republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Independence date
13 August 1960 (from France)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Languages
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Exports
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
External Debt
$483,900,000 $
Exchange Rate
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Area
622,984 km sq
56,785 km sq
Coastline
0 km
56 km
Climate
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
