Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou, commonly referred to as Ouaga, is the capital city of Burkina Faso and is home to around one and a half million Ouagalais, as they are known. The city was founded in the fifteenth century when two populations coexisted in the area, the Yonyonse and NINS. It gained its name following defeat of the NINS (Ninsi) by the Yonyonse under the leadership of Wubri son of Zoungrana after years of repeated attacks. Wubri then renamed the whole area 'Wogodogo' meaning 'it receives honour, respect'.

Ouagadougou is a language variant of Wogodogo. The secular capital of the Mossi Empire, Ouagadougou is located on the central plateau of the country and the city is structured around the imperial palace of Mogho Naaba, a palace built in post-colonial period, with Sudano-Sahelian architecture that "integrates elements of modernity in a traditional dimension." This video shows you around Ouagadougou and gives a good, if sometimes shaky, taste of life in the city. After you've watched it, why not make a virtual landing at Ouagadougou Airport or check out our other Burkina Faso featured pages. You can also explore Ouagadougou in our interactive map below.