Burkina Faso Map | Map of Burkina Faso World Map in French History of Burkina Faso Originally inhabited by hunter-gatherer tribes as far back as 14,000 BC, Burkina Faso's early indigenous people included the Bura civilization. Later, the land was occupied by the Dogon ethnic group in the 15th century, followed by the Mossi Kingdoms, including the Ouagadougou and the Yatenga, by the 16th century. The Mossi Kingdoms had control of the region, holding off the Muslim conquest, when the first Europeans arrived at the end of the 19th century. The first to reach Burkina Faso were the French, who were met with resistance. Despite their defenses, the region became part of French West Africa as the French Upper Volta in 1919, which was divided into two colonies in 1932. The Upper Volta joined French West Africa on its own in 1947, soon becoming an autonomous republic of France in 1958.

Upper Volta gained independence in 1960, but a military coup led to over two decades of unrest and conflict, with alternating civilian and military rule. The National Council for the Revolution was formed in 1983, and became the dominant power. Upper Volta became Burkina Faso in 1984, with Thomas Sankara, the leader of the National Council, as its leader. During a 1987 military coup, Sankara was assassinated and replaced by Blaise Compaore, as part of the Popular Front. In 1991, Burkina Faso adopted a new constitution, which was amended in 2000. President Compaore was elected for his fourth consecutive term in 2010. The 2011 Burkina Faso uprising saw unrest and military mutiny, and the country has had conflict with nearby Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. Neighboring Countries Burkina Faso is bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.

Major Cities Banfora Geography Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, situated in the Sahel region between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian Savanna. Much of the country is located on a plateau, though there are low hills, and the highest point in Burkina Faso is Tena Kourou, which stands 749 meters (2,457 feet) above sea level. The three main rivers that traverse Burkina Faso, Black Volta, White Volta, and Red Volta, lent the country its original name, Upper Volta. These rivers are also known as Mouhoun, Nakambe, and Nazinon, respectively. The Black Volta, along with the Komoe River are the two year-round rivers in the country. There are also several tributaries to the Niger that flow through Burkina Faso, including the Gorouol and the Goudebo. Significant lakes in Burkina Faso are Tingrela, Bam, and Dem.

Points of Interest Burkina Faso is a fairly undeveloped country in terms of tourism, though there are several important natural attractions, including game reserves like Arli National Park and Nazinga, which are home to a variety of wild animals such as lions, hippos, and elephants. Along the border with Niger and Benin is W National Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to many species, including cheetahs, leopards, and warthogs, as well as 350 types of birds, which are frequently viewed on safaris. Another UNESCO Site is at the Ruins of Loropeni, outside of Gaoua, which is the location of ancient ruins of an early civilization. In the capital, Ouagadougou, there are also natural sites including the sacred forest of Bangre-Weoogo, where crocodiles live, as well as Jardin de l'amitie Ouaga-Loudun in the city center. Other city attractions are the National Museum, the monuments of La Place du Grand Lyon and Naba Koom, and the Central and Gounghin Markets.

Transportation The main international airport in Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou Airport in the capital, which offers service from France, Belgium, Turkey, and several destinations around Africa, including Ethiopia, Niger, Algeria, and Ivory Coast. Another main way to enter the Burkina Faso is via train from Ivory Coast, which takes one to two days. The other way to travel to Burkina Faso is via bus from Ivory Coast, Niger, Ghana, Mali, or Benin. Getting around Burkina Faso by bus is the best option for domestic transport, with decent roads between the cities. Car and taxi are a less desirable choice, but are still an option. Taxis are typically green and can be quite costly, and they may be shared with other passengers. Train service is available between the capital and Bobo, Banfora, and Abidjan. ACOD~20140305 Africa Africa Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African state.

