History of Burkina Faso

The history of Burkina Faso follows the societies and states of the region from ancient times through French colonial rule, independence in 1960, and later political change.

Bura Culture: An archaeological culture of the Middle Niger region, known for distinctive terracotta figures and burial practices. Its sites illuminate early societies in the wider region around present-day Burkina Faso.
French Upper Volta: A French colonial territory established in 1919, dissolved in 1932, and reconstituted in 1947. Its changing boundaries created the administrative predecessor of independent Burkina Faso.
Mogho Naba Wobgo: The Mossi ruler who resisted French occupation of Ouagadougou and went into exile in 1897. His resistance made the conquest of the Mossi state contested rather than consensual.
Renaming of Upper Volta to Burkina Faso: The 1984 change of the country’s name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso under Thomas Sankara. The new name expressed a break with colonial identity and a vision of national dignity.
History of Mali: The history of the West African country Mali, from ancient empires through French rule and independence. Mali shares regional histories and French colonial legacies but developed a distinct postcolonial state.
Mossi Kingdoms: A group of historic states founded by Mossi-speaking peoples in the Volta basin. Their rulers shaped political life across much of the territory before French conquest.
French West Africa: A federation of French colonial territories in West Africa that existed from 1895 to 1958. Upper Volta’s colonial administration operated within this larger imperial system.
Philippe Zinda Kaboré: A politician from Upper Volta who became a leading figure in the territory’s early representative politics. His career connects colonial-era political organization with the transition toward self-government.
Burkinabè Revolution: The program of political and social transformation pursued under Thomas Sankara from 1983 to 1987. Its reforms altered land policy, public health, women’s rights, and state institutions.
History of Ghana: The history of the West African country Ghana, from precolonial states through British rule and independence. Ghana’s British colonial experience contrasts with Upper Volta’s French administration.

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History of Ivory CoastCompared with: Migration between the two countries became central to Ivorian labor and citizenship debates.