Burkina Faso: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, surrounded by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Its capital is Ouagadougou, and about 23 million people live there. The name means 'land of upright people'. Burkina Faso is known for its mud-brick mosques, painted village houses, lively music and Africa's best-known film festival, FESPACO. Its people are called Burkinabè.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Grand Mosque of Bobo-Dioulasso, built in the late 1800s from earth. Wooden beams poke out of its walls and towers; besides decorating the building, they act as ready-made scaffolding when people replaster the walls.

Geography and nature

Most of Burkina Faso is a flat or gently rolling plateau covered by savanna, with scattered trees such as baobabs and shea trees. The north reaches into the dry Sahel, at the edge of the Sahara, while the southwest is greener and wetter. Three branches of the Volta River begin here. Near Sindou, wind and rain have carved sandstone into rows of tall, strange rock spires. Elephants, hippos and antelopes live in protected parks.

People, languages and culture

The country has about 60 ethnic groups; the Mossi are the largest. Many languages are spoken, including Mooré, Dioula and Fula, and French is widely used in schools and government. Most people are Muslim, and many others are Christian or follow traditional beliefs. In the village of Tiébélé, Kassena women paint their homes with bold geometric patterns. Ouagadougou hosts FESPACO, a big film festival held every two years, and an international arts and crafts fair.

History in a nutshell

The Mossi founded powerful kingdoms in the region several hundred years ago, with rulers called Mogho Naba. The ruins of Loropéni, stone walls built centuries ago, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. France colonised the area in the late 1800s and called it Upper Volta. The country became independent in 1960 and took the name Burkina Faso in 1984. Its government has changed several times since independence, often through coups.