With a total border length of 3,192 kilometers (1,984 miles), Burkina Faso is bordered by Mali to the north and west; Niger to the east; and Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire to the south. Cameroon Located on the west coast of Central Africa, Cameroon covers an area of 475,400 square kilometers (183,695 square miles), slightly more than California. Land boundaries extend for a total of 4,591 kilometers (2,853 miles) between Nigeria to the northwest, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) to the east, and the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea to the south. Cape Verde Cape Verde is an archipelago of 10 islands and 5 islets situated 483 kilometers (300 miles) due west of Dakar, Senegal, in the North Atlantic Ocean. Cape Verde's total land area is 4,033 square kilometers (1,557 square miles), which makes it slightly larger than the U.S.

Central African Republic The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari, now the Central African Republic (CAR), is well named; it is a landlocked country in the center of the African continent. Land boundaries extend for 5,203 kilometers (3,233 miles) connecting Cameroon to the west, Chad and Sudan to the north, and the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the south. Chad The former French colony of Chad, a landlocked country located in northern Central Africa, is more than 3 times the size of California. The country has an area of 1,284,000 square kilometers (495,755 square miles), with a land boundary length of 5,968 kilometers (3,708 miles). Congo, Republic of The; The Republic of the Congo (ROC) is located in Western Africa and has an area of 342,000 square kilometers (132,000 square miles).

It has a modest coastline of 169 kilometers (105 miles) along the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest and shares land borders with Gabon, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic on the west and north. Côte D'ivoire Côte d'Ivoire (which means "Ivory Coast") is a West African country bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Ghana and Liberia. It has an area of 322,460 square kilometers (124,502 square miles) of which 318,000 square kilometers (122,780 square miles) are occupied by land while water occupies the remaining 4,460 square kilometers (1,722 square miles). Djibouti Djibouti is situated in the Horn of Africa, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, bordering the Gulf of Aden.

To the north lies Eritrea with a shared border of 113 kilometers (70 miles); to the north, west, and southwest lies Ethiopia, with a border length of 337 kilometers (209 miles); and to the southeast lies Somalia, with a border length of 58 kilometers (36 miles). Egypt The Arab Republic of Egypt is located in North Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya to the west, the Gaza Strip to the east, and Sudan to the south. With an area of 1,001,450 square kilometers (386,659 square miles) and a coastline of 2,450 kilometers (1,522 miles), Egypt is slightly more than 3 times the size of New Mexico. Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea is a small West African nation of 28,051 square kilometers (10,830 square miles), roughly the same size as Maryland.

It consists of a mainland enclave called Río Muni, on the west coast of Africa bordering Cameroon and Gabon, and 5 small islands off the coast of Cameroon in the Bight of Biafra: Bioko, Annobón, Corisco, and the 2 small islands known together as Islas Elobey. Eritrea Eritrea is an eastern African country occupying an area of 121,320 square kilometers (46,841 square miles), which makes it slightly larger than the state of Pennsylvania. It borders Sudan to the north and west, Ethiopia and Djibouti to the south, and the Red Sea to the east. Ethiopia Located in the Horn of Africa— the pointy peninsula-like landmass that emanates out of the eastern part of the continent—Ethiopia has a total area of 1,127,127 square kilometers (935,183 square miles), rendering it slightly less than twice the size of Texas. A landlocked country completely surrounded by other states, Ethiopia has a total border length of 5,311 kilometers (3,300 miles).

Gabon The Gabonese Republic lies along the equator on the west coast of Africa with a border length of 2,551 kilometers (1,585 miles) and a coastline of 885 kilometers (550 miles). Gabon is bounded to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the north by Equatorial Guinea (350 kilometers/218 miles) and Cameroon (298 kilometers/185 miles), and to the east and south by the Republic of the Congo (1,903 kilometers/1,183 miles). The Gambia The Republic of The Gambia measures 11,295 square kilometers (4,361 square miles) and consists of a long narrow ribbon of land sitting astride the river Gambia, one of the major waterways in West Africa. Apart from the 50-kilometer (31-mile) stretch of coastline on the Atlantic ocean, it is entirely surrounded by Senegal. Ghana The Republic of Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, is a West African country lying on the Gulf of Guinea.

