Burkina Faso

BURKINA FASO

A. THE COUNTRY

Burkina Faso, also known as Burkina, is a landlocked country in West
Africa that is prone to drought and famine.  The president has
introduced multiparty democracy, while retaining tight control over the
military and the political power structures (in the name of stability).
Burkina is one of the world’s poorest countries with high national debt,
low levels of education and a negative impact from the strife in
neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire.  About 90% rely on subsistence agriculture
(mainly cotton).  There is some potential for gold and other mineral
resources to be exploited.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~16,500,000 and official language French.  Trade
languages are Moore and Jula.  There are 78 distinct ethno-linguistic
people groups.  ~77% are Gur, ~7.8% Fulani, ~5.7% Mande, ~4.6%
Malinke-Jula, ~2.5% Malinke, ~2.1% Other African, ~0.3% Non-Africans.
Poverty and dependence on aid is made worse by corruption in the
government that siphons resources away from needy people.  Estimates of
the HIV rate range from 1.6% to over 10% of the adult population.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

~52.2% are Muslim, ~26.44% Ethnoreligionist, ~20.69% claim to be
Christian, ~0.65% Non-religious, ~0.02% Baha’i.
Few countries in West Africa are more dominated by idolatry, fetishism
and secret societies.
In the Christian category:
~11.5% are Catholic, ~8.5% Protestant, ~0.66% Independent, ~0.03% are
considered ‘marginal’.
Evangelicals represent ~8.9% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~8.4% and of those ~7.2% are Pentecostals.

Donna Siemens

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.