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112-401: As of 2019, the population of the region was 1,872,126 with 52.6% females. The population in the region was 9.13% of the total population of the country. The child mortality rate was 55, infant mortality rate was 64 and the mortality of children under five was 116. As of 2007, the literacy rate in the region was 16.6%, compared to a national average of 28.3%. The coverage of cereal need compared to

224-470: A coup d'état on 23 and 24 January 2022 , overthrowing President Roch Marc Kaboré . On 31 January, the military junta restored the constitution and appointed Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba as interim president, but he was himself overthrown in a second coup on 30 September and replaced by military captain Ibrahim Traoré . Burkina Faso remains one of the least developed countries in the world, with

336-432: A curfew . On 31 October 2014, Compaoré resigned. Lt. Col. Isaac Zida said that he would lead the country during its transitional period before the planned 2015 presidential election , but there were concerns over his close ties to the former president. In November 2014 opposition parties, civil-society groups and religious leaders adopted a plan for a transitional authority to guide Burkina Faso to elections. Under

448-483: A runoff between Yayi Boni and Adrien Houngbédji . The runoff election was held on 19 March and was won by Boni, who assumed office on 6 April. Boni was reelected in 2011 , taking 53.18% of the vote in the first round—enough to avoid a runoff election. He was the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991. In the March 2016 presidential elections in which Boni Yayi

560-721: A semi-presidential republic , with executive, legislative and judicial powers. It is a member of the United Nations , La Francophonie and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . On 18 January 2024, Burkina Faso announced its exit from ECOWAS and the African Union . Formerly the Republic of Upper Volta , the country was renamed "Burkina Faso" on 4 August 1984 by then-President Thomas Sankara . The words "Burkina" and "Faso" stem from different languages spoken in

672-531: A 2005 analysis of police, business, and political corruption. Its democratic system "has eroded" since President Talon took office. In 2018, his government introduced new rules for fielding candidates and raised the cost of registering. The electoral commission, packed with Talon's allies, barred all opposition parties from the parliamentary election in 2019, resulting in a parliament made up entirely of supporters of Talon. That parliament subsequently changed election laws such that presidential candidates need to have

784-431: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.86/10, ranking it 93rd globally out of 172 countries. Benin shows some variation in elevation and can be divided into four areas from the south to the north, starting with the lower-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10 m (32.8 ft)) which is, at most, 10 km (6.2 mi) wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with

896-495: A GDP of $ 16.226 billion in 2022. Approximately 63.8% of its population practices Islam , while 26.3% practices Christianity. The country's four official languages are Mooré , Bissa , Dyula and Fula , with the first one being spoken by over half the population; the Burkinabè government also officially recognizes 60 indigenous languages. The former government and business language was French until January 2024, whose status

1008-711: A Governor. The regions are subdivided into 45 provinces, which are further subdivided into 351 communes. The communes may be urban or rural and are interchangeable. There are other administrative entities like department and village. An urban commune has typically 10,000 people under it. If any commune is not able to get 75 per cent of its planned budget in revenues for 3 years, the autonomy is taken off. The communes are administered by elected Mayors. The communes are stipulated to develop economic, social and cultural values of its citizens. A commune has financial autonomy and can interact with other communes, government agencies or international entities. Burkina Faso Burkina Faso

1120-549: A convention forced Kérékou to release political prisoners and arrange elections. Marxism–Leninism was abolished as the country's form of government. The country's name was officially changed to the Republic of Benin on 1 March 1990, after the newly formed government's constitution was completed. Kérékou lost to Nicéphore Soglo in a 1991 election and became the first President on the African mainland to lose power through an election. Kérékou returned to power after winning

1232-464: A coup d'état organized by Blaise Compaoré, Sankara's former colleague, who took over as Burkina Faso's president. He held the position until October 2014. After the coup and although Sankara was known to be dead, some CDRs mounted an armed resistance to the army for several days. A majority of Burkinabè citizens hold that France's foreign ministry , the Quai d'Orsay , was behind Compaoré in organizing

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1344-466: A different area and ethnicity of the country. These 3 agreed to form a Presidential Council after violence marred the 1970 elections. On 7 May 1972, Maga ceded power to Ahomadégbé. On 26 October 1972, Lt. Col. Mathieu Kérékou overthrew the ruling triumvirate, becoming president and stating that the country would not "burden itself by copying foreign ideology , and wants neither Capitalism, Communism, nor Socialism". On 30 November 1974, he announced that

1456-521: A framework of a presidential representative democratic republic in which the President of Benin is both head of state and head of government , within a multi-party system . Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the government and the legislature. The judiciary is officially independent of the executive and the legislature, while in practice its independence has been gradually hollowed out by Talon, and

1568-455: A military coup d'état on 4 August 1983. The coup brought Sankara to power and his government began to implement a series of revolutionary programs which included mass-vaccinations, infrastructure improvements, the expansion of women's rights, encouragement of domestic agricultural consumption, and anti-desertification projects. On 2 August 1984, on Sankara's initiative, the country's name changed from "Upper Volta" to "Burkina Faso", or land of