It has a total border of 2,093 kilometers (1,300 miles), including 548 kilometers (341 miles) with Burkina Faso to the north, 688 kilometers (428 miles) with Côte d'Ivoire to the west, and 877 kilometers (545 miles) with Togo to the east. Guinea Guinea lies on the West African coast, bordered by Sierra Leone and Liberia to the south, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north, and Mali and Côte d'Ivoire inland to the east. It has 320 kilometers (199 miles) of coastline, and a land area of 245,857 square kilometers (94,925 miles). Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau lies on the west coast of Africa, with Senegal to the north and Guinea to the east and south. With a total area of 36,120 square kilometers (13,946 square miles), the country is a bit less than 3 times the size of the U.S.

Kenya Located in east Africa, Kenya has a total area of 582,650 square kilometers (224,962 square miles), rendering it slightly larger than twice the size of Nevada. With a coastline of 536 kilometers (333 miles), Kenya borders the Indian Ocean to the east, Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west, and Tanzania to the south. Malawi Malawi is located in southeast Africa, landlocked between Mozambique to the east and south, Zambia to the west, and Tanzania to the north. Malawi is separated from Mozambique and Tanzania to a large extent by Lake Malawi, which lies on the country's eastern edge. Mali Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa covering an area of 1.24 million square kilometers (478,764 square miles), of which 1.22 million square kilometers (471,042 square miles) is occupied by land and 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles) is occupied by water.

Its border is 7,243 kilometers (4,500 miles) long. Mauritania Located in northwestern Africa, bordered by Western Sahara (occupied by Morocco) and Algeria on the north, by Mali on the east and south, by Senegal on the southwest, and by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the country has an area of 1,030,700 square kilometers (398,000 square miles), making it slightly larger than 3 times the size of New Mexico. Its total estimated boundary length is 5,828 kilometers (3,622 miles), including 754 kilometers (469 miles) of coast on the Atlantic Ocean. Mozambique Located in southeast Africa, Mozambique has a total area of 801,590 square kilometers (309,493 square miles)—an expanse which is slightly less than twice the size of the state of California. The coastline of the country, which spans 2,470 kilometers (1,535 miles) along the entire eastern frontier, borders the Mozambique Channel and the Indian Ocean.

Namibia The Republic of Namibia lies across the Tropic of Capricorn in the south of Africa and covers an area of 824,292 square kilometers (318,259 square miles), making it slightly more than half the size of Alaska. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Botswana and Zimbabwe on the east, Angola on the north, and the South Atlantic Ocean on the west. Rwanda The Republic of Rwanda is a land-locked country located in central Africa. It is bordered on the east by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with which it shares the shores of Lake Kivu; on the north by Uganda; on the west by Tanzania; and on the south by Burundi. São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe is located in the Gulf of Guinea 290 kilometers (180 miles) west of Gabon, which is located on the western edge of Africa.

The 2 mountainous main islands of the republic are São Tomé and Príncipe; other rocky islets include Caroco, Pedras, and Tinhosas off Príncipe Island, and Rolas off São Tomé Island. Senegal A relatively small country located in West Africa, Senegal has a total area of 196,190 square kilometers (75,748 square miles), making it slightly smaller than the state of South Dakota. Water composes 4,190 square kilometers (1,618 square miles) of this area, while the coastline, which borders the North Atlantic Ocean, stretches for 531 kilometers (330 miles). Seychelles The Seychelles are a group of islands in the Indian Ocean about 925 kilometers (575 miles) northeast of Madagascar. The country consists of 115 small islands with a total land area of 455 square kilometers (176 square miles) and a total coastline of 491 kilometers (305 miles).

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone is located in West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, with an area of 71,740 square kilometers (27,925 square miles) and a total coastline of 402 kilometers (250 miles). The country shares a border with Guinea in the north and east and with Liberia in the southeast. Somalia Somalia, formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a coastal country covering a land area of 637,657 square kilometers (246,199 square miles) and a water area of 10,320 square kilometers (3,985 square miles), with a land-bordered circumference of 2,366 kilometers (1,470 miles). It has a coastline of 3,025 kilometers (1,880 miles) stretching along the Indian Ocean to the southeast and along the Gulf of Aden in the southern mouth of the Red Sea to the north. South Africa South Africa is situated at the southern tip of the continent of Africa.

