Burkina Faso
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unité, Progrès, Justice"  (French) "Unity, Progress, Justice"
Anthem: Une Seule Nuit  (French) One Single Night
Capital (and largest city)		Ouagadougou 12°20′N, 1°40′W
Official languages		French
Demonym		Burkinabé
Government		Semi-presidential republic
-	President	Blaise Compaoré
-	Prime Minister	Tertius Zongo
Independence		from France
-	Date	August 5, 1960
Area
-	Total	274,000 km² (74th) 105,792 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. The Flag of Burkina Faso is formed by two equal horizontal bands of Red (top and Green with a Yellow five-pointed Star The Coat of arms of Burkina Faso contains a shield based on the national flag A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Une Seule Nuit (also known as L'Hymne de la victoire or Ditanyè) is the National anthem of Burkina Faso. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Burkina Faso 's 10 million people belong to two major West African cultural groups--the Gur and the Mande. Ouagadougou (ˌwɑgəˈduːguː Mossi wɑgədəgə is the Capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Maurice Yaméogo took office as president of the autonomous Republic of Upper Volta on December 11, 1959. Blaise Compaoré (born February 3, 1951) has been the President of Burkina Faso since 1987 The office of Prime Minister of Burkina Faso was initially created in 1958, when Burkina Faso was a French colony named Upper Volta Tertius Zongo (born 18 May 1957) has been the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso since June 2007 Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 1%
Population
-	2005 estimate	13,228,000 (66th)
-	1996 census	10,312,669
-	Density	48/km² (145th) 124/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$16. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 845 billion1 (117th)
-	Per capita	$1,284 (163rd)
Gini (2003)		39. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 5 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 370 (low) (176th)
Currency		West African CFA franc (XOF)
Time zone		GMT
Internet TLD		.bf
Calling code		+226
1	The data here is an estimation for the year 2005 produced by the International Monetary Fund in April 2005. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The West African CFA franc ( French: franc CFA or simply franc, ISO 4217 code XOF) is the currency of eight independent states spanning ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Burkina Faso (pronounced /bɚˌkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ/ burr-KEE-na FAH-soh), also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a landlocked nation in West Africa. A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. 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. Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Benin (bə'nɪn officially the Republic of Benin, and also known as Benin Republic, is a country in Western Africa. TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company famous for inventing the Stand-up roller coaster. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a Formerly called the Republic of Upper 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. The Republic of Upper Volta (République de Haute-Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a Self-governing colony within the French Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Captain Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara ( December 21, 1949 – October 15, 1987) was the leader of Burkina Faso (formerly Dioula ( Dyula) is a Mande language spoken in Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. Literally, "Burkina" may be translated, "men of integrity," from the Moré language, and "Faso" means "father's house" in Dioula.

Independence from France came in 1960. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana in search of paid labour. Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. The inhabitants of Burkina Faso are known as Burkinabé (pronounced /bɚˈkiːnəbeɪ/ burr-KEE-na-bay).

History

Main article: History of Burkina Faso

Early history

Typical of West Africa, Burkina Faso was populated early, notably by hunter-gatherers in the northwestern part of the country (12,000 to 5000 BC), and whose tools (scrapers, chisels and arrowheads) were discovered in 1973. Until the end of the 19th century, the history of Burkina Faso was dominated by the empire-building Mossi / Mossi Kingdoms, who are believed A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting Settlements appeared between 3600 and 2600 BC with farmers, the traces of whose structures leave the impression of relatively permanent buildings. The use of iron, ceramics and polished stone developed between 1500 and 1000 BC, as well as a preoccupation with spiritual matters, as shown by the burial remains which have been discovered.

Relics of the Dogon are found in the centre-north, north and north-west region. The Dogon are a group of people living in the central plateau region of Mali, south of the Niger bend near the city of Bandiagara in the Mopti They left the area between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries BC to settle in the cliffs of Bandiagara. Elsewhere, the remains of high walls are localised in the southwest of Burkina Faso (as well as in the Côte d'Ivoire), but the people who built them have not yet been definitely identified.

Burkina Faso was a very important economic region for the Songhai Empire during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire was a pre-colonial African state of west Africa.

From colony to independence

Traditional huts in south-east Burkina Faso.