1680-749: A minimum of 116 mostly Fulani civilians were killed by military forces without trial. The attacks increased significantly in 2019 . According to the ACLED , armed violence in Burkina Faso jumped by 174% in 2019, with nearly 1,300 civilians dead and 860,000 displaced. Jihadist groups also began to specifically target Christians . On 8 July 2020, the United States raised concerns after a Human Rights Watch report revealed mass graves with at least 180 bodies, which were found in northern Burkina Faso where soldiers were fighting jihadists. On 4 June 2021,

1792-412: A nationwide literacy campaign, land redistribution to peasants , vaccinations for over 2 million children, railway and road construction, equalized access to education, and the outlawing of female genital mutilation , forced marriages , and polygamy . He served as the country's president until 1987 when he was deposed and assassinated in a coup led by Blaise Compaoré , who became president and ruled

1904-678: A part of the 5,500 European population. Religion in Benin (2020 CIA World Factbook estimate) The two main religions in Benin are Christianity , followed mostly in the south and center, and Islam, brought by the Songhai Empire and Hausa merchants and followed in Alibori , Borgou , and Donga provinces, as well as among the Yoruba , who also practice Christianity. Some continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated

2016-505: A phase involving an opening to Western countries and economic liberalism (1982–1990). In 1974, under the influence of young revolutionaries – the "Ligmangers" - the government embarked on a socialist program: nationalization of strategic sectors of the economy, reform of the education system, establishment of agricultural cooperatives and new local government structures, and a campaign to eradicate " feudal forces" including tribalism . The regime banned opposition activities. Mathieu Kérékou

2128-446: A share to tertiary education: 0.97% of GDP. Between 2009 and 2011, the share of people enrolled at university rose from 10% to 12% of the 18 – 25 year age cohort. Student enrollment in tertiary education more than doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 50,225 to 110,181. These statistics encompass not only bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. programmes but also students enrolled in nondegree post-secondary diplomas. The HIV/AIDS rate in Benin

2240-668: A single term of 5 years in order to combat "complacency". He said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members. In April 2021, President Patrice Talon was re-elected, with more than 86.3% of the votes cast, in Benin's presidential election . The change in election laws resulted in total control of parliament by president Talon's supporters. In February 2022, Benin saw its largest terrorist attack in history . On 20 February 2022, President Patrice Talon inaugurated an exhibition with 26 pieces of sacred art returned to Benin by France , 129 years after they were looted by colonial forces. Its politics take place in

2352-415: A struggle among Dahomeans, "concentrated in the period from 1895 to 1920, for the redistribution of control over land and labor. Villages sought to redefine boundaries of lands and fishing preserves. Religious disputes scarcely veiled the factional struggles over control of land and commerce which underlay them. Factions struggled for the leadership of great families". In 1958, France granted autonomy to

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2464-605: A total of 127. The Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP), the party of former President Blaise Compaoré, was distant second with 20 seats. A Jihadist insurgency began in August 2015, part of the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel . Between August 2015 and October 2016, seven different posts were attacked across the country. On 15 January 2016, terrorists attacked the capital city of Ouagadougou , killing 30 people. Al-Qaeda in

2576-441: A total population 10 times that size. In February 2011, the death of a schoolboy provoked the 2011 Burkinabè protests , a series of popular protests, coupled with a military mutiny and a magistrates' strike, that called for Compaoré's resignation, democratic reforms, higher wages for troops and public servants and economic freedom. As a result, governors were replaced and wages for public servants were raised. In April 2011, there

2688-466: A variety of areas with different political systems and ethnicities. These included city-states along the coast (primarily of the Aja ethnic group, and also including Yoruba and Gbe peoples) and tribal regions inland (composed of Bariba , Mahi, Gedevi, and Kabye peoples). The Oyo Empire , located primarily to the east of Benin, was a military force in the region, conducting raids and exacting tribute from

2800-725: Is Ouagadougou . The largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso is the Mossi people , who settled the area in the 11th and 13th centuries. They established powerful kingdoms such as the Ouagadougou, Tenkodogo, and Yatenga. In 1896, it was colonized by the French as part of French West Africa ; in 1958, Upper Volta became a self-governing colony within the French Community . In 1960, it gained full independence with Maurice Yaméogo as president . Since it gained its independence,

2912-594: Is a landlocked country in West Africa , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km (105,878 sq mi). In 2021, the country had an estimated population of approximately 23,674,480. Previously called the Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed Burkina Faso by former president Thomas Sankara . Its citizens are known as Burkinabè , and its capital and largest city

3024-768: Is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , the Economic Community of West African States , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone , Francophonie , the Community of Sahel–Saharan States , the African Petroleum Producers Association and the Niger Basin Authority . During French colonial rule and after independence on 1 August 1960,

3136-736: Is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of the Bight of Benin , part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean . The capital is Porto-Novo , and the seat of government is in Cotonou , the most populous city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 112,622 km (43,484 sq mi), and its population in 2021

