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Africa Internet Stats > Site Links > Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Internet Usage and Marketing Report
Burkina Faso, also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the south west. Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta, it was renamed on August 4, 1984, by President Thomas Sankara to mean "the land of upright people" in Moré and Dioula, the major native languages of the country. Literally, "Burkina" may be translated, "men of integrity," from the Moré language, and "Faso" means "father’s house" in Dioula. Independence from France came in 1960. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in search of paid work.
Internet Usage Statistics:
140,000 Internet users as of June/09, 0.9% of the population, according to ITU.
Latest Population Estimate:
15,746,232 population for 2009, according to US Census Bureau.
Gross National Income:
GNI per capita is US$ 480 ('08) according to the World Bank.
Country Area:
274,200 sq km
Internet Usage and Population Growth:
YEAR
Users
Population
% Pen.
Usage Source
2000
10,000
15,712,000
0.1 %
ITU
2007
80,000
15,264,735
0.5 %
2009
140,000
15,746,232
0.9 %
Burkina Faso Search Engines and Directories:
Afrika.no
The Burkina Faso Index from the Norwegian Council for Africa.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso country profile from the BBC.
Burkina Faso Page
Burkina Faso Selected links, Portal Sites.
dmoz Directory
Burkina Faso regional directory.
Burkina Faso Basic Information
Burkina Faso statistics from the CIA World Factbook.
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Telecommunications and ICT in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso Telecom Market - Overview and Statistics
Following the majority-privatisation of Burkina Faso’s incumbent telco, Onatel, fresh investment and new technologies have accelerated the development of the national network infrastructure. The government is planning to sell an additional 20% in the company in 2008 through an initial public offering (IPO). Onatel operates Burkina Faso’s fixed-line network, a CDMA wireless network, a fibre optic backbone and one of three GSM mobile networks. Mobile telephony has experienced outstanding growth, with subscribers now outnumbering fixed lines in the country by more than 15:1. The Internet and broadband market is expected to receive a boost when cheaper international bandwidth becomes available from new submarine fibre optic systems reaching the region in 2008/09. With market penetration well below African averages, the growth potential in all market sectors is excellent.
Related Articles:
Africa - Data, Internet and Broadband Reports
Get the latest information about Africa from the largest
global telecommunications research site on the Web.
Burkina Faso - Economy Background
October 12, 2008
One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations.
Following the CFA franc currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance. Burkina Faso is eligible for a Millennium Challenge Account grant, which would increase investment in the country’s human capital.
Further reading on Burkina Faso:
Burkina Faso Newspapers Links
Most important daily news and information from Burkina Faso here.