After a decade of intense rivalry and competition between the British and the French, waged through treaty making expeditions under military or civilian explorers, in 1896, the Mossi kingdom of Ouagadougou was defeated by French colonial forces and became a French protectorate. The western region, where a standoff against the forces of the powerful ruler Samori Ture complicated the situation, and the eastern region came under French occupation in 1897 following different campaigns. By 1898, the majority of the territory corresponding to Burkina Faso today was nominally conquered, although control of many parts remained precarious. The French and British convention of June 14, 1898 ended the scramble between the two colonial powers and basically traced the borders between them. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common On the French side a war of conquest against local communities and political powers continued for about five years. In the 1904 large-scale reorganization of the French West African colonial empire, the now largely pacified territories of the Volta basin were integrated into the Upper Senegal and Niger (Haut-Sénégal et Niger) colony of French West Africa (AOF). Upper Senegal and Niger (Haut Sénégal et Niger was a Colony in French West Africa created in 1904 from Senegambia and Niger. The colony had its capital in Bamako.

Draftees from the territory participated in the European fronts of First World War in the battalions of the Senegalese Infantry (Tirailleurs sénégalais). World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Senegalese Tirailleurs (Tirailleurs Sénégalais was a corps of the French Army recruited from French West Africa. Between 1915 and 1916 the districts in the western part of what is now Burkina Faso and the bordering eastern fringe of Mali became the stage of one of the most important armed oppositions to colonial government (known as the Volta-Bani War). The French government finally suppressed the movement, but only after suffering defeats and being forced to gather the largest expeditionary force of its colonial history up to then. Armed opposition also wrecked the Sahelian north, as the Tuareg and allied groups of the Dori region ended their truce with the government. Once the First World War was over, on March 1, 1919, fear of recurrence of armed uprising and economic considerations led the colonial government to separate the present territory of Burkina Faso from Haut Sénégal et Niger so as to intensify its administration. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The new colony was named Upper Volta (Haute Volta) and François Charles Alexis Édouard Hesling became its first governor. Upper Volta (Haute-Volta was a colony of French West Africa established on March 1, 1919 from territories that had been part of the This is a list of the colonial governors of French Upper Volta (1919-1932 1947-1958 and high commissioners of the self-governing Republic of Upper Volta before attaining independence Hesling initiated an ambitious road making program and promoted cotton growing for export. The cotton policy, based on coercion, failed and revenue stagnated. The colony was dismantled on September 5, 1932, and its territory divided between Côte d’Ivoire, French Sudan and Niger, the largest share with most of the population and the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso passing to Côte d'Ivoire. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. French Sudan (Soudan was a Colony in French West Africa that had two separate periods of existence first from 1890 to 1899 then from 1920 to 1960 when the

The decision was reversed during the intense anti-colonial agitation that followed the end of the Second World War and on September 4, 1947 Upper Volta was recreated in its 1932 boundaries under the French Union. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The French Union (Union française was a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the old French colonial system the " French Empire On December 11, 1958, it achieved self-government, and became the Republic of Upper Volta and member of the Franco-African Community (La Communauté Franco-Africaine). Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of Upper Volta (République de Haute-Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a Self-governing colony within the French Full independence was attained in 1960. The country's first military coup occurred in 1966; which returned civilian rule in 1978. There was another coup, led by Saye Zerbo in 1980, which in turn was overthrown in 1982. Colonel Saye Zerbo (born August 27, 1932) was a President of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) from November 25 A counter-coup was launched in 1983, which brought the charismatic Captain Thomas Sankara to leadership. Captain Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara ( December 21, 1949 – October 15, 1987) was the leader of Burkina Faso (formerly In 1984 the revolutionary government changed the name of the country to Burkina Faso, its flag, and its national anthem. The current president is Blaise Compaoré, who came to power in 1987 after a coup d'état that killed Thomas Sankara. Blaise Compaoré (born February 3, 1951) has been the President of Burkina Faso since 1987 Captain Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara ( December 21, 1949 – October 15, 1987) was the leader of Burkina Faso (formerly