3248-690: Is bounded by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south. The distance from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south is about 650 km (404 mi). Although the coastline measures 121 km (75 mi), the country measures about 325 km (202 mi) at its widest point. Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Benin's borders: Eastern Guinean forests , Nigerian lowland forests , Guinean forest-savanna mosaic , and West Sudanian savanna . It had

3360-404: Is debate about the exact dates when Burkina Faso's many ethnic groups arrived to the area. The Proto-Mossi arrived in the far eastern part of what is today Burkina Faso sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries, and accepted Islam as their religion in the 11th century. The Samo arrived around the 15th century. The Dogon lived in Burkina Faso's north and northwest regions until sometime in

3472-464: Is the Red Volta, that originates in the northern region and drains into Ghana . The areas near the rivers usually have flies like tsetse and similium, which are carriers of sleep sickness and river blindness. The average rainfall in the region is around 25 cm (9.8 in) compared to southern regions that receive only 100 cm (39 in) rainfall. As of 2019, the population of the region

Centre-Nord Region - Misplaced Pages Continue

3584-402: Is today Burkina Faso. At times these colonialists and their armies fought the local peoples; at times they forged alliances with them and made treaties. The colonialist officers and their home governments also made treaties among themselves. The territory of Burkina Faso was invaded by France , becoming a French protectorate in 1896. The eastern and western regions, where a standoff against

3696-497: Is usually from October to May and rains are common during the wet season from June to September. The soil texture is porous and hence the yield is also poor. The average elevation is around 200 m (660 ft) to 300 m (980 ft) above mean sea level. Among West African countries, Burkino Faso has the largest elephant population and the country is replete with game reserves. The northern regions are generally arid and usually have scrub land and semi-deserts. The principal river

3808-571: The Atakora region, and Vodun and Orisha veneration among the Yoruba and Tado peoples in the center and south of the nation. The town of Ouidah on the central coast is the spiritual center of Beninese Vodun or Voodoo. The literacy rate in 2015 it was estimated to be 38.4% (49.9% for males and 27.3% for females). Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children (54%) were enrolled in secondary education in 2013, according to

3920-549: The Demographic and Health Surveys Program in 2011-2012 indicated that followers of Christianity comprised 57.5% of the population (with Catholics making up 33.9%, Methodists 3.0%, Celestials 6.2% and other Christians 14.5%), while Muslims were 22.8%. According to the most recent (2020) estimate, the population of Benin was 52.2% Christian, 24.6% Muslim, 17.9% animist, and 5.3% followed other faiths or had no religion. Traditional religions include local animistic religions in

4032-585: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank . His domestic policies included a nationwide literacy campaign, land redistribution to peasants, railway and road construction and the outlawing of female genital mutilation , forced marriages and polygamy . Sankara pushed for agrarian self-sufficiency and promoted public health by vaccinating 2,500,000 children against meningitis , yellow fever , and measles . His national agenda also included planting over 10,000,000 trees to halt

4144-456: The People's Republic of Benin existed between 1975 and 1990. In 1991, it was replaced by the multi-party Republic of Benin. The official language of Benin is French, with indigenous languages such as Fon , Bariba , Yoruba and Dendi also spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Christianity (52.2%), followed by Islam (24.6%) and African Traditional Religions (17.9%). Benin

4256-513: The Republic of Dahomey , and full independence on 1 August 1960 which is celebrated each year as Independence Day , a national holiday . The president who led the country to independence was Hubert Maga . After 1960, there were coups and regime changes, with the figures of Hubert Maga , Sourou Apithy , Justin Ahomadégbé , and Émile Derlin Zinsou dominating; the first 3 each represented

4368-504: The UNESCO Institute for Statistics . While at a time the education system was not free, Benin has abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum. The government has devoted more than 4% of GDP to education since 2009. In 2015, public expenditure on education (all levels) amounted to 4.4% of GDP, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics . Within this expenditure, Benin devoted

4480-613: The "Dahomean Amazons ". This emphasis on military preparation and achievement earned Dahomey the nickname of "Black Sparta ", from European observers and 19th-century explorers such as Sir Richard Burton . The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs . By about 1750, the King of Dahomey was earning an estimated £250,000 per year by selling African captives to European slave-traders. The area

4592-1149: The 12th century); the Dendi in the north-central area (who came from Mali in the 16th century); the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atakora Mountains ; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina , Xueda , and Aja (who came from Togo) on the coast. Migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin, including Nigerians, Togolese, and Malians. The foreign community includes Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and commerce. The personnel of European embassies and foreign aid missions and of nongovernmental organisations and missionary groups account for

Centre-Nord Region - Misplaced Pages Continue

4704-519: The 15th or 16th centuries, and many of the other ethnic groups that make up the country's population arrived in the region during this time. During the Middle Ages , the Mossi established several separate kingdoms including those of Tenkodogo, Yatenga, Zandoma, and Ouagadougou. Sometime between 1328 and 1338, Mossi warriors raided Timbuktu but the Mossi were defeated by Sonni Ali of Songhai at

4816-465: The 1970s as president of military or mixed civil-military governments. Lamizana's rule coincided with the beginning of the Sahel drought and famine which had a devastating impact on Upper Volta and neighboring countries. After conflict over the 1976 constitution, a new constitution was written and approved in 1977. Lamizana was re-elected by open elections in 1978. Lamizana's government faced problems with

