Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo

Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)

Constitution: 2 June 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: none

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987); election last held December 1991
head of government: Prime Minister Roch KABORE (since March 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of People's Deputies: elections last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (107 total), ODP-MT 78, CNPP-PSD 12, RDA 6, ADF 4, other 7
note: the current law also provides for a second consultative chamber, which had not been formally constituted as of 1 July 1992

Judicial branch: Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: Organization for People's Democracy- Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party, Simon COMPAORE, Secretary General; National Convention of Progressive Patriots-Social Democratic Party (CNPP-PSD), Moussa BOLY; African Democratic Rally (RDA), Gerard Kango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation (ADF), Amadou Michel NANA
Other political or pressure groups: committees for the defense of the revolution; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Thomas Yara KAMBOU
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-5577 or 6895
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL
embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou
telephone: [226] 30-67- 23 through 25
FAX: [226] 31-23-68

Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

NOTE: The information regarding Burkina on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burkina Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Burkina Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.