At a national prevalence rate of 1.2 per cent, HIV is also a major public health concern. This partially explains the high rate of major infectious diseases such as bacterial diarrhoea, hepatitis A and typhoid fever. In rural areas, only six per cent of the population have access to proper sanitation facilities. Aid organisations provided tents, medical equipment and water purification tablets in order to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases. Hundreds of schools and a number of hospitals were destroyed by the floods. More than 50,000 people lost everything in the floods were living in tents and shacks across the capital. In 2009, massive flooding forced thousands of Burkinabe to leave their homes. Employment is often limited to the informal sector, which accounts for a vast proportion of jobs available. The so-called "rural poor" amount to six million. Rural areas are more affected by extreme poverty than Burkina Faso's urban centres. In spite of economic growth, high levels of poverty have in fact intensified in some areas of the country. Around 60 per cent of the population live in poverty and nearly 80 per cent are without a job. Like most other Sub-Saharan countries, Burkina Faso continues to experience very difficult economic conditions. Increasing poverty in spite of economic growth The protests were soon quieted by the authorities, who promised to make changes to the current constitution in order to make Burkina Faso a more democratic state. In 2011, widespread popular protests over police brutality, autocracy and rising food prices triggered international media attention. 90 per cent of the country's labour force work in the agricultural sector. Compared to other African nations, its industrial base is rather weak and natural resources are scarce. Although the country is rich in gold, cotton production is the main pillar of the economy. The country was known as "Republic of Upper Volta" until 1984.īurkina Faso is an extremely poor country characterised by one of the lowest per capita GDPs in the world. It is now a semi-presidential Republic and a member of the African Union (AU). In August 1960, the country gained complete independence from France, but a number of military coups followed. The country is frequently hit by droughts which have a strong impact on the living conditions of tens of thousands of Burkinabe. Burkina Faso is home to an estimated 16 million, who predominantly belong to the Mossi, Fulani, Lobi or Bobo groups.
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