Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) is a landlocked Sahel country that shares borders with six nations. It lies between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea, south of the loop of the Niger River, mostly between latitudes 9° and 15°N (a small area is north of 15°), and longitudes 6°W and 3°E. The land is green in the south, with forests and fruit trees, and desert in the north.
The southwest region has a rich tradition of folklore. If you visit Ougadougou, don’t miss the traditional drama "Nabayius Gou" (literally meaning, the empire goes to war) held every Friday at 0600. A tearful wife and his subjects restrain the magnificently attired emperor setting off for war with his brother. Festivals of singing, dancing and traditional music, mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.
Ouagadougou (/ˌwɑːɡəˈduːɡuː/; Mossi: [ˈwaɡᵊdᵊɡᵊ]) is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 (as of 2006).The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais. The spelling of the name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in former French African colonies.