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Burkina Faso
(pronounced /bɚˌkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ/ burr-KEE-na FAH-soh), also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south west.
Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta (Republique du Haute-Volta), it was renamed on August 4, 1984, by President Thomas Sankara to mean "the land of upright people" in Moré and Dioula, the major native languages of the country.
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Literally, "Burkina" may be translated, "men of integrity," from the Moré language, and "Faso" means "father's house" in Dioula. The inhabitants of Burkina Faso are known as Burkinabé (pronounced /bɚˈkiːnəbeɪ/ burr-KEE-na-bay).
Burkina Faso's capital is Ouagadougou. After gaining independence from France in 1960, the country underwent many governmental changes until arriving at its current form, a semi-presidential republic. The president is Blaise Compaoré. |
 Burkina Faso's flag  Burkina Faso's emblem
Area: 274,200 km2
Population: 15 265 000 (2008), density: 56/km2
Capital: Ouagadougou.
Major cities: Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou.
Only 9% of the population lives in cities. One of the lowest indices in the world!
Administrative division: 30 provinces.
Languages: official - french, over 60 dialects.
People
The majority population (40%) consists of the Mossi, who arrived as migrant warriors in early times. The other 60% of the population is composed of more than 60 ethnic groups, including the Bobo, the Mande, the Fulani, the Lobi, the Malinke, the Senufo, the Gurunsi, and others. Languages vary from group to group, but French is the official language.
Average life span: 43,5 where:
men: 42 years, women 45 years, one of the lowest in the world!
High rate of illiteracy: 74%;
Low education rate (especially women);
Religions
Approximately 50% of the population is Muslim; Christians account for about 30% of the population, and followers of traditional African religions (typically animism of various forms) make up about 20%. Many Christians incorporate elements of animism into their religious practices.
Geography
Burkina Faso is made up of two major types of countryside:
* The larger part of the country is covered by a peneplain, which forms a gently undulating landscape with, in some areas, a few isolated hills, the last vestiges of a Precambrian massif.
* The southwest of the country forms a sandstone massif, where the highest peak, Ténakourou, is found at an elevation of 749 meters (2,450 feet). The massif is bordered by sheer cliffs up to 150 meters (490 feet) high.
The average altitude is 400 meters (1,300 feet) and the difference between the highest and lowest terrain is no greater than 600 meters (2,000 feet). Burkina Faso is therefore a relatively flat country.
Hydrography
The country owes its former name of Upper Volta to three rivers which cross it: the Black Volta (or Mouhoun), the White Volta (Nakambé) and the Red Volta (Nazinon). The Black Volta, along with the Komoé, which flows to the southwest, is one of the country's only two rivers which flow year-round.
The basin of the Niger River also drains 27% of the country's surface. Its tributaries, the Béli, the Gorouol, the Goudébo and the Dargol, are seasonal streams and only flow for four to six months a year. They still, however, can cause large floods.
The country also contains numerous lakes. The principal lakes are Tingrela, Bam and Dem. The country also contains large ponds, such as Oursi, Béli, Yomboli and Markoye.
Water shortages are often a problem, especially in the north of the country.
Climate
Burkina Faso has a primarily tropical climate with two very distinct seasons. In the rainy season, the country receives between 600 and 900 millimeters (24-35 inches) of rainfall, and in the dry season, the harmattan, a hot dry wind from the Sahara, blows. The rainy season lasts approximately four months, May/June to September, and is shorter in the north of the country.
Three climatic zones can be defined:
Sahel Zone
The Sahel in the north typically receives less than 600 millimeters (24 inches) of rainfall per year and has high temperatures, 5–47°C (40–115°F). A relatively dry tropical savanna, the Sahel extends beyond the borders of Burkina Fasi, from the Horn of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, and borders the Sahara to its north and the fertile region of the Sudan to the South.
Sudan-Sahel Zone
Situated between 11°3' and 13°5' north latitude, the Sudan-Sahel region is a transitional zone with regards to rainfall and temperature.
Sudan-Guinea Zone
Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone receives more than 900 millimeters (35 inches) of rain each year and has cooler average temperatures.
Natural resources
Burkina Faso's natural resources include manganese, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt and small deposits of gold.
Burkina Faso's fauna and flora are protected in two national parks and several reserves, see List of national parks in Africa.
Economy
One of the poorest countries in the world!
Burkina Faso has one of the lowest GDP per capita incomes in the world: $1,200. This ranks it as the 28th poorest nation. Agriculture represents 32% of its gross domestic product and occupies 80% of the working population. It consists mostly of livestock but also, especially in the south and southwest, of growing sorghum, pearl millet, maize (corn), peanuts, rice and cotton.
Unemployment causes a high rate of emigration. For example, three million citizens of Burkina Faso live in Côte d'Ivoire. According to the Central Bank of West African States, these migrants send substantial amounts of money back to Burkina Faso each year[citation needed]. Since the 1967 expulsions from Ghana, this situation has provoked tensions in the recipient countries. The most recent crisis occurred owing to the events of 2003 in Côte d'Ivoire, which led to the return of 300,000 migrants.
A large part of the economic activity of the country is funded by international aid.
The currency of Burkina Faso is the CFA franc.
There is mineral exploitation of copper, iron, manganese and, above all, gold.
Burkina Faso also hosts the International Art and Craft Fair, Ouagadougou, better known by its French name as SIAO, Le Salon Iternational de l' Artisanat de Ouagadougou, one of the most important African handicraft fairs.
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