w also provides for a second consultative
chamber, which has not been formally constituted

Judicial branch: Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: Organization for People's Democracy
- Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party, Secretary General Simon
COMPAORE; 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

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGO
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577, 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] 306723 through 306725
FAX: [226] 303890

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

Economy
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Economic overview: One of the poorest countries in the world,
Burkina Faso has a high population density and a high population
growth rate, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. Economic
development is hindered by a poor communications network within a
landlocked country. Agriculture is mainly subsistence farming.
Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled
corporations. Following the Communaute Financiere Africaine currency
devaluation on 12 January 1994, exports appear to have risen, but no
official figures have been released yet. The upswing apparently
continued in 1995, with growth perhaps at 4%. The government has
updated its development program in conjunction with international
agencies, yet even with the best of plans, the government faces
formidable problems on all sides.

GDP: purchasing power parity