Politics

Main article: Politics of Burkina Faso

The constitution of June 2, 1991 established a semi-presidential government with a parliament (Assemblée) which can be dissolved by the President of the Republic, who is elected for a term of seven years. Politics of Burkina Faso takes place in a framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of Burkina Faso is both Head of state and Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those In 2000, however, there was a constitutional amendment reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, which was enforced during the 2005 elections. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Another change according to the amendment would have prevented sitting President, Blaise Compaoré from being re-elected. Blaise Compaoré (born February 3, 1951) has been the President of Burkina Faso since 1987 However, notwithstanding a challenge by other presidential candidates, in October 2005 the constitutional council ruled that because Compaoré was already a sitting president in 2000, the amendment would not apply to him until the end of his second term in office. This cleared the way for his candidacy in the 2005 election. A presidential election was held in Burkina Faso on November 13 2005. On November 13, Compaoré was reelected in a landslide due to a divided political opposition. Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St

The parliament consists of two chambers: the lower house (l'Assemblée Nationale) and the upper house (la Chambre des Représentants). There is also a constitutional chamber, composed of ten members, and an economic and social council whose roles are purely consultative.

Regions, provinces, and departements

Main articles: Regions of Burkina Faso, Provinces of Burkina Faso, and Communes of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is divided into thirteen regions, forty-five provinces, and 301 departements. |||} Burkina Faso is divided into 13 administrative Regions List of Burkinabé regions (capitals in parenthesis Boucle du Mouhoun The regions of Burkina Faso are divided into 45 administrative Provinces. The provinces of Burkina Faso are divided into 301 departments or communes The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. The regions are:

• Boucle du Mouhoun
• Cascades
• Centre
• Centre-Est
• Centre-Nord
• Centre-Ouest
• Centre-Sud
• Est
• Hauts-Bassins
• Nord
• Plateau-Central
• Sahel
• Sud-Ouest

Geography

Map of Burkina Faso

Satellite image of Burkina Faso, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Tolotama reforestation, Burkina Faso. Boucle du Mouhoun is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Cascades is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Centre is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. The population of Centre was 1523980 in 2006 Centre-Est is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Centre-Nord is one of thirteen administrative regions of Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in Africa. Centre-Ouest is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Centre-Sud is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Est is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. It was created on 2 July 2001. Hauts-Bassins is one of Burkina Faso 's thirteen administrative regions. Nord is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. It was created on 2 July 2001. Plateau-Central is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. Sahel is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions. It was created on 2 July 2001 and had a Population of 837420 in For the province of Cameroon, see Southwest Province. Sud-Ouest is one of Burkina Faso 's 13 administrative regions In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum.

Main article: Geography of Burkina Faso

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. Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta is a landlocked Sahel country that shares borders with six nations A peneplain is the final stage in Fluvial or stream Erosion. After the streams in an area have reached Base level, lateral erosion The Precambrian ( Pre-Cambrian) is an informal name for the supereon comprising the eons of the Geologic timescale that came before the current In Geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or Flexures In the movement of the crust, a massif

• The south-west of the country forms a sandstone massif, where the highest peak is found: Ténakourou (749 m, 2,450 ft). Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The massif is bordered by sheer cliffs up to 150 metres (490 ft) high. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit

The average altitude is 400 metres (1,300 ft) and the difference between the highest and lowest terrain is no greater than 600 metres (2,000 ft). Burkina Faso is therefore a relatively flat country, with a very few localised exceptions.

Hydrography

The country owed its former name of Upper Volta to three rivers which cross it: the Mouhoun (formerly called the Black Volta), the Nakambé (the White Volta) and the Nazinon (the Red Volta). Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area Black Volta or Mouhoun is a river of Western Africa rising in western Burkina Faso and flowing about 1352 km (840 mi to the White Volta The White Volta, also known as the Nakambe River, is the headstream of the Volta River in West Africa. The Red Volta or Nazinon is a river in Burkina Faso. The river originates near Ouagadougou and flows about 320 km to join the White Volta The Mouhoun, along with the Comoé which flows to the south west, is the country's only river which flows year-round

The basin of the Niger River also drains 27% of the country's surface. The Niger River (ˈnaɪdʒɚ NYE-jer) is the principal River of western Africa, extending about 4180 km (2600 miles A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, Its tributaries (the Béli, the Gorouol, the Goudébo and the Dargol) are seasonal streams, and only flow for 4 to 6 months a year but can cause large floods. A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river A stream is a body of Water with a current, confined within a bed and stream-banks A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge

The country also contains numerous lakes. The principal lakes are Tingrela, Bam and Dem, and the large ponds of Oursi, Béli, Yomboli and Markoye. Lake Bam is located near the town of Kongoussi, in Burkina Faso.

