Burkina Faso flag
Official name: Burkina Faso
Capital: Ouagadougou
Area: 274,200 sq km, 105,900 sq mi
Population: 14,761,339 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 2.99 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 54 persons per sq km, 140 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 19 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 81 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Ethnic groups Mossi, Gourounsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani.
Languages: French (official); tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family are spoken by 90 percent of the population.
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 49 percen
Indigenous beliefs 34 percent
Roman Catholic 9 percent
Protestant 7 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 49.5 years (2008 estimate)
Female 51.1 years (2008 estimate)
Male 48 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 28.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 18.2 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 38.8 percent (2005 estimate)
Total number of military personnel: 10,800 (2004)
Introduction:
Burkina Faso, country in western Africa, formerly known as Upper Volta. It was a French colony until 1960, when it gained independence. The country took the name Burkina Faso, meaning “land of upright people” in 1985. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries of what was formerly French West Africa, and each year thousands of its people seek jobs in neighboring countries, chiefly seasonal farm work in Ghana or Côte d’Ivoire.
Burkina Faso is situated in drought-prone grasslands in the heart of western Africa. This landlocked country lies between the Sahara to its north and tropical rain forests to its south. Most of its people, who are known as Burkinabe, live in the southern part of the country, which is densely populated. They live chiefly by farming, despite poor soil and frequent droughts.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou, once the center of a powerful kingdom in western Africa, is today the capital, largest city, and commercial center of Burkina Faso.
Mosque, Bobo-Dioulasso
Muslims gather at a mosque made of mud bricks in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. The city is a center of Islamic study.
African Elephants
African elephants live in grassy regions south of the Sahara. Burkina Faso has large numbers of elephants. The animals have no sweat glands, so they like to cool off by rolling in ponds and streams.