Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast, with Ouagadougou as its capital and largest city. The territory gained full independence from France on 5 August 1960 as the Republic of Upper Volta, and the revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara renamed it Burkina Faso, meaning land of the upright men, on 4 August 1984. It has experienced repeated coups, in 1966, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, and twice in 2022, and is currently governed as a semi-presidential republic under a military junta led by interim President Ibrahim Traore; since 2025 the country has formally left the Economic Community of West African States and the Francophonie after helping found the Alliance of Sahel States. With approximately 23.3 million people as of 2024, the Mossi are the largest ethnic group at about 52 percent, and the population is roughly 64 percent Muslim, 26 percent Christian and 9 percent adherent to traditional animist religions; Burkina Faso remains among the world's least developed nations.
Facts
Government TypeUnitary semi-presidential republic under a military junta 1 Government type (class) Classification
Status (Extant or Former) FAQs
What was Burkina Faso called before 1984, and what does its name mean?
It was the Republic of Upper Volta until Thomas Sankara renamed it in 1984; the new name means roughly the fatherland of upright people.
Burkina Faso was formerly the Republic of Upper Volta, and it was renamed on 4 August 1984 by then-President Thomas Sankara. The name joins two languages: "Burkina" comes from Mooré and means "upright", while "Faso" comes from the Dyula language and means "fatherland", literally "father's house".
Connections
In Era
Source Burkina Faso - Wikipedia
In the Other Atlases
Government Type
Also in Society and Culture Atlas: the government type of this subject.
Sources
1. Burkina Faso - Wikipedia
Infobox, Capital field
Its citizens are known as Burkinabes, and its capital and largest city is Ouagadougou.
Infobox, Government field
Unitary semi-presidential republic under a military junta
Lead section, independence sentence
On 5 August 1960, it attained full independence from France.
Burkina Faso: Status
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest.
In Era: The Contemporary Period, lead paragraph and infobox, existence dates
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa.
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