Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso literally means the “country of upright men” is a landlocked country of 274,200 square kilometres located at the heart of west Africa. With a population of about 19 millions, Burkina Faso is a rich and diverse society where 60 ethic groups live in peace and harmony. The capital city, Ouagadougou hosts the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) and the International Art and Craft Fair of Ouagadougou (SIAO). The population is young and rapidly growing: 50% are under 18 and 17 % under age 5. Literacy rates remain low among youth (15-24 years) at 52% for both sex, 58 % for male and 46% for female. With an average annual growth rate estimated at 6.2% in 2016 and GDP per capita of 613$ USD (2015), Burkina Faso’s economy relies the mainly on agriculture which represents  32% of the country’s GDP and occupies 80% of the working population. Paradoxically, those employed in the primary sector are the most affected by poverty, up to 47,5%.