republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
Independence date
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Sunni Muslim
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)
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Exports
External Debt
Exchange Rate
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Area
56,785 km sq
637,657 km sq
Coastline
56 km
3,025 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