Ranging from west to east across its northern border are the neighboring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; Mozambique lies to the east, as does the small nation of Swaziland, which is nearly encircled by South Africa. Sudan Sudan is located in North Africa. Sudan borders the following countries: Central African Republic (1,165 kilometers, 724 miles), Chad (1,360 kilometers, 845 miles), Democratic Republic of the Congo (628 kilometers, 390 miles), Egypt (1,273 kilometers, 791 miles), Eritrea (650 kilometers, 404 miles), Ethiopia (1,606 kilometers, 998 miles), Kenya (232 kilometers, 144 miles), Libya (383 kilometers, 238 miles), and Uganda (435 kilometers, 270 miles).

Swaziland Swaziland is a small landlocked country in southern Africa, with an area of 17,363 square kilometers (6,704 miles), extending 176 kilometers (109 miles) north to south and 135 kilometers (84 miles) east to west. By comparison, it is slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey. Tanzania A relatively large country located in East Africa, Tanzania has a total area of 945,087 square kilometers (364,900 square miles), rendering it slightly larger than twice the size of California. The area of Tanzania includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Unguja; the latter 2 form a semi-autonomous region called Zanzibar that is part of an official union with the republic of Tanzania. Tunisia Situated in northern Africa, Tunisia is bordered by Algeria on the west and Libya on the southeast and by the Mediterranean Sea on the north, where it has a coastline of 1,148 kilometers (713 miles).

Tunisia has an area of 163,610 square kilometers (63,169 square miles), making it slightly larger than the state of Georgia. Uganda A landlocked state in Eastern Africa, west of Kenya and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaire), Uganda has an area of 236,040 square kilometers (146,675 square miles) and a total land boundary of 2,698 kilometers (1,676 miles). Comparatively, the area occupied by Uganda is slightly smaller than the size of Oregon. Burkina Faso Travel Guide and Country Information click to zoom Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bordered by Niger in the east, Benin in the southeast, Togo and Ghana and Ivory Coast in the south, and in the west and north by Mali . The country consists, for the most part, of a vast lateritic plateau in the West African savanna, approximately 650-1000 ft above sea level.

This plateau is slightly inclined toward the south and notched by valleys formed by the three principal rivers, the Black, White and Red Voltas, and their main tributary, the Sourou. These rivers flow southward and meet in Ghana. They are alternately dry or in flood and all are unnavigable. In general, the land is dry and poor. Political Map of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon - Atlapedia® Online Algeria Algeria is located in North Africa midway along the Mediterranean coastline. It is bound by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Morocco to the west, Mauritania and Mali to the southwest, Niger to the southeast, Libya to the east and Tunisia to the northeast.... Burkina Faso Burkina is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bound by Mali to the north and west, Niger to the northeast and east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south and the Ivory Coast to the southwest.... Cameroon Cameroon is located in Central West Africa.

It is bound by Equatorial Guinea to the southwest, Gabon to the south, Congo to the southeast, the Central African Republic to the east, Chad to the northeast, Nigeria to the northwest and the Gulf of Guinea to the west.... West Africa West Africa Questions Regional Characteristics Located in sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa is defined by a series of elongated countries that border the Atlantic Ocean, with an exception of Burkina Faso. The countries are small in area compared to the other parts of Africa. Western Africa makes up the largest population cluster in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the population lives in the southern coastal area, along the Atlantic, a result of European trading that led to economic development beginning in the 1200s. The area consists of plateaus with coastal plains. The coastal areas have a tropical climate while the northern areas transition to savannas. The countries to the north that extend across the southern Sahara tend to be very large, mostly steppe, and contain a lot of deserts. While the remaining West African countries tend to be smaller, elongated and have wetter environments. West African agriculture is based on cash crops for exports in the coastal trade areas. There are many different sorts of exports that come out of Western Africa.

