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Ouagadougou

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Geography

   Ouagadougou ( IPA: [wɑgədugu]} is the capital of Burkina Faso. It is
   the country's largest city, with a population of 960,116 ( as of 2000)
   and is the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre
   of the nation. The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga.
   Location of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso
   Enlarge
   Location of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso

   Ouagadougou's primary industries are food processing and textiles.
   Ouagadougou is served by an international airport, rail links to
   Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire and to Kaya in the north of Burkina, and a
   highway to Niamey, Niger. Being such a focal point, there are many
   cinemas, nightclubs, and French, American and Zaka cultural centres.
   Ouagadougou is the site of Ouagadougou Grand Market, one of the largest
   markets in West Africa. Other attractions include the National Museum
   of Burkina Faso, the Moro-Naba Palace (site of the Moro-Naba Ceremony),
   the National Museum of Music, and several craft markets.

History

   Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso was called the
   Republic of Upper Volta when it gained independence from France in
   1960. It was renamed Burkina Faso by Thomas Sankara in 1984. The name
   Ouagadougou goes back to the 15th century. At that time, two different
   tribes, the Yonyonse and the Ninsi, inhabited the area. They were in
   constant conflict. This ended in 1441 when Wubri, a Yonyonse hero and
   an important figure in Burkina Faso’s history, led his tribe to
   victory. He then renamed the area from “Kumbee-Tenga”, as the Ninsi had
   called it, to “Wogodogo”, meaning "where people get honour and
   respect." Ouagadougou is a corruption of Wogodogo. The spelling of the
   name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in
   former French African colonies. If English orthography were used (as in
   Ghana or Nigeria), the spelling would be Wagadugu.

Geography

   Ouagadougou, situated on the central plateau (12.4° N 1.5° W), grew
   around the imperial palace of the Mogho Naaba. Being an administrative
   center of colonial rule, it became an important urban center in the
   postcolonial era. Simultaneously the capital of the Mossi Empire and of
   Burkina Faso since 1947, Ouagadougou became a veritable communal centre
   in 1995.

Government

   The first municipal elections were held in 1956. Ouagadougou is
   governed by a mayor, who is elected for a five year term, two senior
   councilors, and ninety councilors.

   The city is divided into 5 districts, consisting of 30 sectors.
   Districts of Ouagadougou include Gounghin, Kamsaoghin, Koulouba,
   Moemmin, Niogsin, Paspanga, and Peuloghin and Tiendpalogo. Seventeen
   villages comprise the Ouagadougou metropolitan area, which is about
   219.3 km². The population of this metropolitan area is estimated to be
   1,200,000 inhabitants, consisting of 48% men and 52% women. The rural
   population is about 5% and the urban population about 95% of the total,
   and the density is 6,249 inhabitants per square kilometer, according to
   1997 statistics.

   Concerning city management, the communes of Ouagadougou have made the
   decision to invest in huge projects. This is largely due to the fact
   that Ouagadougou constitutes a 'cultural centre' by merit of holding
   the SIAO (International Arts and Crafts fair) and the FESPACO
   (Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou). Moreover, the
   growing affluence of the villages allow for such investment, and the
   fact that the population is growing rapidly necessitates it.

Climate

   The climate of Ouagadougou is rather hot. The town is part of the
   Soudano-Sahelian area with a rainfall of 750 mm per year. The rainy
   season stretches from May to October with an average temperature of 30
   °C. The cold season stretches from December to January, with a minimum
   temperature of 19 °C. The maximum temperature during the hot season,
   which runs from April to May, is 40 °C. The Harmattan (a dry wind) and
   the Monsoon represent the two main factors which determine the climate
   of Ouagadougou.

Tourism

   Ouagadougou and its neighborhoods are very attractive places. There are
   a number of great places worth visiting.
   “Nation Unies’crossroads
   Enlarge
   “Nation Unies’crossroads

Parks

   A well-known site in Ouagadougou is the Bangr-Weoogo urban park (area:
   2.63 km²). Before colonialism, it belonged to the Mosse chiefs.
   Considering it as a sacred forest, many went there for traditional
   initiations or for refuge. The French colonists, disregarding its local
   significance and history, established it as a park in the 1930s. In
   1985, the park was started its renovations. In January 2001 the forest
   was renamed “Parc Urbain Bangr-Weoogo”, meaning "the urban park of the
   forest of knowledge." Because of the many changes, new regulations have
   been put in place along with a new set of objectives for the park.

