Important and Interesting Facts about Burkina Faso

Posted by khethiwe qotyana on 29 March 2018, 12:20 SAST

• Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the south west.
• Gold is Burkina Faso’s main export, followed by cotton and animal products. Burkina Faso is Africa’s largest producer of cotton. In 2010, almost 80% of the cotton planted in Burkina Faso was grown from genetically modified seeds.
• Burkina is second only to South Africa as Africa’s largest producer of biotech crops (100% of it cotton), and had the world’s second-fastest growing acreage of biotech crops after Australia.
• There are a variety of natural resources found in Burkina Faso, including manganese (used in stainless steel), limestone, marble, pumice, and salt. The country is also Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer.
• Farmers mostly raise livestock, but also grow crops such as peanuts, rice, cotton, and shea nuts. Burkina Faso’s third-biggest export, shea nuts can be crushed into shea butter, which is popular in cuisine as well as cosmetics and soap.
• The country has arguably the world’s best place names. Its capital – one of the oldest cities on Earth – is Ouagadougou. Leafy Bobo-Dioulasso is the second city. It also boasts the desert market town of Gorom-Gorom (so good they named it twice), Bouroum-Bouroum (ditto), Fada N’Gourma, Tin-Akof, Niangoloko and, er, Rambo.
• Deux Balés National Park has been called “an area of about 200,000 acres (810 km2) of bushland and aging baobab trees”.[3] The vegetation comprises Sudano-Zambezian savanna with a carpet of grasses, and trees such as Anogeissus leiocarpus, Isoberlinia doka and Terminalia laxiflora. There is gallery forest on the riverbanks. Mammals include hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius, buffalo Syncerus caffer,elephant Loxodonta africana, crocodile Crocodylus sp. and antelopes, although the diversity of fauna has been reported as being reduced.
• The ‘W’ park spans across three countries (Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger). Its unusual name stems from the double bend in the Niger river on its northeastern side (like an upturned ‘W’). Following years of neglect, the park received 20 million Euros in EU funding. This paid for vital infrastructure and new watering holes. Now the park’s savannah woodland is home to over 30 species of mammal and 350 species of bird.
• Situated in the southwestern, Arli National Park is crossed by the Tambarga and Gobnangou rivers. It is a glorious savanna roamed by thousands of wild animals including gazelles, antelopes, monkeys, mighty lions, hippos, baboons, boars, and elephants, among others. It is adjoined by two other national parks, one of which is actually located in Benin. The Tounga watering hole is a favorite spot for animal watching.
• Nazinga Reserve protects the largest elephant population in West Africa. It is the best place to get up close and personal with the gentle giants and many other wildlife species. It is one of the most beautiful natural areas in the country, and is not far from the capital of Ouagadougou.
• Located in the Banfora region, the peaks of Sindou are rock formations that are wondrous to behold. They are one of the main attractions in this part of the country along with the breathtaking Karfiguela Falls and the hippo-infested Lake Tengrela

http://factsking.com/countries/burkina-faso/