4928-580: The 1996 vote. In 2001, an election resulted in Kérékou winning another term, after which his opponents claimed election irregularities. In 1999, Kérékou issued a national apology for the substantial role that Africans had played in the Atlantic slave trade. Kérékou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections, as both were barred by the constitution's restrictions on age and total terms of candidates. On 5 March 2006, an election resulted in

5040-585: The 26th highest rate of maternal mortality in the world. According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 13% of women had undergone female genital mutilation . An approach strategy was extended to all areas of healthcare, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost. Demographic and Health Surveys has surveyed the issue in Benin since 1996. The north–south strip of land in West Africa lies between latitudes 6° and 13°N , and longitudes 0° and 4°E . It

5152-461: The 3rd to the 13th centuries CE, the Iron Age Bura culture existed in the territory of present-day southeastern Burkina Faso and southwestern Niger. Various ethnic groups of present-day Burkina Faso, such as the Mossi , Fula and Dioula , arrived in successive waves between the 8th and 15th centuries. From the 11th century, the Mossi people established several separate kingdoms . There

5264-675: The Associated Press reported that according to the government of Burkina Faso, gunmen killed at least 100 people in Solhan village in northern Burkina Faso near the Niger border. A local market and several homes were also burned down. A government spokesman blamed jihadists. Heni Nsaibia, senior researcher at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project said it was the deadliest attack recorded in Burkina Faso since

5376-861: The Battle of Kobi in Mali in 1483. During the early 16th century, the Songhai conducted many slave raids into what is today Burkina Faso. During the 18th century, the Gwiriko Empire was established at Bobo Dioulasso and ethnic groups such as the Dyan, Lobi, and Birifor settled along the Black Volta . Starting in the early 1890s during the European Scramble for Africa , a series of European military officers made attempts to claim parts of what

5488-678: The Constitutional Court is headed by his former personal lawyer. The political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991. It was ranked 18th out of 52 African countries and scored best in the categories of Safety & Rule of Law and Participation & Human Rights. In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Benin 53rd out of 169 countries. That place had fallen to 78th by 2016, when Talon took office, and has fallen further to 113th. Benin has been rated equal-88th out of 159 countries in

5600-638: The Council of Popular Salvation (CSP) in the 1982 Upper Voltan coup d'état . The CSP continued to ban political parties and organizations, yet promised a transition to civilian rule and a new constitution. Infighting developed between the right and left factions of the CSP. The leader of the leftists, Capt. Thomas Sankara , was appointed prime minister in January 1983, but was subsequently arrested. Efforts to free him, directed by Capt. Blaise Compaoré , resulted in

5712-717: The French Union. On 5 August 1960, it attained full independence from France . The first president, Maurice Yaméogo , was the leader of the Voltaic Democratic Union (UDV). The 1960 constitution provided for election by universal suffrage of a president and a national assembly for five-year terms. Soon after coming to power, Yaméogo banned all political parties other than the UDV. The government lasted until 1966. After much unrest, including mass demonstrations and strikes by students, labor unions, and civil servants,

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5824-687: The French embassy in Ouagadougou as well as the general staff of the Burkinabè army. Eight soldiers and eight attackers were killed, and a further 61 soldiers and 24 civilians were injured. The insurgency expanded to the east of the country and, in early October, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso launched a major military operation in the country's East, supported by French forces. According to Human Rights Watch , between mid-2018 to February 2019, at least 42 people were murdered by jihadists and

5936-492: The Islamic Maghreb and Al-Mourabitoune , which until then had mostly operated in neighbouring Mali , claimed responsibility for the attack. In 2016, attacks increased after a new group Ansarul Islam , led by imam Ibrahim Malam Dicko , was founded. Its attacks focused particularly on Soum province and it killed dozens of people in the attack on Nassoumbou on 16 December. Between 27 March – 10 April 2017,

6048-651: The Oyo-allied city-state of Porto-Novo . The rise of Dahomey, its rivalry with Porto-Novo, and tribal politics in the northern region persisted into the colonial and post-colonial periods. In the Dahomey , some younger people were apprenticed to older soldiers and taught the kingdom's military customs until they were old enough to join the army. Dahomey instituted an elite female soldier corps variously called Ahosi (the king's wives), Mino ("our mothers" in Fongbe ), or

6160-462: The Revolution youth programme was also established. Sankara launched an ambitious socioeconomic programme for change, one of the largest ever undertaken on the African continent. His foreign policies centred on anti-imperialism , with his government rejecting all foreign aid , pushing for odious debt reduction, nationalising all land and mineral wealth and averting the power and influence of

6272-590: The Soviet Union and later from France. In the 1980s, Benin experienced higher economic growth rates (15.6% in 1982, 4.6% in 1983 and 8.2% in 1984), until the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin led to a drop in customs and tax revenues. The government was no longer able to pay civil servants' salaries. In 1989, riots broke out when the regime did not have enough money to pay its army. The banking system collapsed. Eventually, Kérékou renounced Marxism , and