The most common crops are peanuts, sorghum, cotton, rice, cassava, coffee, and livestock. One of the most important crops for countries like Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana is cacao, which is grown in the fertile soil of the wet areas. The countries of West Africa have incomes to a large extent derived from the sale of their products on the international market. The Europeans developed the coastal areas for trade. The people living along the coasts became the middlemen in trade, especially in the slave trade. They experienced changes of the colonial period in education, religion, urbanization, agriculture, politics, and health. The people living in the interior experienced less change, which resulted in divisions among people. All of the countries, except Liberia, experienced colonial control. The Portuguese settled in Guinea-Bissau. Togo was a German settlement. The British colonies were Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gambia. The French colonized the remainder of West Africa, except Liberia, which remained independent. No coastal or interior railroad transportation system was developed, so the countries are not interdependent economically. Railroads were developed but they ran perpendicular to the coastal areas to transport goods and minerals to be exported.

The population distribution is coastal corresponding to the major economic regions. The southern half of the region is home to the majority of the people. Total population of the area is 210 million. Nigeria is the largest country with 123.3 million. The next most populous country is Ghana with 19.5 million people. Smaller countries include Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin. West African culture is expressed in architecture, arts, music and dance. There are more than one thousand languages. In Nigeria over 250 languages are used so all school instruction takes place in English. Muslim and Christianity are the primary religions, although there are many different religions practiced. Many people use the barter system to buy and sell goods at the markets in rural areas. Countries At 123.3 million, Nigeria is the largest country in Western Africa having 59 percent of the entire population of sub-Saharan Africa. The country has two distinct climates. A tropical climate dominates along the coast that brings heavy rainfall and high humidity. In the north there are dry, dusty winds that come from the Sahara.

English is the official language of Nigeria, but the most commonly used language is Hausa, a lingua franca in West Africa. Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and established a federal political system that divided the country into three areas based on culture. The Yoruba, located in the southwest, are people with a long history of urbanization and agriculture. Their capital, Lagos, was the first capital and now has a population of 12 million people. The Ibo people, with a population of 20 million, live in the southwest around Port Harcourt. They are less urbanized, more densely populated, and were less affected by the changes colonialism brought. The third area is the north where the Muslim population is separated from the rest of the country by location and traditional conservatism. At least 45 percent of Nigeria's population practices the Muslim religion. The federal system failed and led to a civil war from 1967 to 1971 between ethnic groups. Today, Nigeria has a large Muslim population in the north and Christians in the south. In recent years, the relationship between these two groups has worsened.

Nigerian society is being torn in two directions and the breakdown of this country would be tremendous tragedy. The country's economy is dependent on the oil reserves located in the Niger delta around Port Harcourt. Oil accounts for 90% of Nigeria's exports. Nigeria is a member of OPEC but does not have control of oil prices, which have a large impact on its economy. Those who control the oil subjugate the people. The Republic of Benin borders Nigeria on the east. It gained independence in 1960 under the name of Dahomey, and was renamed in 1975 as Benin. The population is only about 6.4 million. The official language is French, but most speak an African language. Most of Benin's population is engaged in agriculture of some kind, whether it is for cash crops or to feed their families. The average salary is only $380.00 per year. On the western side of Benin lies a small country, Togo. Togo is also a republic. It was a German colony until W.W.I when Germany lost all of its African territories.

They have a tropical climate, which secures the crops of cassava, coffee, yams, and sorghum. About 78 percent of the labor force works in agriculture. Togo is a leading producer of phosphates. Ghana, west of Togo, was once called the Gold Coast. As a British colony it was the first black nation in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence in 1957. The population of Ghana is 19.5 million. The most important export is cacao, which is grown by many small-scale farmers. Following cacao, the most common exports are coconut oil, tobacco, citrus fruits, and a variety of other commodities. Gold and diamonds are also exported from Ghana. Compared to other African countries, Ghana is well developed in manufacturing. The establishments are usually small businesses like sawmills, printing companies, and furniture building. There are a few large scaled operations that produce mostly beer, cigarettes, and nails. The GNP per capita is $390.00 a year. Burkina Faso, formally known as Upper Volta, is the only country that does not have an Atlantic border.

