Burkina (formerly Upper Volta) Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Burkina Faso

Type: military; established by coupon 4 August 1983

Capital: Ouagadougou

Political subdivisions: 30 provinces. 250 departments

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 August

Branches. President is an army officer; military council of unknow n number· 21-member military and civilian Cabinet; judiciary

Government leaders: Cdr. Thomas SANKARA, President (since August 1983)

Suffrage: universal for adults

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 established by current regime throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Member of: AfDB, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, E1B (associate). Entente, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBBD, ICAO, IDA, 1DB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, 1FC, 1LO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, 1PU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OCAM O1C, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

NOTE: The information regarding Burkina (formerly Upper Volta) on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burkina (formerly Upper Volta) 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Burkina (formerly Upper Volta) 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.