feedback | help
	African News | Home

			Latest News  What is Fespaco?  Entries and Prizes  Interviews and Reviews  Film Houses in Africa  The People who make the Films  Talk to us  Our Guide to Related Sites Life in Ouaga BBC'S Christine K visits the land of the people of integrity The words Burkina and Faso come from the Mossi and Djola languages, and taken together they translate into the "Land of the people of integrity". And its citizens call themselves Burkinabe - persons of integrity. In a world full of adversity and challenges it must be tough to live up to that definition. Some "Burkinabe" spoke to Christine on how relevant the term was today:  Click to hear more Relaxing in Ouaga Burkina Faso ranks fairly low on the world economic development index. It is a dry and dusty country bordering the Saharan desert with few natural resources. So, people take courage by looking back at their past and compensate by consuming fermented liquids in one of Ouaga's cafe-bars. Christine visited one such "Dolodrome".  Click to hear more The Mossi Empire Tales of the Mossi Empire still inspire the Burkinabe. The Mossi King's courtiers play an important part in the social life of Burkina Faso. One quarter of Ouagadougou - Larle - houses the court of a minister of the Mossi King. Christine was there to listen to the Mossi's traditional stories.  Click here to hear more Driving in Ouaga The drivers of Ouagadougou, like most other places, are impatient and almost always in a hurry. During one of her trips across the Burkina Faso capital, Christine K met a very special person indeed - the only woman taxi driver in the country. And she told her that she generally worked 24-hours on the trot.  Click here to hear more
	CLICK BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE Burkina Faso It was the revolutionary president Thomas Sankara who changed the country's name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso after his coup d'etat in 1983. The words Burkina and Faso come from the Mossi and the Djola language but taken together they translate into "Land of the People of Integrity". In French, Burkina's offical language they say "Le Pays des Hommes Integres" Thomas Sankara was killed in a coup in 1987 by his revolutionary comrade, Blaise Campaore who has been the president of Burkina Faso ever since. The people call themselves Burkinabe and the majority speak Moore. Burkina Faso is a small landlocked country situated in West Africa and bordered by Mali and Niger on the north and by the Ivory Coast and Ghana on the south. It has a typical tropical climate with a single rainy season and a long dry season. Listen to the Burkina Faso National Anthem Timeline of key events from 1919 - the present day. Travelling in Burkina Faso   Country Profile   Population: 12 m   Capital: Ouagadougou   Major languages: French, indigenous languages   Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity   Form of government: Multiparty republic   Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes   Main exports: Cotton, animal products, gold   Internet domain: .bf   Time zone: GMT   International dialling code: +226