Long-form name: Burkina Faso

Type: military; established by coup on 4 August 1983

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; formerly Upper Volta)

Constitution: none; constitution of 27 November 1977 was abolished following coup of 25 November 1980

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)

Branches: President is an Army officer; military council of unknown number; 21-member military and civilian Cabinet; judiciary

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--Chairman of the Popular Front Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)

Suffrage: none

Elections: political process suspended; no talk of returning to constitutional rule

Political parties and leaders: all political parties banned following November 1980 coup

Communists: small Communist party front group; some sympathizers

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: AfDB, CCC, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), Entente, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OCAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul Desire KABORE; Chancery at 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-5577 or 6895; US--Ambassador David H. SHINN; Embassy at Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou (mailing address is B. P. 35, Ouagadougou); telephone Õ226å 30-67-23 through 25

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 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burkina Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Burkina Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.