Water shortages are often a problem, especially in the north of the country. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply

Climate

Burkina Faso has a primarily tropical climate with two very distinct seasons: the rainy season with between 24-35 inches (600 and 900 mm) of rainfall, and the dry season during which the harmattan, a hot dry wind from the Sahara, blows. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African Trade wind. It blows south from Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the The rainy season lasts approximately 4 months, May/June to September, and is shorter in the north of the country.

Three large climatic zones can be defined:

Sahel Zone

The Sahel in the north typically receives less than 24 inches (600 mm)^[1] rainfall a year and high temperatures 5–47 °C (40–115 °F). See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 A relatively dry tropical savanna, the Sahel extends beyond the borders of Burkina Faso, 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. Tropical and subtropical grasslands savannas and shrublands are a Grassland Biome located in Semi-arid to semi- Humid Climate regions The Horn of Africa (alternatively Northeast Africa, and sometimes Somali Peninsula; shortened to HOA) is a Peninsula in East Africa The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest For the country in north-east Africa see Sudan. The Sudan, from the Arabic bilâd as-sûdân or "land of the Extreme temperatures recorded are 5. 5C and 47. 0C.

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. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the

Sudan-Guinea zone

Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone receives more than 35 inches (900 mm)^[1] of rain a year and cooler average temperatures.

Natural resources

Burkina Faso has many natural resources, including; manganese, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt and small deposits of gold. Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Pumice is a textural term for a volcanic rock that is a solidified frothy lava composed of highly microvesicular glass Pyroclastic with very thin translucent Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79

Burkina Faso's fauna and flora is protected in two national parks and several reserves, see list at List of national parks in Africa. This is a list of National parks in Africa. The nature of the parks varies considerably not only between countries but also within some nations – the degree of

Economy

Tarfila Farming Group

Shop in Burkina Faso.

Vendors in Burkina Faso.

Main article: Economy of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso has one of the lowest GDP per capita incomes in the world: $1,200. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world with an average income per capita of €250 (US$300 Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This ranks it as the 27th poorest nation. ^[2] Agriculture represents 32% of its gross domestic product and occupies 80% of the working population. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture It consists mostly of livestock but also, especially in the south and southwest, of growing sorghum, pearl millet, maize (corn), peanuts, rice and cotton. Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part Pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum) is the most widely grown type of Millet. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica The peanut, or Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the Legume family Fabaceae native to South America, Mexico Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp

Unemployment causes a high rate of emigration: for example, three million citizens of Burkina Faso live in Côte d'Ivoire. Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a According to the Central Bank of Western African States (Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest), these migrants send tens of billions of Euros back to Burkina Faso each year. The Central Bank of West African States (Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest BCEAO is a Central bank serving the eight West African countries which Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e Since the 1967 expulsions from Ghana, this situation has provoked tensions in the recipient countries. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the The most recent crisis occurred owing to the events of 2003 in Côte d'Ivoire, which led to the return of 300,000 migrants. Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a

A large part of the economic activity of the country is funded by international aid.

The currency of Burkina Faso is the CFA franc. The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, "céfa" or just franc colloquially is a currency used in twelve formerly French -ruled

There is mineral exploitation of copper, iron, manganese and, above all, gold. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79

Burkina Faso also hosts the International Art and Craft Fair, Ouagadougou, better known by its French name as SIAO, Le Salon International de l' Artisanat de Ouagadougou, one of the most important African handicraft fairs. Held biennially in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 's capital the International Art and Craft Fair Ouagadougou --better known by its French name as SIAO (

Demographics

United Nations Square in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Sala Well

Main article: Demographics of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso has an estimated life expectancy at birth of slightly under 50 years of age. Ouagadougou (ˌwɑgəˈduːguː Mossi wɑgədəgə is the Capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative Burkina Faso 's 10 million people belong to two major West African cultural groups--the Gur and the Mande. The median age of its inhabitants is under 17.

Population growth rate: 3. 00% (2006)

The population is concentrated in the south and center of the country, sometimes exceeding 48 per square kilometer (125/sq. mi.). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. This high population density, causes annual migrations of hundreds of thousands, for seasonal employment.

