12°20N 1°40W, pop (2000e) 725 300. Capital of Burkina Faso, W Africa; part of the Ivory Coast until 1947; capital of Mossi empire from 15th-c; captured by French, 1896; airfield; terminus of railway line from Abidjan (Nigeria); university (1969); textiles, soap, vegetable oil; trade in groundnuts, millet, livestock; neo-romanesque cathedral; palace of Moro Naba (Mossi Emperor).
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.
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. Ouagadougou is the site of Ouagadougou Grand Market, one of the largest markets in West Africa.
History
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso.
Geography
Ouagadougou, situated on the central plateau (12.4° N 1.5° W), grew around the imperial palace of the Mogho Naaba. Simultaneously the capital of the Mossi Empire and of Burkina Faso since 1947, Ouagadougou became a veritable communal center 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.
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).
Climate
The climate of Ouagadougou is rather hot. 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.
Parks
One well-known site in Ouagadougou is the Bangr-Weoogo urban park (area: 2.63 km²).
Another park of note in the city is called “L’Unite Pedagogique” which shelters animals in semi-freedom.
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. “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. 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.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.
Sport, culture, and leisure
A wide array of sports, including association football, basketball, and volleyball, is played by Ouagadougou inhabitants.
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
Communications and media
Communications and media contribute significantly to the development of the city. Local state funded media have been boosted, as city council members are trying to address problems, such as poor health care, prostitution, low literacy, and high criminality rates.
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.
Transport
The citizens of Ouagadougou prefer their own motorcycles and bicycles (and more recently, cars) to public transportation. Ouagadougou's citizens also travel in readily available green cabs, which will take their passengers anywhere in town for about 1,000 CFA.
Ouagadougou Airport serves the area with flights all over West Africa and to Europe.
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