Ten fun facts about Burkina Faso
Fact 1
Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta) achieved independence from France on August 5, 1960. Burkina Faso means “Land of the Honourable People.”
Fact 2
The national flag has two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center.
Fact 3
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and one of the oldest cities on Earth.
Fact 4
The Mossi is the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso. They are known for their antelope masks. The official language is French. Other languages spoken are Mòoré, Dioula, Fulfuldé and others
Fact 5
The main export is gold followed by cotton and animal products. Burkina is second only to South Africa in producing biotech crops.
Fact 6
The main imports are foodstuffs, petroleum and capital goods. The staple foods are millet, rice, sorghum, maize peanuts, potatoes, yams, bean and okra.
Fact 7
Burkina Faso is home to 60 different ethnic groups, each with their own variety of folk music. The popular sports are soccer, handball, basketball, boxing and cycling.
Fact 8
Muslims are about 17.60% of the population while 19% are Catholic, 15% are Animists and 5% are Protestants.
Fact 9
The climate in Burkina Faso is tropical with warm dry winters and hot, wet summers. Burkina Faso is prone to severe droughts.
Fact 10
The currency used in this country is West African CFA francs (XOF).
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