"Homeland of honest people" is the name of a small African state. Until 1984, the country was called Upper Volta. It has a common border with six countries, the largest of which are Niger and Mali. The capital of the country is the city of Ouagadougou.
Mosi's low plateau occupies the bulk of the country, and the highest point is Mount Tena Kourow with a height of 749 meters. Burkino Faso has no access to the ocean, belongs to the inland countries. Two large rivers flow through its territory - the Black and White Volta. In the dry period, they dry out to such an extent that they cease to be navigable.
Almost the entire territory of Burkino Faso busy with the African savannah. Only the northern region of the country (Sahel) is located in a semi-desert zone. There are few forests here, they occupy only 10 percent of the country's area. Almost all Mosi plateaus are pastures. In the subequatorial climate of the country, distinct dry and wet seasons are observed. In the northern part, the dry season lasts up to 10 months.
A bit of history
In the territory of modern Burkino Faso in the past there were several states known since the XIV century. One of them, called Yatenga, existed for almost three centuries. Until the sixteenth century, it was able, having conquered the territories of neighboring countries, to become the most powerful state in West Africa.
In the XIX century, the territory of the country was colonized by the French and renamed Upper Volta. During the protectorate of France, civilization came here, the first railway was built in 1934. After the 1984 revolution, the country changed not only power, but also the name.
The modern fifteen-million-strong population of Burkino Faso consists of two large ethnic groups. Despite the fact that French is considered the state language, almost all residents of the country speak the local language. The country is considered Islamic, but, nevertheless, the majority of the population adheres to their ancient religions. The country belongs to the agrarian, the townspeople make up only 20 percent. A lot of people in search of work migrate to neighboring countries.
The cultural capital of West Africa
The capital of Burkina Faso, the city of Ouagadougou, used to be called Vagadogo and was founded in the 15th century. The modern name was given to him in 1919, when the country was already ruled by the colonial administration. After independence in 1960, Ouagadougou became the capital of the country. From a small one-story city dominated by clay huts, thanks to the reconstruction carried out at the end of the 20th century, it turned into a modern city.
Few could have imagined that in one of the poorest countries in Africa, such as Burkina Faso, the capital may become more famous to the world than the state itself. To date, the city of Ouagadougou has become famous as the cultural capital of West Africa. In this city, almost every month an international cultural event takes place - film festivals, all kinds of folklore holidays, noisy fairs. The city has a National Museum with unique exhibits telling about the history of African peoples.