Burkina Faso

Formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta, the country was renamed “Burkina Faso” by then President, Thomas Sankara on 4 August 1984. Also known by its short form name, Burkina, the country is landlocked and surrounded by six countries: Mali to the North, Niger to the East, Benin to the South-East, Togo, and Ghana to the South and Ivory Coast to the South-West.

Burkina Faso gained independence from France on 5 August 1960 and has as its capital, Ouagadougou, which serves as the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. The country lies mostly between latitudes 9° and 15°N and longitudes 6°W and 3°E. The official currency used is the CFA franc and the official language being French.

Burkina has over fifty tribes with the principal ethnic group, the Mossi, who account for approximately 48% of the population. Other dominant tribes include the Fulani Nomads who account for around 8%, the Gourma or Gurma for around 5%, the Lobi-Dagari for around 7%, the Mande for around 9%, the Bobo for around 7%, the Senoufo for around 5% and the Gourounsi for around 5%. Mostly farmers, the Mossi are led by the Mogho Naba, whose court is in the capital city of Ouagadougou.

Notable Places to Visit

Arli National Park

Home to 200 elephants, 200 hippos and 100 lions, this national park is in south-eastern Burkina Faso, adjoining Benin’s Pendjari national park in the south and Singou reserve in the west. Set in 760 square kilometres the park has a wide variety of habitats, ranging from the gallery forests of the Arli and Pendjari rivers to savanna woodland and sandstone hills of the Gobnangou chain. Other animals that spark a fascination for Arli are the buffalo, baboons, red and green monkeys, warthog, boar, and various antelope such as western hartebeest and roan antelope. There are also bushbucks, duikers and waterbuck.

W National Park

This is a major national park in West Africa around a meander in the River Niger shaped like a “W”. The Park includes areas of three countries Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso and is governed by the three countries. Formed by the delta of the Mekrou River and the Niger, and broken by rocky hills, the regional park covers some 10, 000 km2. The park is known for its large mammals, including aardvark, baboons, buffalo, caracal, cheetahs, elephants, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, serval and warthogs. The Park provides a home for some of West Africa’s last wild African Elephants. The National Park is one of the last strongholds for the northwest African cheetah. There is a small but apparently increasing population of at least 15-25 animals of this rare cat in the park The W area is also known for its bird populations, especially transitory migrating species, with over 350 species identified in the park.

Bangr Weogo Park

Located in the middle of Ouagadougou, more than three hundred and sixty (360) species of plants, one hundred and sixty (160) species of birds and more than forty (40) species of animals such as antelope, crocodiles, monkeys and squirrels among others can be found in the urban park of Bangr Weogo.

Ruins of Loropéni

Located in southwest Burkina Faso and listed as part of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, the Ruins of Loropéni are the stone remains of a 1,000-year-old fortified settlement that came to play an important role in the trans-Saharan gold trade. Gold was mined here in the 15^th/16^th centuries, and probably as early as the 11^th century. Spanning lands that cross the modern borders of Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, the Loropeni ruins are part of the larger Lobi Ruins, a 120-mile-by-60-mile cultural landscape.

National Museum

The country has a historical background, and this is evident in the various museums of Burkina Faso. The National Museum in the capital city, Ouagadougou, is one of the most important. Established in the year 1962, the museum houses several articles and artifacts that are representative of the myriad tribes and ethnic groups that form an indispensable part of Burkina Faso society. There is also a library in the museum premises.

Museum of Manega

The museum has several articles on display, which date back to the 17th and 18th century. There are almost 500 masks on display in the museum, which create an ambience of mystery and terror. African culture at its best can be felt in the museum.

Peaks of Sindou

Classified by the UN as a world treasure, the Peaks of Sindou can be considered as impressive art pieces of nature. It is a sandstorm chain attracting tourists and musicians of different countries and it spans around three kilometers with slim and tall rock towers. It was believed to be inhabited until the sixteenth century with ruins of villages and a castle left over from the past civilization. They are a superlative of natural beauty and are considered sacred by the local people.

Museum of Bobo-Dioulasso

This is a nice place to visit on a trip to Burkina Faso. This museum also reflects the rich cultural heritage of the African country.

Cascades de Karfiguéla

Around 12km north of Banfora is the beautiful oasis, aka Banfora Waterfalls. An excellent view of the waterfalls can be seen during the rainy season. On the way to the waterfalls an avenue of mango trees creates a shade during the short hike to get to the top where stunning views await every visitor.

Notable Events

• FESPACO (Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou)
• SIAO (International Art and Craft Fair)
• FESPAM (Pan-African Music Festival)
• FITMO (International Theatre and Marionnette Festival)
• FESTIVO
• Festival International de la Culture Hip Hop (Waga Hip Hop)
• Festival Jazz
• FESTIMA (Festival des Masques et des Artes or Festival of Arts and Masks)
• Semaine National de la Culture (National Culture Week of Burkina Faso)