Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Languages
English
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Exports
cotton, livestock, gold
External Debt
$2,442,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Area
261 km sq
274,200 km sq
Coastline
135 km
0 km
Climate
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)