Burkina Faso is known to have rich deposits of manganese, gold, copper, and iron ore. There is little water supply in this country so irrigation is not possible. Only about 10 percent of the land is cultivated, and 37 percent is pasture. There is a large rural population in Burkina Faso. The population is 11.9 million. The country has many types of wild animals; elephants, hippopotamuses, and crocodiles are the most commonly seen. The Ivory Coast, or Cote dï¿½Ivoire, borders Ghana to the east. It gained independence from France in 1960. The economy developed lower-middleclass income based on the cash crops of coffee and cocoa. The land has rich soil that favors agriculture and the dense forests that are found there. The population of Ivory Coast is 16 million. At least three million of those are immigrant workers and their families. The former president of Ivory Coast built an extravagant capital, which includes a replica of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This creation caused public resentment and great economic strain on the country. Liberia, located west of the Ivory Coast, was never colonized.

Freed slaves returning from America founded the area in the early 1800's. Due to a civil war in the 1990's over political control, Liberia's rubber plantations and iron mines ceased to function. As a result of the ensuing political and economic turmoil, 10 percent of the entire population died. A majority of the population is indigenous Africans who make up more than 15 ethnic groups. The largest are the Kpelle and Bassa. The descendants of the emancipated slaves who migrated from the United States makes up no more than 5 percent of the population. The overall population of Liberia is only 3.2 million people. Sierra Leone is an independent nation that borders Liberia on its eastern side. Its population is 5.2 million people with a natural increase of only 2.6 percent. A bulk of the population is engaged in subsistence farming. Minerals are the country's principle export. The staple food crop of Sierra Leone is rice. Imports of rice are still needed because they cannot grow a sufficient amount for themselves. Sierra Leone is the world's leader of rutile, a titanium ore, which produces half of all earnings.

Guinea, from the former French Empire, is one of the least developed countries in West Africa. It lies just west of Sierra Leone. The population of Guinea is 7.5 million. The ethnic make up of Guinea is very diverse. About 85 percent of the people are Muslim, the remainder follow traditional beliefs. The official language is French but the country has eight national languages. Mineral wealth makes Guinea potentially one of the strongest in Africa. More than 25 percent of the known world reserves of high-grade bauxite ore, used for the making of aluminum, are found here. Large amounts of iron ore also exist along with diamonds, gold, petroleum, cobalt and platinum. Guinea has great potential with all of its natural resources, but manufacturing facilities are lagging. Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, is a small country to the west of Guinea. Its population is only 1.2 million people. Most of these people are subsistence farmers. For their staple crop they grow mostly rice, cassava, and maize. For export, peanuts and cashew nuts are the most dominant. Cattle ranching are very common in the interior of Guinea-Bissau.

Manufacturing is limited to the processing of raw materials and production of basic goods. The official language is Portuguese, but Creole, a mixture of Portuguese and African, is most common. Senegal lies west of Guinea-Bissau. Senegal's development is due to the cash crops coffee and cocoa. Its economy is dependent on the export of peanuts and phosphates and on its fishing industry. The overall population is 9.5 million people with a natural increase of 2.8 percent. French is the official language. About 90 percent of the people are Sunni Muslim. Senegal has a growing industrial sector that is one of the largest in Western Africa. Nevertheless the economy is still driven by the one single crop of peanuts. The last of the countries in Western Africa is Gambia. Senegal surrounds this country; with only it's western side on the Atlantic Ocean. Gambia has a population of only 1.3 million with an increase of only 2.4 percent. The people of Gambia are mostly Muslim. The official language is English, but each ethnic group has it's own language. About three fourths of the people live in rural villages. The main natural resource is the Gambia River.

The country's soil is mostly poor and sandy, except in the swamps. The land is ideal for peanuts, which the economy depends on. References Bradshaw, M. (1997). A World Regional Geography: The New Global Order. Madison, WI: Brown and Benchmark. Rowntree, L., Lewis, M., Price, M., & Wyckoff, W. (2000). Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2000 World Population Data Sheet of the Population Reference Bureau. (2000). Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. Questions 1. Which of the following is the single most important export of Senegal: a. bananas b. peanuts c. fish d. maize e. livestock 2. The population of Western Africa is: a. 210 million b. 174 million c. 182.3 million d. 85.2 million e. 198 million 3. What country was founded by freed slaves in the early 1800's: a. Nigeria b. Liberia c. Senegal d.

