Geography

Burkina Faso is in West Africa and covers an area of 105,946 square miles (274,400 square kilometers). The country is landlocked, or completely surrounded by land. It is bounded to the north and west by Mali; to the south by Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo; and to the east by Benin and Niger.

Much of Burkina Faso is flat and dry. The northern part of the country is part of the Sahel, the semidesert area between the dry south and the Sahara. In the southwest, sandstone plateaus are bordered by the Banfora Escarpment, which rises quickly to about 500 feet (150 meters) above sea level. In the north and northeast, rocky hills rise above stretches of sand.

Burkina Faso was originally named Upper Volta for the three upper branches of the Volta River that flow through it: the Black Volta, the White Volta, and the Red Volta. A tributary, the Sourou, joins them in the north as they flow southward toward Ghana to form the Volta River.

Burkina Faso's climate is generally sunny, hot, and dry. From mid-February to June, the harmattan—a hot, dry, dusty wind—blows off the Sahara. During the rainy season, between June and October, the grassy savanna comes to life. The south is a semitropical zone, with swamps, marshes, scattered forests, and heavy rainfall. Temperatures range from 60° F (16° C) at night during the dry, cool season to 104° F (40° C) in the shade during its hottest season.

Plants and animals

Much of the country is covered in grassland or desert. The Sahel region is covered by prickly shrubs and stunted trees. Most of the woodlands have been cleared for farming. Some of the few remaining forests have been set aside as wildlife preserves.

The country's wildlife includes antelope, lions, elephants, buffalo, hippopotamuses, monkeys, and crocodiles. The tsetse fly, which spreads sleeping sickness, and the simulium fly, which spreads river blindness, are widespread along the Volta rivers. There are three national parks in the country.

People and culture

The Mossi, who once had a great empire in the region, make up almost half of the population of Burkina Faso. The country is also home to Mande, Hausa, Fulani, and Bella. French is the official language, but Moré, the language of the Mossi, is spoken by most of the people. Dyula and Hausa are widely used in business. Half of the population is Muslim. About 40 percent, including most Mossi, are animists, who believe that all things have a powerful spirit. The remaining 10 percent are Christian, mostly Roman Catholic. More than 80 percent of the people live in small towns or villages. The few large cities include the capital, Ouagadougou, followed by Bobo-Dioulasso and Koudougou.

The people of Burkina Faso have a strong arts and crafts tradition. Burkina Faso is also the movie capital of Africa. Every odd-numbered year the country hosts the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou. The festival regularly attracts thousands of visitors from all over Africa, Europe, and the United States.

Economy

Most of the people in Burkina Faso make their living from farming. Sorghum, millet, corn, sugarcane, and peanuts are typical crops. Goats, sheep, cattle, and chickens also are raised. Many live animals, animal hides and skins, and cotton are exported.

Burkina Faso's few industries include cotton gins, rice and flour mills, brewing and bottling plants, a sugar refinery, and a textile mill. The country has deposits of manganese, but mining is limited because of the poor transport systems.

History

The Bobo, Gurunsi, and Lobi are the earliest known inhabitants of the area. In the 15th century the Mossi and the Gurma established themselves in the central and eastern areas. In 1897 a French military force persuaded the Mossi ruler to place his country under the protection of France. Upper Volta, as it was then known, was made a separate colony in 1919.

Upper Volta gained independence in 1960. The country's first elected president, Maurice Yaméogo, made himself a dictator soon after assuming control of the government. In 1966, the military seized power. Over the next 17 years the country had a series of civilian and military governments.

During his rule from 1983 to 1987, Captain Thomas Sankara attempted to improve conditions in the country. In particular, he launched a campaign against corruption. During this campaign he renamed the country Burkina Faso, which means “Land of Incorruptible People.” Initially his government made several improvements, including vaccination, housing projects, and the promotion of women's rights. Public and military unhappiness over policies led to a military coup in 1987. The Popular Front—led by Captain Blaise Compaoré—killed Sankara and seized control of the government. At the beginning of the 21st century Compaoré maintained a shaky hold on the government and country. Population (2000 estimate), 11,946,000.