BURKINA FASO

 

Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa. 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. Formerly the Republic of Upper Volta, it was renamed on August 4, 1984 by President Thomas Sankara to mean "the land of upright people" (or "upright land") in Mossi and Dioula, the major native languages of the country. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana in search of paid labour. The inhabitants of Burkina Faso are known as Burkinabè or Burkinabé.


Capital:
- Ouagadougou
Area:
- Total: 274,000 km² (74th) 105,792 sq mi
- Water (%): 0.1%
Independence:
- from France: August 5, 1960
Official languages:
- French
Population:
- 2005 estimate: 13,228,000 (66th)
- 1996 census: 10,312,669
- Density: 48/km² (145th) 124/sq mi