Some 80% of the Burkina Faso population is engaged in subsistence farming – cotton is the main cash crop. Cotton and gold are the country’s key exports and its economic growth and revenue depend on global prices for the two commodities. Its economy experienced high levels of growth over the last few years and gold accounted for about three-quarters of the country’s total export revenues in 2013. Burkina Faso has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production and exports.

Name Burkina Faso

Capital Ouagadougou

Frequency of elections Every five years

Name of parliament National Assembly of  Burkina Faso

Parliament website www.assembleenationale.bf

Languages French, indigenous African languages

Area 274 200 km²

Population 18 635 123 (July 2014 est)

Imports Foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum

Exports Gold, cotton, livestock

Currency Communauté Financière Africaine franc

Source: CIA World Factbook
Image: Gallo/GettyImages