

Burkina Faso has significant reserves of gold, but cotton is the economic mainstay for many Burkinabes. This industry is vulnerable to changes in world prices.

A major challenge to the status quo came in 1983, when Capt Thomas Sankara seized power and adopted radical left-wing policies. He renamed the country, previously Upper Volta. Its present name which translates as "land of honest men".

In 1987 Mr Sankara was overthrown and killed in a coup by his erstwhile colleague Blaise Compaore, who went on to re-introduce a multi-party system.

Burkina Faso has faced domestic and external concern over the state of its economy and human rights, and allegations that it was involved in the smuggling of diamonds by rebels in Sierra Leone.

Troubles in neighbouring Ivory Coast have raised tensions, with Ivory Coast accusing its northern neighbour of backing rebels in the north and Burkina Faso accusing Ivory Coast of mistreating expatriate Burkinabes.

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