Burkina Faso - Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso
Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Ouagadougou
Government	Semi-presidential republic
Currency	UEMOA CFA Franc (XOF)
Surface	274,200 km²
Inhabitants	15.224.780 (2009)
Tongue	French
Religion	Islam (50%), Christianity (30%) and Animism (20%)
Electricity	220V / 50Hz (European socket)
Prefix	226
TLD	.bf
Time zone	UTC
Website	Burkina Faso Tourist Board

Burkina Faso is a state ofWest Africa

To know

Burkina Faso borders the Mali to the north, the Togo and the Ghana to the south, the Ivory Coast to the southwest, the Benin to the southeast and the Niger East. In 1960 it gained independence from France and became the Upper Volta Republic. The current name, Burkina Faso, was established on August 4, 1984 by revolutionary president Thomas Sankara, and means the land of upright men.

Geographical notes

The average altitude of Burkina Faso is 400 m; it is therefore a relatively flat region. The southwest is instead dominated by a sandstone massif; here is the highest peak in the country, Ténakourou (749 m a.s.l.). The edges of the massif are made up of steep escarpments, with gradients of up to 150 m.

The old name of the town, Alto Volta, was due to four important rivers that cross the territory: the Comoé, the Mouhoun (previously called Volta Nero), the Nakambé ("White Volta") and the Nazinon ("Red Volta") . The Mouhoun and the Comoé are the only two waterways with the presence of water all year round.

The Niger River basin makes up 27% of the country's surface. The tributaries (Béli, Gorouol, Goudébo and Dargol) have a seasonal pattern; they are dry for about half of the year, but they can also cause significant flooding.

Among the numerous lakes of Burkina Faso, the main ones are Tingrela, Bam and Dem, in addition to the large basins of Oursi, Béli, Yomboli and Markoye.

When to go

To choose when to go to Burkina Faso it is advisable to keep in mind that the climate is mainly tropical, with two distinct seasons: the rainy season, from May-June to September (shorter in the north), with rainfall between 600 and 900 mm ; and the dry season, in which the harmattan blows, a dry and hot wind from the Sahara.

Background

The first human traces date back to the prehistoric period ranging from 12,000 to 5,000 BC. Between the 15th and 16th centuries AD. the Burkina Faso region was one of the most important economic centers of the Songhai empire. The French began colonizing the Burkina Faso region in 1896, subduing the Mossi kingdom of Ouagadougou, transforming it first into a protectorate and then into a full-fledged colony. The territory was annexed and dismembered several times to other heterogeneous territories by the French for political reasons, until 5 August 1960, the date on which it gained independence.

Spoken languages

The official language is French, spoken by the majority of the population (in some villages, women and children do not speak it). blackberry language for the mossi and the dioula for the homonymous ethnic group (widespread in particular in the Bobo Djoulasso area). On the border with Mali, in particular towards Gorom-Gorom, there are nomads of the Peul ethnic group who speak the homonymous language.

Suggested readings

• David Sudlow, The Tamasheq of North-East Burkina Faso, Köln, Köppe, 2001 - ISBN 3-89645-380-7
• Carlo Batà "Thomas Sankara's Africa" ​​- Ahab editions
• Vittorio Martinelli with Sofia Massai, The voice in the desert, Publishing Area, 2009
• Alessandro Aruffo, "Sankara", Massari Editore 2007

Territories and tourist destinations

      Delta del Volta - Mainly inhabited by Christians and includes the capital.

      Volta Nero region - The most lush and culturally diverse part of the country. It takes its name from the national river of the same name (Mouhoun is the current name).

      Eastern Burkina Faso - Arid, mostly inhabited by Muslims, and home to the country's most visited national parks.

      Northern Burkina Faso - Dominated by the Sahel, home of the Fulani and Tuareg populations.

Urban centers

Other destinations

How to get

Entry requirements

Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for all travelers, regardless of where they come from. An entry visa is required at theBurkinabé Embassy in Italy. which is located at Rome, are required for obtaining 3 passport photos, a completed form in 3 copies, and has a cost of 35 euros valid for a single entry.

