Burkina Faso

Poor even by the standards of West Africa and landlocked at the edge of the Sahel Burkina Fasoâthe âœLand of Men of Dignityââhas been plagued by political instability since independence from France in 1960. The country has suffered five military coups the last of which cost the life of the outspoken and charismatic leader Thomas Sankara who had waged war on poverty corruption and illiteracy. Yet Burkinaâs growth was surprisingly strong during the 1980s as it made the best of its meager assets in cotton gold and livestock. The country is also fortunate in its relative lack of ethnic conflict and the several religions practicedâIslam Christianity and animismâ peacefully coexist. Burkina has earned mixed reviews on the international stage however fighting two wars with Mali and supporting Taylorâs rebels in the Liberian civil war. In this textured introduction to Burkina Faso Pierre Englebert highlights the historical and contemporary factors that account for the countryâs instability; considers the ethnic religious and social contours of the Burkinabà polity; examines in depth the countryâs economic policies and prospects; and analyzes Burkinaâs external relations. Looking toward the next millennium he concludes by assessing the chances of the apparent recent drive toward a more democratic system. Language: English