什麼是布吉納法索

舊稱上伏塔（Upper Volta）

非洲西部內陸國，位於撒哈拉沙漠之南。面積274,200平方公里。人口約12,272,000（2001）。首都︰瓦加杜古。有兩個主要種族集團，一個是伏塔人（古爾）集團，另一個是莫西人，此外還有豪薩人和富拉尼人。語言︰法語（官方語）、莫瑞語和迪尤拉語。宗教：約1/5的人口信奉傳統宗教，其他的1/5是穆斯林，有一小部分是基督徒。貨幣︰非洲金融共同體法郎（CFAF）。該國由一個遼闊的高原組成，北部是稀樹草原，南部則是散佈着一些森林。高原被黑伏塔、紅伏塔及白伏塔等三條主要河流深深切割，這些河流都向南流入迦納。經濟以農業爲主。政府形式爲共和國，有一諮詢機構和一個立法機構。國家元首是總統，政府首腦爲總理。

大約在西元14世紀，莫西和古爾馬人在東部和中部地區建立自己的王國，亞滕加和瓦加杜古的莫西王國還一直持續到20世紀初。1895～1897年成爲法國的保護國。1898年英法協商解決了南部邊界問題。最初屬上塞內加爾-尼日殖民地一部分，1919年單獨成爲上伏塔殖民地。1947年上伏塔又成爲法蘭西聯邦的海外領地。1958年底成爲法蘭西共同體內的自治共和國。1960年完全獨立。此後主要由軍人統治，併發生多次政變，1984年在一次政變後，更改國名爲吉布納法索。1991年採用新憲法，恢復多黨統治。

Burkina Faso

Republic, West Africa. A landlocked country, it lies south of the Sahara Desert. Area: 105,869 sq mi (274,201 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 10,891,000. Capital: Ouagadougou. Its two principal ethnic groups are the Voltaic (Gur), and the Mossi; there are also Hausa and Fulani. Languages: French (official), Moré, Dyula. Religions: About one-fifth of the population practice traditional religions; another one-fifth are Muslims; a small number are Christian. Currency: CFA franc. Burkina Faso consists of an extensive plateau, characterized by a savanna, grassy in the north and sparsely forested in the south. The plateau is notched by the valleys of the Mouhoun (Black Volta), Nazion (Red Volta), and Nakanbe rivers, which flow south into Ghana. Its economy is largely agricultural. It is a republic with one advisory body and one legislative body; its chief of state is the president and its head of government, the prime minister. Probably in the 14th century, the Mossi and Gurma peoples established themselves in eastern and central areas. The Mossi kingdoms of Yatenga and Ouagadougou existed into the early 20th century. A French protectorate was established over the region 1895-97, and its southern boundary was demarcated through an Anglo-French agreement. It was part of the Upper Senegal-Niger (see Mali) colony, then became a separate colony in 1919. It was constituted an overseas territory within the French Union in 1947, became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958, and achieved total independence in 1960. Since then, it has been ruled primarily by the military and has experienced several coups; following one in 1984, the country received its present name. A new constitution, adopted in 1991, restored multiparty rule.