Controls at the arriving airport are quite strict; remember to fill in the entry form before having it checked by the police because it happened that after completing it you are asked for a "tip".

By plane

Italy is not directly connected with the international airport of Ouagadougou, it is necessary to call at Tripoli, Algiers, Paris, Addis Ababa, Abidjan or Casablanca.

The connections to Ouagadougou are daily with AirFrance (stopover in Paris) or Turkish Airlines (stopover in Istanbul), or weekly with Air Algerie (stopover in Algiers). Almost all flights make an additional stopover to embark or disembark passengers at Niamey, capital of Niger, one hour flight from Ouagadougou but also one time zone forward.

How to get around

On the train

There is no real railway system, as the only link is the one that connects Abidjan in Ivory Coast to Ouagadougou.

By car

Any movement must be done by rented car with driver.

By bus

In Burkina Faso we do not recommend public transport as they are very little present, in poorly maintained conditions and do not travel large distances.

What see

• Tiebélé - The village is located in the southern part of the country, 40 km east of Pô, in the region inhabited by the Gourounsi ethnic group. It is an unforgettable village since almost all the houses, called "sukhala", without windows, are adorned with symbols typical of the animist tradition (eg geometric designs, stylized objects and animals), whose prominent colors are ocher and black. . The houses have shapes (e.g. square, round, etc.) that differ according to the social class of those who live there. Each house has small and narrow doors but some of them are nothing short of wonderful. The architects of this singular artistic expression are women, who use guinea fowl feathers to paint.
• Gorom Gorom Market - Thursday is the day of the famous market which starts to come alive around 11 in the morning. What is most striking is the mix of present and easily distinguishable ethnic groups: Tuareg, Peul, Bella and Mossi. Cattle traders can also be found Ghanaians. Do not miss the market reserved for the trafficking of animals located 1 km to the north, where you can find whole herds of goats, zebus and camels. This market will be able to stimulate all your senses, through: the cries of the various animals, the bright colors of the fabrics (worn and sold), the characteristic red dust, the people and the presence of the looming Sahara.
• Bani - In this dusty and remote village of the Sahel 60 km from Dori, you will find the "7 mosques", in typical Sudanese style the architectural complex of buildings is truly amazing, both for its beauty and for its grandeur. There are 7, since they represent a man with his foot crossed seen from above: the largest and well-kept must represent the head, while another 2 the shoulders, another 2 the hands and another 2 the feet. These last 6 have the minarets collapsed following unexpected heavy rains for these places, they rise on a plateau, dusty and constantly whipped by the wind. The small village of Bani, where it is impossible to stop to eat and difficult to find drinking water, is made up of a few mud huts built close to the Great Mosque.
• Oursi - A remote village, 40 km north of Gorom Gorom, represents the natural border between the desert and the Sahel. In fact, this is where the sand dunes begin, against which local farmers and peasants struggle every day to preserve their poor possessions.
• Obire - Near the mysterious ruins of Loropeni (a strange rock with particular engravings), stands the village of Obire, known to be the capital of the Gan tribe. You can easily meet the ruler of the Gan, and it is certainly worth visiting the sanctuary of the Gan Kings: in a clearing, among the tall grass and under a huge mango, there are 12 red brick houses that preserve the tombs of the Kings , currently represented by mud statues decorated with cauri. The King holds the Grand Council in this very place, so that the Kings of the past can also be witnesses. The Gans come from Ghana, fled when the Ashanti empire was at its peak, so much so that women still retain that ancestral wisdom in gold processing.
• Dafra - It is not a village but a lost pond in an enchanting canyon in the countryside around Bobo Dioulasso. Here, propitiatory sacrifices are constantly repeated for any problem; the Grand Feticiur sacrifices an animal, usually a chicken or a goat, reads its entrails, and then feeds them to monstrous catfish living in the small pond.
• Ouahabou - On the only route that connects the capital with Bobo Dioulasso, you can visit the mosque of Ouahabou, a typical example of Sudanese architecture located in a desolate place, where its yellow ocher contrasts with the blue sky.
• Boni - In this village on the road to Bobo Dioulasso from Ouagadogou, a singular church was built since its facade is a mask, it seems to testify to the perfect synthesis between the colorful Afro culture and the more austere one of Catholicism.

