Burkina Faso

The struggle

Upper Volta was dissolved by France in 1932 and its people distributed to neighbouring colonies as a labour reserve, then reconstituted in 1947 after a campaign led by Mossi chiefs and politicians. Independence came on 5 August 1960. The country renamed itself Burkina Faso — 'land of upright people' — under Thomas Sankara in 1984.

Key people

• Maurice Yaméogo

  1921–1993

  First president

• Moro Naba Sagha II

  1905–1957

  Mossi ruler who led the campaign to restore the territory

• Thomas Sankara

  1949–1987

  Renamed the country and redefined its independence