6384-458: The approval of at least 10% of Benin's MPs and mayors. As parliament and most mayors' offices are controlled by Talon, he has control over who can run for president. These changes have drawn condemnation from international observers and led to the United States government partially terminating development assistance to the country. Benin is divided into twelve departments (French: départements ) which are subdivided into 77 communes . In 1999,

6496-451: The beginning of the jihadist insurgency. Benin Benin ( / b ɛ ˈ n iː n / ben- EEN , / b ɪ ˈ n iː n / bin- EEN ; French : Bénin [benɛ̃] , Fon : Benɛ , Fula : Benen ), officially the Republic of Benin ( French : République du Bénin ), is a country in West Africa . It was formerly known as Dahomey . It

6608-657: The coastal kingdoms and tribal regions. The situation changed in the 17th and 18th centuries as the Kingdom of Dahomey , consisting mostly of Fon people , was founded on the Abomey plateau and began taking over areas along the coast. By 1727, King Agaja of the Kingdom of Dahomey had conquered the coastal cities of Allada and Whydah . Dahomey had become a tributary of the Oyo Empire, and rivaled but did not directly attack

6720-620: The colonial period in Dakar. The indigenous population was highly discriminated against. For example, African children were not allowed to ride bicycles or pick fruit from trees, "privileges" reserved for the children of colonists. Violating these regulations could land parents in jail. Draftees from the territory participated in the European fronts of World War I in the battalions of the Senegalese Rifles . Between 1915 and 1916,

6832-402: The colony of Upper Volta, with its previous boundaries, as a part of the French Union . The French designated its colonies as departments of metropolitan France on the European continent. On 11 December 1958 the colony achieved self-government as the Republic of Upper Volta ; it joined the Franco-African Community. A revision in the organization of French Overseas Territories had begun with

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6944-412: The constitution and extend his 27-year rule. On 30 October some protesters set fire to the parliament building and took over the national TV headquarters. Ouagadougou International Airport closed and MPs suspended the vote on changing the constitution (the change would have allowed Compaoré to stand for re-election in 2015). Later in the day, the military dissolved all government institutions and imposed

7056-436: The constitutional council ruled that, because Compaoré was the sitting president in 2000, the amendment would not apply to him until the end of his second term in office. This cleared the way for his candidacy in the 2005 election . On 13 November 2005, he was reelected in a landslide, because of a divided political opposition. In the 2010 presidential election , Compaoré was re-elected. Only 1.6 million Burkinabè voted, out of

7168-414: The country back into the IMF fold, and ultimately spurned most of Sankara's legacy. Following an alleged coup-attempt in 1989 , Compaoré introduced limited democratic reforms in 1990. Under the new (1991) constitution , Compaoré was re-elected without opposition in December 1991. In 1998 Compaoré won election in a landslide. In 2004, 13 people were tried for plotting a coup against President Compaoré and

7280-447: The country has been subject to instability, droughts , famines and corruption. There have also been various coups , in 1966 , 1980 , 1982 , 1983 , 1987 , and twice in 2022 ( January and September ). There were also unsuccessful coup attempts in 1989 , 2015 , and 2023 . Thomas Sankara came to power following a successful coup in 1983. As president, Sankara embarked on a series of ambitious socioeconomic reforms which included

7392-446: The country until his removal on 31 October 2014 . Since the mid-2010s, Burkina Faso has been severely affected by the rise of insurgencies in the Sahel. Several militias , partly allied with the Islamic State (IS) or al-Qaeda , operate in Burkina Faso and across the border in Mali and Niger . More than one million of the country's 21 million inhabitants are internally displaced persons . Burkina Faso's military seized power in

7504-453: The country was named Dahomey, after the Kingdom of Dahomey . On 30 November 1975, following a Marxist–Leninist military coup , the country was renamed Benin, after the Bight of Benin , which borders the country, due to Dahomey only being associated with the Fon who inhabited the southern half of the country. The bight takes its name from the Kingdom of Benin , located in present-day Nigeria . Prior to 1600, present-day Benin comprised

7616-403: The country was officially Marxist , under control of the Military Council of the Revolution (CMR), which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks. On 30 November 1975, he renamed the country the People's Republic of Benin . The regime of the People's Republic of Benin underwent changes over the course of its existence: a nationalist period (1972–1974); a socialist phase (1974–1982); and

7728-446: The country's traditionally powerful trade unions, and on 25 November 1980, Col. Saye Zerbo overthrew President Lamizana in a bloodless coup . Colonel Zerbo established the Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress as the supreme governmental authority, thus eradicating the 1977 constitution. Colonel Zerbo also encountered resistance from trade unions and was overthrown two years later by Maj. Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo and

7840-403: The country: "Burkina" comes from Mooré and means "upright", showing how the people are proud of their integrity, while "Faso" comes from the Dioula language (as written in N'Ko : ߝߊ߬ߛߏ߫ faso ) and means "fatherland" (literally, "father's house"). The "-bé" suffix added onto "Burkina" to form the demonym "Burkinabé" comes from the Fula language and means "women or men". The CIA summarizes

