[ hang nadim] Burkina Faso .....

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Flag Coat of arms












Motto: "Unité, Progrès, Justice" (French)
"Unity, Progress, Justice"
Anthem: Une Seule Nuit (French)
One Single Night – Thomas Sankara

Capital
(and largest city) Ouagadougou
12°20′N 1°40′W / 12.333°N 1.667°W / 12.333; -1.667
Official language(s) French
Recognised regional languages Mòoré, Dioula (Bambara)
Demonym Burkinabé
Government Semi-presidential republic
- President Blaise Compaoré
- Prime Minister Tertius Zongo
Independence from France
- Date August 5, 1960
Area
- Total 273,800 km2 (74th)
105,792 sq mi
- Water (%) 0.1%
Population
- 2009 estimate 15,746,232[1] (61st)
- 2006 census 14,017,262
- Density 57.5/km2 (145th)
148.9/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2009 estimate
- Total $18.739 billion[2]
- Per capita $1,304[2]
GDP (nominal) 2009 estimate
- Total $8.105 billion[2]
- Per capita $564[2]
Gini (2003) 39.5 (medium)
HDI (2007) ▲ 0.372 (low) (173rd)
Currency West African CFA franc[3] (XOF)
Time zone (UTC+0)
- Summer (DST) not observed (UTC)
Drives on the right
Internet TLD .bf
Calling code 226
1 The data here is an estimation for the year 2005 produced by the International Monetary Fund in April 2005.
Burkina Faso (pronounced /bərˌkiːnə ˈfɑːsoʊ/ bər-KEE-nə FAH-soh; French: [byʁkina faso]) – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.

Its size is 274,000 km² with an estimated population of more than 15,757,000. Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta, it was renamed on August 4, 1984, by President Thomas Sankara to mean "the land of upright people" in Mòoré and Dioula, the major native languages of the country. Figuratively, "Burkina" may be translated, "men of integrity," from the Mòoré language, and "Faso" means "father's house" in Dioula. The inhabitants of Burkina Faso are known as Burkinabè (pronounced /bərˈkiːnəbeɪ/ bər-KEE-nə-bay).

Burkina Faso was populated early, between 14,000 and 5000 BC, by hunter-gatherers in the northwestern part of the country. Settlements with farmers appeared between 3600 and 2600 BC. The central part of Burkina Faso included a number of Mossi kingdoms, which became a French protectorate in 1896. After gaining independence from France in 1960, the country underwent many governmental changes until arriving at its current form, a semi-presidential republic. The president is Blaise Compaoré.

Burkina Faso's capital is Ouagadougou. It is a member of the African Union, Community of Sahel-Saharan States, La Francophonie, Organization of the Islamic Conference and Economic Community of West African States.