What to do

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Currency and purchases

UEMOA - Acceding countries map CFA Franc - Map of participating countries

The national currency is the CFA franc (XOF). This same currency is used by all states belonging to theWest African Economic and Monetary Union (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine - UEMOA). The West African Economic and Monetary Union, to which the following states belong: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal is Togo, adheres to Economic Community of West African States (Economic Community of West African States - ECOWAS / Communauté Économique des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest - CEDEAO). Although the Central African CFA Franc (XAF) and the West African CFA Franc (XOF) have always had the same monetary value against other currencies, they are in principle two separate currencies because the competent monetary authorities could change their rate at any time. exchange. Therefore these currencies are "theoretically" accepted only in the countries where they officially circulate. The following states belong to the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale - CEMAC): Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon is Chad.

ECOWAS - Map of participating countries 1 CFA Franc coin

Below are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

Local produce can be found at a good price, but since many of the goods are imported, there is not always the convenience that one would expect.

At the table

Local food is also appreciated by Westerners, and does not differ much from some dishes that can also be found in North Africa. A kind of small grain rice is often served as couscous, mixed with vegetables with meat or fish (fat riz) or tomato and onion sauce (riz tomate), then there are often also an acceptable pizza, salads, excellent local onions, fruit (especially mango, bananas and papaya), and sandwiches, hamburgers or various fries.

Drinks

Mostly soft drinks and fruit juices, but there are two very good local beers, the Brakina, and especially the Beaufort, really good even by our standards. There is also imported French wine.

Tourist infrastructure

A few good quaint restaurants and tons of microscopic residents' restaurants are the kind of places to eat that you come across. The level of hygiene of the restaurants for the premises is not guaranteed, especially in the washing of food and dishes.

There are generic hotels in the city center, with most of the comforts except the most modern ones, slightly decayed in maintenance and with a courteous but very slow service, and also inundated with smog and traffic noise. Then there are many characteristic bed & breakfasts, highly recommended. Low prices.

Events and parties

National holidays

Being a nation with a strong Muslim presence, in addition to the Christian ones, the anniversaries of Islam are also celebrated.

Safety

Before embarking on the journey consult:

• Safe travel - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina) (Country safety information). 

Burkina is a quiet country and you don't get harassed on the street unless you meet drunkards. Few beggars, and in any case not insistent. Beware that the street lighting is approximate, and the scooters sometimes do not have lights, and nevertheless they go fast even at night on dirt roads without giving priority to anyone. Be careful when crossing the road, the moped traffic is fierce and the rules are not always respected.

Health situation

In addition to a few facilities in the capital, health facilities in the country are backward. Malaria prophylaxis, vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, measles and meningitis are recommended, and yellow fever is mandatory, which you will be asked for at the airport. Finally, it is recommended to use repellent products.

Respect the customs

Burkina is a fairly conservative country, and skimpy or too "naked" clothing is not common, not even for men, who almost always wear long trousers, shoes and long-sleeved shirts even in the most atrocious heat. Very rare to see a person with bare chest or in shorts, or a woman in a miniskirt or stiletto heels in Burkina. Nevertheless, the Burkinabè society is rather liberal and in the evening, in various clubs, local women and men can be seen dancing, drinking, eating and having fun happily to the sound of live orchestras.

How to keep in touch

Telephony

Good cellular telephony is ensured by a couple of local operators. It is worth buying a local sim to call in Europe.

Internet

The internet connection is good ad Ouagadougou, the capital.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Burkina Faso
• Commons contains images or other files on Burkina Faso
• Wikinews contains current news on Burkina Faso