7952-429: The coup's alleged mastermind was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2000, the constitution was amended to reduce the presidential term to five years and set term limits to two, preventing successive re-election. The amendment took effect during the 2005 elections. If passed beforehand, it would have prevented Compaoré from being reelected. Other presidential candidates challenged the election results. But in October 2005,

8064-442: The coup. There is some evidence for France's support of the coup. Compaoré gave the deterioration in relations with neighbouring countries as one of the reasons for the coup. He argued that Sankara had jeopardised foreign relations with the former colonial power ( France ) and with neighbouring Ivory Coast . Following the coup, Compaoré immediately reversed the nationalizations, overturned nearly all of Sankara's policies, returned

8176-483: The districts in the western part of what is now Burkina Faso and the bordering eastern fringe of Mali became the stage of one of the most important armed oppositions to colonial government: the Volta-Bani War . The French government finally suppressed the movement but only after suffering defeats. It also had to organize its largest expeditionary force of its colonial history to send into the country to suppress

8288-568: The early 17th century due to the high number of people who were sold and trafficked during the Atlantic slave trade to the New World. France took over the territory in 1894, incorporating it into French West Africa as French Dahomey . In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France. As a sovereign state , Benin has had democratic governments , military coups , and military governments . A self-described Marxist–Leninist state called

8400-497: The economy and population. Northern areas will see additional regions become deserts. An area of flatter land dotted with rocky hills whose altitude reaches 400 m (1,312 ft) extends around Nikki and Save. A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; these are the Atacora . The highest point, Mont Sokbaro , is at 658 m (2,159 ft). Benin has fields, mangroves , and remnants of forests. In

8512-651: The etymology as "land of the honest (incorruptible) men". The French Colony of Upper Volta was named for its location on the upper courses of the Volta River (the Black , Red and White Volta ). The northwestern part of present-day Burkina Faso was populated by hunter-gatherers from 14,000 BCE to 5,000 BCE. Their tools, including scrapers , chisels and arrowheads , were discovered in 1973 through archaeological excavations . Agricultural settlements were established between 3600 and 2600 BCE. The Bura culture

8624-483: The forces of the powerful ruler Samori Ture complicated the situation, came under French occupation in 1897. By 1898, the majority of the territory corresponding to Burkina Faso was nominally conquered; however, French control of many parts remained uncertain. The Franco-British Convention of 14 June 1898 created the country's modern borders. In the French territory, a war of conquest against local communities and political powers continued for about five years. In 1904,

8736-614: The governments of Mali , France, and Burkina Faso launched a joint operation named " Operation Panga ", which involved 1,300 soldiers from the three countries, in the Fhero Forest, near the Burkina Faso-Mali border , considered a sanctuary for Ansarul Islam. The head of Ansarul Islam, Ibrahim Malam Dicko, was killed in June 2017 and Jafar Dicko became leader. On 2 March 2018, Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin attacked

8848-493: The growing desertification of the Sahel . Sankara called on every village to build a medical dispensary and had over 350 communities build schools with their own labour. In the 1980s, when ecological awareness was still very low, Sankara was one of the few African leaders to consider environmental protection a priority. He engaged in three major battles: against bush fires "which will be considered as crimes and will be punished as such"; against cattle roaming "which infringes on

8960-604: The honest men ; (the literal translation is land of the upright men ). The presidential decree was confirmed by the National Assembly on 4 August 1984. Sankara's government comprised the National Council for the Revolution (CNR – French : Conseil national révolutionnaire ), with Sankara as its president, and established popular Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs). The Pioneers of

9072-610: The insurrection. Armed opposition wracked the Sahelian north when the Tuareg and allied groups of the Dori region ended their truce with the government. French Upper Volta was established on 1 March 1919. The French feared a recurrence of armed uprising and had related economic considerations. To bolster its administration, the colonial government separated the present territory of Burkina Faso from Upper Senegal and Niger. The new colony

9184-667: The largely pacified territories of the Volta basin were integrated into the Upper Senegal and Niger colony of French West Africa as part of the reorganization of the French West African colonial empire. The colony had its capital in Bamako . The language of colonial administration and schooling became French. The public education system started from humble origins. Advanced education was provided for many years during

9296-656: The last slave ship departed the modern Benin Republic for Brazil , which had yet to abolish slavery. The capital Porto-Novo ("New Port" in Portuguese) was originally developed as a port for the slave trade. Among the goods the Portuguese sought were carved items of ivory made by Benin's artisans in the form of carved saltcellars, spoons, and hunting horns - pieces of African art produced for sale abroad as exotic objects. Another major good sought by European settlers

9408-598: The literacy rate in the region was 16.6%, compared to a national average of 28.3%. The gross primary enrolment was 64.8%, pos-primary was 18% and gross secondary school enrolment was 4.4. There were 118 boys and 112 girls enrolled in the primary and post-secondary level. There were 17 teachers in primary & post-secondary level, while there were 500 teachers in post-primary and post-secondary level. As of 2007, there were 476.3 km (296.0 mi) of highways, 301.4 km (187.3 mi) of regional roads and 383 km (238 mi) of county roads. The first set of car traffic

