Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ouagadougou_place_nations_unies.JPG
Author: Helge Fahrnberger


Ouagadougou is the capital and largest city in Burkina Faso, as well as its cultural, administrative and economic center. Located at the heart of the country, the city covers 219.3 sq km (84.7 sq mi) and has a population of 1.5 million people. It is often known simply as Ouaga.

The name Ouagadougou is a French rendition of Wogodogo, as the city was known in the native language. There was already a settlement here called Kumbee-Tenga in the 15th century. It was renamed by local warrior Wubri in 1441, after he managed to take control of the area over the warring factions. The name Wogodogo means "where people get honor and respect".

Wogodogo became the capital of the Mossi Empire and remained the residence of the Mossi emperors until 1681. When the French occupied Upper Volta, they made it the capital in 1919, spelling it Ouagadougou.

Visiting Ouagadougou

There are flights to Ouagadougou from Paris as well as from Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Bamako, Bobo-Dioulasso, Brussels, Casablanca, Cotonou, Dakar, Lomé and Niamey, among others. There are buses to Ouagadougou from neighboring countries including Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo.

Place Memorial aux Héros Nationaux, Ouagadougou
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Jeff_Attaway_-_Monument.jpg
Author: Jeff Attaway

Places of Interest in Ouagadougou

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