Approximately 50% of the population is Muslim; Christians account for about 30%, and followers of traditional African religions (typically animism of various forms) make up about 20%. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Many Christians incorporate elements of animism into their religious practices.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Burkina Faso

See also List of writers from Burkina Faso, Music of Burkina Faso and Cinema of Burkina Faso. Two key elements of the culture of Burkina Faso are Masks and Dancing. This is a list of prominent and notable writers from Africa, including Poets Novelists Children's writers Essayists and Scholars listed Burkina Faso is home to some 60 different Ethnic groups each with their own variety of Folk music. Cinema in Burkina Faso is an important part of West African and African film industry

Education

Main article: Education in Burkina Faso

Education in Burkina Faso is divided into primary, secondary, and higher education. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. International Women's Day ( IWD) is marked on March 8 every year Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Labour Day is an annual Holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from efforts of Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Revolution Day refers to the public holiday in Egypt on July 23 held on the anniversary of the 1952 Revolution. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed This article is about the theological concept For the works of art with this title see Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Art and Roman Catholic Marian art. Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi For the British girl group see All Saints (band. All Saints' Day (also called All Hallows or Hallowmas) often Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Education in Burkina Faso is structured in much the same way as in the rest of the world primary secondary and higher education However, schooling is not free. Secondary school costs approximately $115 (50,000CFA) a year, which is far above the means of most Burkinabe families. Boys receive preference in schooling; as such, girls' education and literacy rates are far lower. An increase in girls' schooling has been observed due to the government's policy of making school cheaper for girls and granting them more scholarships. In order to proceed from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, or high school to college, national exams must be passed. Institutions of higher education include the University of Ouagadougou, and The Polytechnical University in Bobo-Dioulasso, the University of Koudougou, which is also a teacher training institution. Founded in 1974 the University of Ouagadougou is located in the area of Zogona in Ouagadougou. Bobo-Dioulasso is a city with a population of about 435543 ( As of 2006) the second biggest city in Burkina Faso, Africa, after Ouagadougou A number of private colleges for specific trainings have recently appeared in the capital city Ouagadougou but are affordable to a very small portion of the population. Ouagadougou (ˌwɑgəˈduːguː Mossi wɑgədəgə is the Capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative

There is also an International School of Ouagadougou (ISO), which is an American-based private school located in the capital city, Ouagadougou. The International School of Ouagadougou is an English-language using International school in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, established in 1976

The United Nations Development Program Report used to place Burkina Faso as the most illiterate country in the world, with only 12. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security 8% in 1990. However, with the consistent effort of the government in making schooling more accessible and affordable, the literacy rate has doubled and is now at 25. 3% of the population.

See also

References

External links

Research

• Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Africa (ZIAF), Frankfurt, Germany
• BIOTA-West

Charities

• Paper for All - Registered charity that provides academic resources to children, to support education and enable sustainable development

Culture

• Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO)
• "The Art of Burkina Faso" By Christopher D. Roy
• Photos and stories of life in the North of Burkina Faso
• Photos from Burkina Faso
• Photographs of daily life in Burkina Faso (1970-2004)
• Listen to "Fulbe" (Fulani) music
• Women authors from Burkina Faso at a glance
• Encyclopedia of the Nations: Burkina Faso

Government and organizations

• Premier Ministère official government portal (in French)
• Embassy of Burkina Faso in Washington, DC government information and links
• Aid organization, photos and videos from Burkina Faso

News

• allAfrica - Burkina Faso news headline links
• Journeyman Pictures: The Flowering Desert - Burkina Faso

Overviews

• BBC News - Country Profile: Burkina Faso
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Country Page - Burkina Faso
• Burkina Faso entry at The World Factbook

Directories and portals

• Burkina Faso videos, music, poems, photos, etc. (French)
• Open Directory Project - Burkina Faso directory category
• Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Burkina Faso directory category
• University of Pennsylvania - African Country Studies: Burkina Faso
• Yahoo! - Burkina Faso directory category
• OuagaNet.com: A portal site about Burkina Faso English/French
• Fasosante.net: A portal site about Health in Burkina Faso /French
• Burkina Faso map and information page by World Atlas
• Burkina Faso's location on a 3D globe (Java)
• Africa: Burkina Faso

Tourism

• Burkina Faso revues about tourism, parcs, hotels, etc. (French)
• Burkina Faso travel guide from Wikitravel
• Guide Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
• Real Estate Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
• Four weeks in Burkina Faso Travelling notes on life and culture