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|  | BURKINA FASO COUNTRY SNAPSHOT AND INTERESTING FACTS | Burkina Faso is situated in West Africa and bordered to the north and west by Mali, to the east by Niger, to the southeast by Benin and to the south by Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. The southern part of the country, less arid than the north, is wooded savannah, gradually drying out into sand and desert in the north. The capital, Ouagadougou, has an interesting Ethnography Museum containing a substantial collection of Mossi artefacts, the town being the centre of one of the many ancient Mossi kingdoms. The Moro-Naba ceremony, with traditional costumes and drums, takes place outside the Moro-Naba Palace early every morning. Bobo Dioulasso is the largest town inhabited by the Bobo people in Burkina Faso, with attractive streets and a bustling market, the Grand Marché. There are a few restaurants in Ouagadougou and in Bobo. Specialities include brochettes (meat cooked on a skewer) and chicken dishes. Beer is reasonably priced. There are several nightclubs in Ouagadougou and open-air cinemas. Bobo Dioulasso has a lively street-café scene. Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries. One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Cotton is the key crop and the government has joined with other cotton producing countries in the region to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over microeconomic policies, including reducing the trade deficit and implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance. | Open here a detailed map in a new window. Map Server Travel-Island.com. | 
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|  | RESORTS AND EXCURSIONS | The capital, Ouagadougou, has an interesting Ethnography Museum containing a substantial collection of Mossi artefacts, the town being the centre of one of the many ancient Mossi kingdoms. Other museums include the National Museum in the Lycée Bogodogo and the Snake Museum in the Collège de la Salle. There is also a tourist office in the town. The Moro-Naba ceremony, with traditional costumes and drums, takes place outside the Moro-Naba Palace every Friday morning around 0600.
Excursions from Ouagadougou include a wildlife-viewing trip to a small artificial lake 18km (11 miles) to the north. Pabre, an ancient Mossi village, is a short distance from another large reservoir north of the city. At Sabou, crocodiles can be seen at close quarters. However, as far as viewing wildlife is concerned, the three national parks - at Kabore Tembi, at 'W' near the Benin and Niger border, and at Arli - are the most important. South of Ougadougou, near Po, the Ranch de Nazinga is a game reserve with a large population of elephants, antelopes, monkeys, baboons and warthogs.
Bobo Dioulasso is the largest town inhabited by the Bobo people in Burkina Faso, with attractive streets and a bustling market, the Grand Marché. Other city attractions are the Musée Provincial du Houët with regional relics, arts and crafts, and the Grande Mosquée in the Kibidwé district. Excursions outside the city include the scenic sacred fish pond of La Mare aux Poissons Sacrés de Dafra, 8km (5 miles) southeast of the city; the excellent bathing pond of La Guinguette, located in La Fôret de Kou, 18km (11 miles) from the city; and the Mare aux Hippopotames, 66km (41 miles) northeast of the city, where visitors may be taken out in a pirogue to view the hippos for a small fee.
Southwest of Bobo Dioulasso is the town of Banfora, from where the impressive Karfiguéla Waterfalls can be seen, located 12km (3 miles) northwest of the town. Approximately 50km (31 miles) west of Banfora is the town of Sindou, the area where the extraordinary Sindou Rock Formations can be seen. | PASSPORT AND VISA APPLICATION Furthermore, in order to get into many countries on the stay abroad you will require a visa of some type, even if you are just visiting. This is usually an insert, stamp or sticker which is placed in your passport and the duration of its validity varies from place to place. If you do intend to work or study in the country to which you are traveling, however, you should organize your visa even further in advance as this can take longer to process.
As well as your passport you should ensure that you have at least one other form of identification with you. This may be a driver’s license, birth certificate or any other form of ID which is acceptable worldwide. As with passports, bring at least two copies of all forms of identification in case of loss or theft.
Help to Passport and Visa Application Forms. How to find the right one(s)?
A passport is issued to you by your home country as proof of citizenship. Visas are stamped into your passport to allow you entry into other countries. Although there are exceptions, you are usually required to display your passport when entering or leaving a country. Once you arrive at your destination, carry a photocopy of your passport and keep the original in a safe place.
A visa is an endorsement or stamp entered into your passport by a foreign government. It allows you to enter that country for a specific reason and period of time. Start applying for visas as soon as your passport is available so that all your documentation is completed well before your departure date. To receive a visa you need to send your passport to an embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit. Most countries have embassies and consulates worldwide, and travel agents can usually tell you where the nearest ones are located. Keep in mind that your passport may be tied up for days or weeks until the paperwork is done, so plan accordingly. In addition, some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination before they will issue you a visa. The amount of time spent mailing your passport to the various agencies involved can really add up if you are visiting several countries. Plan ahead if possible. If you only have a few weeks to prepare, a commercial visa service can often speed up the process. |
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