Country
Countries A-Z
Burkina Faso
The Country
A land of arid savannas drained by the Mouhoun (Black), Nazinon (Red), and Nakambe (White) Volta rivers, Burkina Faso occupies a bufferlike position between the other landlocked states of Mali and Niger on the west, north, and east, and the coastal countries of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin on the south. The most prominent of its numerous African population groups is the Mossi, which encompasses an estimated 50 percent of the population and has dominated much of the country for centuries. Other tribal groups include the Bobo, located near the western city of Bobo-Dioulasso, and the Samo. It is currently estimated that 60 percent of the population adheres to Islam, 25 percent to Christianity (primarily Catholicism), and 15 percent to traditional tribal religions. ...