9520-493: The military intervened. The 1966 military coup deposed Yaméogo, suspended the constitution, dissolved the National Assembly, and placed Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana at the head of a government of senior army officers. The army remained in power for four years. On 14 June 1976, the Voltans ratified a new constitution that established a four-year transition period toward complete civilian rule. Lamizana remained in power throughout

9632-536: The ocean. Behind the coast lies the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic -covered plateaus of southern Benin (altitude between 20 and 200 m (66 and 656 ft)), which are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo , Zou , and Ouémé Rivers . This geography makes it vulnerable to climate change . With the majority of the country living near the coast in lower-lying areas sea level rise could have effects on

9744-548: The pantheon of Vodun and Orisha into Christianity. Ahmadiyya , a sect of Islam originating in the 19th century, also has a presence in the country. In the 2013 census, 48.5% of the population of Benin were Christian (25.5% Roman Catholic , 6.7% Celestial Church of Christ , 3.4% Methodist , and 12.9% other Christian denominations), 27.7% were Muslim , 11.6% practiced Vodun , 2.6% practiced other local traditional religions, 2.6% practiced other religions, and 5.8% claimed no religious affiliation. A government survey conducted by

9856-493: The passage of the Basic Law (Loi Cadre) of 23 July 1956. This act was followed by reorganization measures approved by the French parliament early in 1957 to ensure a large degree of self-government for individual territories. Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French community on 11 December 1958. Full independence from France was received in 1960. The Republic of Upper Volta (French: République de Haute-Volta )

9968-625: The plan Michel Kafando became the transitional president and Lt. Col. Zida became the acting Prime Minister and Defense Minister. On 16 September 2015, the Regiment of Presidential Security (RSP) carried out a coup d'état , seizing the president and prime minister and then declaring the National Council for Democracy the new national government. However, on 22 September 2015, the coup leader, Gilbert Diendéré , apologized and promised to restore civilian government. On 23 September 2015

10080-420: The planting of wooded strips about fifty kilometers wide, crossing the country from east to west. Cereal production, close to 1.1 billion tons before 1983, was predicted to rise to 1.6 billion tons in 1987. Jean Ziegler, former UN special rapporteur for the right to food, said that the country "had become food self-sufficient." On 15 October 1987, Sankara and twelve other government officials were assassinated in

10192-405: The previous six departments were each split into two halves, forming the later twelve. (per km in 2013) Ethnic Groups of Benin (2013 Census) The majority of Benin's 11,485,000 inhabitants live in the south of the country. The life expectancy is 62 years. About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country, including the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated from Nigeria in

10304-575: The prime minister and interim president were restored to power. General elections took place on 29 November 2015. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré won the election in the first round with 53.5% of the vote, defeating businessman Zéphirin Diabré , who took 29.7%. Kaboré was sworn in as president on 29 December 2015. Kaboré was re-elected in the general election of 22 November 2020 , but his party Mouvement du Peuple pour le Progrès (MPP), failed to reach absolute parliamentary majority. It secured 56 seats out of

10416-451: The region "appeared to lack the necessary agricultural or mineral resources for large-scale capitalist development ". As a result, France treated Dahomey as a sort of preserve in case future discoveries revealed resources worth developing. The French government outlawed the capture and sale of slaves. Previous slaveowners sought to redefine their control over slaves as control over land , tenants , and lineage members. This provoked

10528-552: The rest of the country, the savanna is covered with thorny scrub and dotted with baobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin, the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park has African bush elephants , lions , antelopes, hippopotamus and monkeys. Pendjari National Park together with the bordering Parks Arli and W National Park in Burkina Faso and Niger are among

10640-412: The rights of peoples because unattended animals destroy nature"; and against the illegitimate cutting of firewood "whose profession will have to be organized and regulated". As part of a development program involving a large part of the population, ten million trees were planted in Burkina Faso in fifteen months during the revolution. To face the advancing desert and recurrent droughts, Sankara also proposed

10752-471: The strongholds of the lion in West Africa; with an estimated 246–466 lions, W-Arli-Pendjari harbors the largest remaining lion population in West Africa . Historically Benin has served as habitat for the endangered African wild dog , Lycaon pictus ; this canid is thought to have been locally extinct . Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 1300 mm or about 51 inches. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons per year. The principal rainy season

10864-523: The total production of the region was 70.00%. Most of Burkina Faso is a wide plateau formed by riverine systems and is called falaise de Banfora. There are three major rivers, the Red Volta , Black Volta and White Volta , which cuts through different valleys. The climate is generally hot, with unreliable rains across different seasons. Gold and quartz are common minerals found across the country, while manganese deposits are also common. The dry season

10976-405: Was 1,872,126 with 52.6% females. The population in the region was 9.13% of the total population of the country. The child mortality rate was 55, infant mortality rate was 64 and the mortality of children under five was 116. As of 2007, among the working population, there were 70% employees, 22% under employed, 7.2% inactive people, 7.9% not working and 0.7% unemployed people in the region. As of 2007,