Gambia e. Benin 4. Which of the following countries is not located in the West African sub region: a. Sierra Leone b. Benin c. Ivory Coast d. Liberia e. Gabon 5. The African country with the largest population is: a. Nigeria b. South Africa c. Kenya d. Egypt e. Ethiopia 6. The most stable and prosperous country in West Africa is: a. Nigeria b. Ghana c. Senegal d. Liberia e. Ivory Coast 7. Which of the following countries was not a colony of France: a. Ivory Coast b. Chad c. Nigeria d. Senegal e. Tunisia 8. The most heavily populated country of the African continent, which comprises a confederation of the Yoruba, Ibo, and northern Moslem peoples is: a. Zimbabwe b. Kenya c. South Africa d. Nigeria e. Egypt 9. Nigeria's dominant export commodity, produced in quantities in the zone surrounding the Niger Delta, is: a. coal b. oil c. iron ore d. coffee e. bauxite 10.

Which of the following is not an export of West Africa: a. peanuts b. sorghum c. cocoa d. horses e. livestock 11. Port Harcourt, which contains valuable oil reserves, is located in: a. Ghana b. Liberia c. Ivory Coast d. Nigeria 12. Senegal completely surrounds this country excluding a small Atlantic coast: a. Ghana b. Gambia c. Guinea d. Guinea-Bissau 13. The staple food of Sierra Leone is: a. maize b. beef c. rice d. potatoes e. beans 14. Most of the farming in West Africa: a. uses irrigation; b. is done by migrant workers traveling on the railway system; c. is sustenance; d. is washed away by frequent floods. 15. Which of the following is not a major religion in West Africa: a. Christianity b. Islam c. Hindu d.

Native religions Submitted by Renee O'Doherty on 12-6-96 Resubmitted by Shanda Stick 4-28-97 Resubmitted by Sarah Meland 12-01-00 List of Countries in West Africa | Our Everyday Life List of Countries in West Africa by Cate Julia Not all countries allow single parents to adopt. Related Articles There are 16 countries that make up West Africa. They are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Types Great Britain and France were the major European countries to colonize West Africa. Most countries in the region have English or French as their national language. Independence Liberia is the only country to remain independent during the colonial era. Ghana was the first to gain independence in 1957, and all countries in the region had independence by 1974. Government Since gaining independence, many countries in West Africa were ruled by corrupt governments led by military dictators.

In recent years, most of these nations are trying a democratic form of governance, but corruption still exists. Culture Islam and Christianity are the major religions in West Africa. Soccer is the most popular sport. Considerations Many slaves in the trans-Atlantic slave trade were captured from West Africa. Large populations of these descendants live in the United States, Brazil, the Caribbean and other parts of Latin America. References U.S. Department of State About the Author Cate Julia has been a freelance writer for over five years. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, a M.A. in liberal arts from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Library and Information Science from Florida State University.

Her work has appeared in the "Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature" and the "Encyclopedia of American Race Riots." Photo Credits Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) Guide Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) Guide Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) Guide Parent page click to zoom The Republic of the Ivory Coast, on the south coast of the western bulge of Africa, is bordered to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso , to the east by Ghana , to the south the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean and to the west by Liberia and Guinea . Except for the prolongation of the Guinea Highlands in the northwest (from Man to Odienne), with peaks rising to 4000 and 5,000ft, the most part the Ivory Coast is vast plateau, tilted gently towards the Atlantic. It is drained by four major rivers running roughly parallel from north to south, the Cavally (on the Liberian frontier), Sassandra, Bandama and Comoe. They are not of much value for transportation as they are sluggish in the dry season, broken by numerous falls and rapids and subject to torrential flooding in the rains.

Question: Which African country is bordered by Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, and Mali?
Answer: Burkino Faso