Flag of Burkina Faso, different colours have different meanings. Red is for the revolution, green for the natural riches and the yellow star is the guiding light.
HISTORY AND ETYMOLOGY
Burkina Faso has an interesting etymology. The two words in the name of the nation have different origins, with Burkina coming from the Mossi language meaning truthful and sincere while Faso means the fatherland. On the other hand, the previous name, Upper Volta, was named by the French due to its geographical position of the Volta River.
Prehistoric times
Terracotta artifact from the Bura culture
Between 14000 BC and 5000 BC, the territory of what is now Burkina Faso was inhabited by hunter-gatherers. Around two thousand years later, agricultural settlements began, with the iron industry of the Bura culture starting in about 1200 BC. By this time, they had been able to smelt and forge metal weapons.
Pre-colonial times
Although it is known that various ethnic groups arrived in the region, it is still unknown on what exact date they did so. Some examples include the Proto-Mossi, the Samo and the Dogon tribes, which arrived between the broad range of 700 to 1500 AD. The Proto-Mossi people also established various kingdoms but were defeated by the Songhai Empire. After slave raids happened for the following two centuries, it became a part of the Gwiriko Empire and more tribes entered as a result.
Colonial times and the world wars
Stamp from French Upper Volta depicting the territory of the colony
Towards the end of the 19th century, European colonial powers (especially Britain, France and Germany) attempted to claim parts of Burkina Faso. At last, the French claimed the land as a protectorate. After the Franco-British Convention of 1898 which created the nation's modern land borders, it was integrated into the Upper Senegal and Niger colony with the capital set as Bamako.
During World War I, many were drafted into the French army to combat against the Germans. This led to high oppression and disfavour of the French, and consequently lead to the Volta-Bani War, in which the locals united and rebelled against the French but did not succeed. As an aftermath of the war, the colony of French Upper Volta was established. Later, it separated into three, with the Ivory Coast colony containing most of Burkina Faso.
Independence
Thomas Sankara
The nation was officially independent in 1960 after a government was set up two years prior. The region was named the Republic of Upper Volta and had a flag which is similar to the one of the German Empire. It had constant conflicts and coup d'états, but the most significant one was the 1983 coup d'état, which saw Thomas Sankara rise to the presidency. The nation was officially renamed to Burkina Faso. His presidency lasted a mere four years until he was assassinated, but the name of the country did not change.
CURRENCY AND COINS
Obverse of a Burkinabé coin
© Image courtesy of Coin Invest
Burkina Faso uses the West African CFA franc as its currency. However, it issues non-circulating, commemorative coins on its own. Historically, Burkina Faso followed the currency of the ruling nation or empire.
