Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso covers 274,222 km2 and borders Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast. It is landlocked.

The land is mostly flat savannah plateau, with the highest point, Tenakourou, only 749 m. The Black, Red and White Volta rivers rise here and flow south into Ghana. The north edges into the Sahel and the Sahara beyond.

Burkina Faso is hot all year with a single rainy season from June to September. Temperatures regularly exceed 40C in the hot months before the rains.

Rainfall decreases sharply from south to north: the south-west gets around 1,000 mm a year while the Sahel north gets under 600 mm. Droughts and advancing desert are serious long-term problems.

There are a number of incredible landmarks, monuments and buildings in Burkina Faso including the Cathedral of Ouagadougou, Cathredrale Notre Dame de Lourdes, Grand Mosque of Ouagadougou, Mosque of Bobo-Dioulasso, Grand Mosque at Bani, Ruins of Loropéni, Mare aux Hippopotames (Lake and National Park), religious sites, museums and national parks.

Unfortunately, tourism in Burkina Faso is currently limited as the country has fallen victim to terrorist attacks. Because of this, visitors are often advised against traveling to this country, particularly to northern areas due to their proximity with Mali. Hopefully, this will change in the future as the country has much to offer.

Burkina Faso is famous for its strong culture of art, music and sport, its wealth of wildlife species particularly the country's population of elephants and hippotamusses, its many religious sites, museums, national parks and lush vegetation.

French was the official language until 2024, when Mooré, Dioula and Fulfulde were made the official languages instead. Around 60 languages are spoken.

Around 64 per cent of Burkinabe are Muslim and around 26 per cent Christian, with traditional beliefs widely practised alongside. Bronze casting, mask carving and the international craft fair SIAO in Ouagadougou are notable cultural strengths.

The first humans inhabitants began occupying this African country thousands of years ago. Archaeological discoveries of ancient tools, including those uncovered during excavation in 1973, support the existence of hunter gatherers which are believed to have existed in this part of Africa between 14,000 and 5,000 BC. Various different ethnic groups inhabited the country throughout early history including the Proto-Mossi, the Samo, the Dogon, the Songhai, and the Gwiriko Empire.

Gold is the largest export by far and Burkina Faso is one of Africa's leading producers. Cotton is the main cash crop and gives the country the nickname white gold.

Most people farm sorghum, millet and maize for themselves. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, and instability from armed groups in the north and east has displaced large numbers of people.

A red band above a green band with a gold five-pointed star in the centre where they meet.

Red stands for the revolution of 1983 and the blood shed for independence, green for the country's natural wealth and hope, and the gold star for the guiding light of the revolution. The flag was adopted in 1984 along with the new name.