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Introduction to Burkina Faso
created on:
2001-07-28
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in the heart of Western Africa. The country borders Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Niger and comprises about 274,200 square kilometers. The capital city is Ouagadougou (commonly called Ouaga) and counts some one million inhabitants.
The north of Burkina Faso is sahelian and arid, the central region is savanna and the south and south-west are covered by wooded savanna. Three principal rivers run through the country: The Mouhoun in the west and the Nazinon and the Nakembé in the center of the country.
Burkina has a tropical climate which is divided into two seasons: the dry season from November to May and the rainy season from June to October. The weather in Burkina is most of the time sunny, warm and dry. The average temperature is 15 degrees at night, and 30 degrees during the day, except in the dry season when temperatures may rise to over 38 degrees.
Burkina Faso is one of the most populated states in western Africa. However, the distribution of the population is uneven. The Kadiogo Province in the center, in which the capital city Ouagadougou is located, is the most populated region. Next, is the province of Kouritenga in the east. In contrast, large areas of the country are almost deserted, especially the northern territories.
Although Burkina Faso is one of the world's poorest countries, the people of the 60 ethnic groups living in Burkina are all very friendly. One of the main characteristics is undoubtedly the people's affection for cultural traditions.
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