Africa > Burkina Faso > Government

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Administrative divisions 45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo
Administrative divisions > A note a new electoral code was approved by the National Assembly in January 1997; the number of administrative provinces was increased from 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo), however, this change has not yet been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Anna-Liisa Korhonen
Ambassadors from the United States > Other senior diplomatic representatives > Ambassador	Cynthia Akuetteh
Ambassadors from the United States > Other senior diplomatic representatives > Title	Chargé d’Affaires
ambassadors to the United States > Ambassador	Tertius Zongo
Capital city	Ouagadougou
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	12 22 N, 1 31 W
Capital city > Name	Ouagadougou
Capital city > Time difference UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution 2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; last amended January 2002
Copyright > Reference	Art. 34,
Corruption	3.4		[70th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	70 pma
CPIA equity of public resource use rating	4		[8th of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating	3.5		[9th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[226] 50-30-38-90
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[226] 50-30-67-23
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Paramanga Ernest YONLI
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 667-1882
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 332-5577
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address	48 Range Road
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood	Sandy Hill
Executive branch > A note President COMPAORE faces an increasingly well-coordinated opposition; recent charges against a former member of his Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
Executive branch > Election results Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007)
Executive branch > Note President COMPAORE faces an increasingly well-coordinated opposition; recent charges against a former member of his Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Flag modification	4		[170th of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	May 18, 1995
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition	March 4, 1984
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	2.75 %		[74th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	354,676,100 constant 2000 US$		[106th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	28.562 constant 2000 US$ per c		[127th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	119498900000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	348699400000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	661,081,500 $		[108th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.128 $ per $1 of GDP		[91st of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	49.977 $ per capita		[120th of 184]
Government type	parliamentary republic
Independence 5 August 1960 (from France)
Independence Day > Date	August 5
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Legal origin French
Legal system based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1
Legislative branch > Elections National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	9.53 %		[10th of 38]
National holiday	Republic Day, 11 December
Parliamentary seats > Female	8%		[85th of 143]
political parties > Dominant party	•
Political parties and leaders African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Oumar DJIGUIMDE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Fidele HIEN]; Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende STANISLAS]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]
Political pressure groups and leaders Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON]; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE]; Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO]; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE]
Political pressure groups and leaders > Other watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
Prime minister	Paramanga Ernest Yonli
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	32		[4th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	2.419 per 1 million people		[82nd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	41		[47th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	3.1 per 1 million people		[92nd of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	8		[22nd of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	604.785 per 1 billion people		[87th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	11.7 %		[105th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	8		[104th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	0.907 per 1 million people		[97th of 171]
Status	pseudo-democracy
Suffrage	universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	226 days		[55th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	446 days		[93rd of 171]
Time required to register property > days	107 days		[40th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	34 days		[90th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	270 hours		[75th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	4 years		[35th of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	221		[60th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	0.021 per 1 million people		[82nd of 83]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly-defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations
UN membership date	20 Sep. 1960
United Nations mission http://www.mae.gov.bf/ (Francais)
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Embassy Row

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