   Another notable park in the capital city is the “ L’Unite Pedagogique”
   which shelters animals in a semi-freedom state. This botanic
   garden/biosphere system stretches out over 80,000 m², and also serves
   as a museum for the country’s history.

Other sites

   Apart from the parks, Ouagadougou has a great number of places of
   interest, such as monuments:
     * “ Naba Koom” is a statue depicting a woman handling a calabash to
       pour water. The statue is 6 m high and faces the railroad station,
       welcoming travellers into Ouaga. The place bears the name of an
       important Chief in Burkina-Faso’s history.

     * “ Jardin de l’amitie Ouaga-Loudun” (Garden of Ouaga-Loudun
       Friendship), with a green space that was renovated in 1996, is a
       symbol of the twin city relationship between Ouagadougou and Loudun
       in France. It is situated in the centre of the town, near the “
       Nation Unies’crossroads”.

     * “La Place du Grand Lyon” is the respective monument to reflect the
       relationship between Burkina-Faso’s capital and Lyon in France. It
       is located near the French cultural Centre George Melies, this
       monument shows an imposing lion.

     * A zoo, called “ Parc Animalier de Ziniare”, is located 30 km east
       of the city, and can be included among the great tourist
       attractions of Ouagadougou.

     * “ Musee de Manega”, 55 km northwest of the city, exhibits all the
       musical instruments of Burkina-Faso.

     * “ Laongo”, 30 km east of the city, features enormous granite slabs
       that were designed by sculptors. The exhibit displays artistry from
       all five continents.

Social life and education

Education

   Literacy in Ougadougou is not high, however, there are currently ten
   universities in the city. The state University of Ouagadougou was
   founded in 1974. The official language is French and the principal
   local languages are More, Dyula and Fulfulde. The bilingual programme
   in schools (French plus one of the local languages) was established in
   1994.

Sport, culture, and leisure

   A wide array of sports, including association football, basketball, and
   volleyball, is played by Ouagadougou inhabitants. There are sports
   tournaments and activities organized by the local authorities.

   There are a number of cultural and art venues, such as the Maison du
   Peuple and Salle des Banquets, in addition to performances of many
   genres of music, including traditional folk music, modern music, and
   rap.

Art and crafts

   Several international festivals and activities are organized within the
   municipality, such as FESPACO (Panafrican Film and Television Festival
   of Ouagadougou), which is Africa's largest festival of this type, SIAO
   (International Art and Craft Fair), FESPAM (Pan-African Music
   Festival), FITMO (International Theatre and Marionnette Festival) and
   FESTIVO.

Practical information

Hotels and restaurants

   There has been a recent increase in the quality of hotels and
   restaurants and there now a great number of four and five star hotels
   available.

Health

   There are both state and private hospitals. The two state hospitals in
   the city are the Centre hospitalier national Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHNYO)
   and the Centre hospitalier national pediatrique Charles de Gaulle
   (CHNP-CDG), but there are a large number of private hospitals and
   additional health infrastructure. Despite that, the local population
   still largely trusts more traditional local medicine and the
   “pharmacope”.

Transport

   Typical street scene. Shows the Place des Nations Unies in the center
   of the city.
   Enlarge
   Typical street scene. Shows the Place des Nations Unies in the centre
   of the city.

   The citizens of Ouagadougou prefer their own motorcycles and bicycles
   (and more recently, cars) to public transportation. The city's
   automobiles are generally small and inexpensively made, using a small
   two-stroke cycle engine. Ouagadougou's citizens also travel in readily
   available green cabs, which will take their passengers anywhere in town
   for about 1,000 CFA. The downside is that they are slow and crowded,
   preferring to shuttle groups of people rather than individuals.

   Ouagadougou Airport serves the area with flights all over West Africa
   and to Europe.

Sister cities

     * Canada Québec City, Québec, Canada
     * France Lyon, France
     * France Grenoble, France
     * Italy Turin, Italy
     * Italy San Miniato, Italy
     * Belgium Leuze, Belgium
     * Kuwait Kuwait City, Kuwait

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