Burkina Faso

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Ouagadougou

Population

12,300,000

Government

Parliamentary Republic

Religions

Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

Mooré, Fulfuldé, Jula, French

Calling Code

+226

Nationality

Burkinabe

Local name

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Introduction

Bobo Dioualasso

© All Rights Reserved LuisDafos

Burkina Faso, in pre-French days, was home to a remarkably structured and effective social order which bravely maintained its culture. French colonialism did its very best to suppress notions of nationalism, but the Burkinabe were adamant in their demands for independence in the late 1950s. Despite political turmoil in the 70s, Burkina Faso has emerged as a nation that is still proud of its culture and tradition.

This sense of cultural pride informs much of modern Burkina Faso's way of life. The country is a leader among African nations for its energetic support of African art: it stages Africa's primary film festival every second year, as well as a festival devoted to music, dance and theatre. It even lays claim to the largest craft market on the continent. Not bad for such a small country. Sometimes good things come in small packages.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

Burkina Faso is divided into 13 administrative regions:

• Boucle du Mouhoun
• Cascades
• Centre
• Centre-Est
• Centre-Nord
• Centre-Ouest
• Centre-Sud
• Est
• Hauts-Bassins
• Nord
• Plateau-Central
• Sahel
• Sud-Ouest

Cities

• Banfora is a city in the country's south west and a popular tourist destination as it provides easy access to the Karfiguela Falls, the Lake of Tengrela and the Peaks of Sindou.
• Bobo-Dioulasso is the country's second largest city. Its Grand Mosque, dating back to 1880 is a star attraction.
• Kaya
• Koudougou
• Ouagadougou, or simply Ouaga, is the country's capital and largest city.
• Ouahigouya is an important town in the north.
• Tenkodogo

Sights and Activities

Bobo Dioulasso

Bobo Dioualasso

© All Rights Reserved LuisDafos

Bobo Dioulasso is one of the best cities in the country to visit. It is the second city of Burkina Faso and is famous for its nightlife. The city is also known for its Djembé music that originally came from this region. There are several more options if you are a culture freak, like the Provincial Museum de Houët, where you can find necklesses, statues, masks and tradition clothing. In the garden of the museum you can find some original huts of local tribes. In the old part of town (called Ibidwe) is the Grand Mosque, a good example of Sudanese mudbrick architecture. Great souvenirs are to be found at the big and colourful market 'Le Grande Marché'.

Safari

Although Burkina Faso might not be as famous as many of the national parks mainly in the east and south of the continent, there are some great national parks to explore. There are three national parks: Parc National de l’Arli, PN de Po en PN Du W. During a safari in these parks you can be a witness of many animals like baboons, other species of monkey, lions, warthogs, many species of bird, antelopes, buffaloes, gazelles and elephants. There is also a park which is controlled by Canadian people: Resérve de Nazinga, where you can find the largest population of elephants.

Deserts

The north of Burkina Faso is part of the southern outskirts of the Sahara Desert, but it is mainly part of the so-called Sahel, the transition zone between the Sahara and the savannahs of the south. If you are a desert freak you can join some excellent tours by foot or by camel and visit some remote villages. Be sure to bring some 'cadeaus' (presents) for the nabas (the local equivalent of the major). Gorom-Gorom and Ouahigouya are the best places to start.

Other sights and activities

• Ouagadougou is probably one of the nicest capitals in the west of Africa

Events and Festivals

Weather

Burkina Faso is hot yearround. The hottest months are March to May, when average daytime temperatures are around 38 degrees Celcius and nights rarely drop below 25 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are known to have reached close to 50 degrees Celcius in large parts of the country. The wet season lasts from the end of May well into September, early October. Although temperatures are a bit lower, the high humidity makes this time even more severe to travel around. From December to February is the driest period of the year, but at this time the hot, dry and dusty Harmattan wind can make things feel uncomfortable. On average, the north and east are somewhat hotter and drier compared to the central and (south)western parts of the country.
As you see, it can become difficult to choose a certain time of year, as there is almost always either heat, humidity/rainfall or dusty winds, or sometimes a combination. November might be the best month, when the rains are over, the Harmattan has to start and temperatures are not at their highest.

Getting there

Plane

Air Burkina is the national airline of Burkina Faso and is based at Ouagadougou Airport (OUA). International destinations include Abidjan, Accra, Bamako, Cotonou, Dakar, Lomé, Niamey and Paris. Air France flies to the latter as well. Other destinations are Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc and Algiers with Air Algérie and Tripoli and Libreville.

By Car

If you are lucky enough to manage it to Burkina Faso by car, there are possibilities of getting to other countries from here. Border crossings are at Niangoloko for Côte d’Ivoire, Porga for Benin, Hamale for Ghana, Sinkasse for Togo, Kantchari for Niger and Koloko or Tiou for Mali. Borders usually are open during daylight hours and closed when it is dark as a general rule.

By Bus

There are frequent bus connections to neighbouring countries. Buses leave from Ouagadougou to Cotonou (Benin), Acrra via Tamale and Kumasi (Ghana), Bobo-Dioulasso to Hamale (Ghana), Ouagadougou to Bamako via Sikasso and Segou taking 15 hours to Bamaoko (Mali), Bobo-Dioulasso to Mopti taking 15 hours (Mali), Ouahigouya for Koro taking 2-4 hours (Mali) and onwards to Mopti, Ouagadougou to Niamey taking 10-11 hours (Niger, also minibuses available) and Ouagadougou to Lomé taking 18 hours (Togo, also bush taxi's available but this takes more time).

Getting around

Plane

Between Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou there are flights with Air Burkina.

By Train

There is a daily services between Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, but services can be crowded and uncomfortable.

By Car

The road network in Burkina Faso is generally in an agreeable condition, although many side roads are unpaved and can be impassable after heavy rains. Car rental services in Burkina Faso are limited, but you can also rent one with a driver. Traffic drives on the right and you need to buy a temporary driving permit which you can get after showing your national or international driver's license. It's best to rent a 4wd and to try the car a day or so first, as renting cars is a new phenomenon in the country.

By Bus

There are plenty of buses and minibuses (all of which are locally known as 'cars') plying the routes between all major cities and towns at least daily, but often much more. Buses are relatively comfortable, cheap and fast.

By Boat

No useful boat connections exist in Burkina Faso.

Red Tape

Nationals of most West-African countries (Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS) do not need a visa when visiting Burkina Faso.
Most citizens from European Union countries can get a visa upon arrival at the airport, though not always at land borders. Visas are valid for a maximum of 90 days and can be extended once in the country.
All other nationals need to arrange a visa beforehand at the nearest embassy or consulate of Burkina Faso. Costs are generally around $75 for the regular 90-day visa.

Money

See also Money matters.

Burkina Faso uses the CFA Franc as a currency. The CFA Franc is divided into 100 centimes. Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 francs while banknotes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 francs
The exchange range is fixed at approximately 656 CFA Francs for one Euro.

In Burkina Faso the West African CFA Franc (XOF) is used which has the same value as the Central African CFA Franc (XAF), but it's not possible to use both currencies in the same country.

Fourteen countries in Africa use this currency, eight in West Africa and six in Central Africa. The West African CFA Franc can only be used in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, while the Central African CFA Franc can only be used in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Work

Study

Language

The official language is French.
Mossi, Mooré, Dioula, Peul, Fulfuldé and Gourmantché are also spoken.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Burkina Faso is: 226
To make an international call from Burkina Faso, the code is: 00

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