Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest.
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.
In Burkina Faso, the Arly-Singou ecosystem spans 6,388 km2 (2,466 sq. mi). The Arli National Park and the Singou Reserve are included. It is regarded as being a substantial and vital component of the remaining West African savanna woodland wildlife regions. The Arly Wildlife Reserve, also known as the National Park of Arly, was founded in 1950 and is one of the largest natural parks in Africa as well as one of the major wildlife reserves in Burkina Faso. The park of Arly gives the visitor extraordinary animal richness unmatched in West Africa, both in terms of the quantity of visible species and the beauty of the natural surroundings, inside a trans-frontier with Niger's W National Park and Benin's Pendjari Reserve. It is located in the Sudanian zone within the province of Tapoa, far from Ouagadougou.
A significant national park in West Africa also known as W Regional Park, is built around a River Niger meander that is formed like the letter W. The park is administered by the governments of the three nations, Niger, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Up until 2008, the EU-funded project ECOPAS (Protected Ecosystems in Sudano-Sahelian Africa) supported the establishment of a regional management. W Transborder Park is the collective name for the three national parks.
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.
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 15th/16th centuries, and probably as early as the 11th 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Between Ouagadougou and the border with Ghana, Burkina Faso's Kaboré Tambi National Park follows the course of the Nazinon river. It was established in 1976 as Pô National Park but has since been renamed in memory of a park officer who was murdered by poachers in 1991. The park's vegetation is primarily made up of northern Sudanese savanna grassland in the north and a hybrid of southern Sudanese and northern Guinean savanna in the south.
Exciting photos of this great destination
The activity benefited from support from the Umbrella Facility for Trade trust fund financed by the governments of the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.