11088-467: Was 20, first set of two-wheeler traffic was 3,605 and the total classified road network was 1,161. The total corn produced during 2015 was 10,053 tonnes, cotton was 041 tonnes, cowpea was 63,787 tonnes, ground nut was 15,474 tonnes, millet was 69,722 tonnes, rice was 9,746 tonnes and sorghum was 142,311 tonnes. The coverage of cereal need compared to the total production of the region was 70.00 per cent. Burkina Faso gained independence from France in 1960. It

11200-614: Was an Iron-Age civilization centred in the southwest portion of modern-day Niger and in the southeast part of contemporary Burkina Faso. Iron industry , in smelting and forging for tools and weapons, had developed in Sub-Saharan Africa by 1200 BCE. To date, the oldest evidence of iron smelting found in Burkina Faso dates from 800 to 700 BCE and forms part of the Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy World Heritage Site. From

11312-611: Was an army mutiny ; the president named new chiefs of staff, and a curfew was imposed in Ouagadougou . Compaoré's government played the role of negotiator in several West-African disputes, including the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis , the Inter-Togolese Dialogue (2007), and the 2012 Malian Crisis . As of 2014 , Burkina Faso remained one of the least-developed countries in the world. Starting on 28 October 2014 protesters began to march and demonstrate in Ouagadougou against President Compaoré, who appeared ready to amend

11424-440: Was barred by the constitution from running for a third term, businessman Patrice Talon won the second round with 65.37% of the vote, defeating investment banker and former Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou . Talon was sworn in on 6 April 2016. Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results, Talon said that he would "first and foremost tackle constitutional reform", discussing his plan to limit presidents to

11536-406: Was demoted to that of a "working language" alongside English by ratification of a constitutional amendment. The country's territory is geographically biodiverse, and includes plentiful reserves of gold , manganese , copper and limestone . Due to its multicultural make-up, Burkinabè art has a rich and long history, and is globally renowned for its orthodox style. The country is governed as

11648-413: Was dismantled on 5 September 1932, being split between the French colonies of Ivory Coast , French Sudan and Niger . Ivory Coast received the largest share, which contained most of the population as well as the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. France reversed this change during the period of intense anti-colonial agitation that followed the end of World War II . On 4 September 1947, it revived

11760-548: Was elected president by the National Revolutionary Assembly in 1980, re-elected in 1984. Establishing relations with China , North Korea , and Libya , he put "nearly all" businesses and economic activities under state control, causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up. Kérékou attempted to reorganize education, pushing his own aphorisms such as "Poverty is not a fatality". The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste, first from

11872-422: Was established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community . The name Upper Volta related to the nation's location along the upper reaches of the Volta River . The river's three tributaries are called the Black , White and Red Volta . These were expressed in the three colors of the former national flag . Before attaining autonomy, it had been French Upper Volta and part of

11984-610: Was estimated in 2013 at 1.13% of adults aged 15–49 years. Malaria is a problem in Benin, being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years. During the 1980s, less than 30% of the country's population had access to primary health care services. Benin's infant mortality rate stood at 203 deaths for every 1 000 live births. One in three mothers had access to child health care services. The Bamako Initiative changed that by introducing community-based healthcare reform, resulting in "more efficient and equitable" provision of services. As of 2015 , Benin had

12096-467: Was estimated to be approximately 13 million. It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture , and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton . From the 17th to the 19th century, political entities in the area included the Kingdom of Dahomey , the city-state of Porto-Novo, and other states to the north. This region was referred to as the Slave Coast of West Africa from

12208-426: Was named Haute Volta for its location on the upper courses of the Volta River (the Black , Red and White Volta ), and François Charles Alexis Édouard Hesling became its first governor . Hesling initiated an ambitious road-making program to improve infrastructure and promoted the growth of cotton for export. The cotton policy – based on coercion – failed, and revenue generated by the colony stagnated. The colony

12320-583: Was named the "Slave Coast" because of a flourishing slave trade. Court protocols which demanded that a portion of war captives from the kingdom's battles be decapitated, decreased the number of enslaved people exported from the area. The number went from 102,000 people per decade in the 1780s to 24,000 per decade by the 1860s. The decline was partly due to the Slave Trade Act 1807 banning the trans-Atlantic slave trade by Britain in 1808, followed by other countries. This decline continued until 1885 when

12432-536: Was originally called Upper Volta. There have been military coups until 1983 when Captain Thomas Sankara took control and implemented radical left wing policies. He was ousted by Blaise Compaore, who continued for 27 years until 2014, when a popular uprising ended his rule. As per Law No.40/98/AN in 1998, Burkina Faso adhered to decentralization to provide administrative and financial autonomy to local communities. There are 13 administrative regions, each governed by

12544-444: Was palm oil. In 1856 approximately 2,500 tons of palm oil was exported by British companies which was valued at £112,500. By the middle of the 19th century , Dahomey had "begun to weaken and lose its status as the regional power ". The French took over the area in 1892. In 1899, the French included the land called French Dahomey within the larger French West Africa colonial region. France sought to benefit from Dahomey and

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