Blaise Compaoré
President

(pronounced "BLEHZ comp-pah-OAR-eh")

"I don't think it's the financial assistance that accounts for the wealth of a country…it's the capacity of a given country, and its own wealth, that create true prosperity. And there's no doubt that if you read about Burkina or if you come here yourself, this is certainly not the most well-endowed country in the world, whether in natural or mineral resources or whatever else."

The Republic of Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It borders Mali on the northwest and Niger on the northeast; to the south and southeast are Benin and Togo; to the south and southwest Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Burkina Faso's total area equals 274,200 sq km (or 105,869 sq mi).

The population was estimated at 12.6 million in 2002. Although French is the national...