Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou , called familiarly Ouaga , is the Capitale Burkina Faso and more the big city of the country with a population of 1,1 million inhabitants (2005). It is the arts center, economic and administrative of the country. The inhabitants of Ouagadougou are the Ouagalais or Ouagavillois .

The word in the beginning is “Woogrtenga” and “Wogodogo” and means “ where honors are received, respect ”/.

History

In the beginning, the city was called Kombemtinga, the " ground of the guerriers". The versions explaining this change of name are many and sometimes opposite.

In way more some, one can affirm that the city was founded at the eleventh century by Nyonyonsé. For the continuation, according to the version of Larlé Naba, holder of the secrecies of the Empire Mossi, the founders, undergoing repeated attacks of nearby people, had to ask the protection of the Empereur mossi Zoungrana, then established with Tenkodogo. Zoungrana entrusted the defense of the city to his/her Oubri son. Nyonyonsé were subjected, and the locality was then baptized " Wogdgo" : “Come to honor me”. It is this name which would have evolved/moved to give " Woghodogo ", then " Ouagadougou " in its occidentalized version.

The city became capital Empire mossi in 1441 under the reign of Naba Niandéfo. But it is only in 1681 that it will become permanent residence of the emperors (morho-naba), with Naba Sanem.

Districts are created then quickly around the imperial palace. They preserved so far their name: Ouidi, district of the chief of the cavalry. Dapoya, district of the freed prisoners. Paspanga, where the lately established emperors will collect the tender of the dignitaries of the Empire, etc

Become capital of the territory of the Upper Volta in 1919, the city loses its preeminence during the years of division of the territory (1932 - 1947). To the reconstitution of the Upper Volta, the administration is again transferred to Ouagadougou.

Arrival of the railroad, in 1954, until independence (1960), the population of the city will double, passing from: 30000 with more: 60000 inhabitants. Thereafter, the number of Ouagalais will double every ten years regularly: : 500000 at the beginning of the the Nineties and more than one million today.

Geographical position

It is located about at the center of the country (12°17,5' of latitude and 1°7' of longitude), in the province of the Kadiogo.

To approximately 300 km in north, one joined Gorom-Gorom and them doors of the desert. One is then very ready Niger and Mali.

To approximately 200 km in the south, one finds the country Gourounsi with in particular the village of Tiébélé and his coloured houses, but also the natural reserve of Nazinga. The Ghana and the Togo are then very close.

A road also leaves in south-western direction it to join the town of Sore-Dioulasso. It is in very bad condition on certain portions what makes it relatively dangerous. Work was undertaken since 2005 and the safety of the road improved some. The pause of the bus with Boromo is one magic moment for the tourists so much environment is astonishing and sharp there.

It is also possible to carry out the way in direction of Sore by the train since Ouagadougou is connected by railway until Abidjan (Ivory Coast), way exploited by Sitarail.

Climate of Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou is located roughly at the center of the Burkina Faso. It is a sahélienne city, the temperature is thus high there and rare water. The hottest month is that of April; the temperatures can then easily reach 45°C and it is difficult to sleep without a ventilator or air conditioning when one one is not accustomed. But it is all the same possible to live there one is acclimatized very quickly.

The rainy season starts in June (even if the first rains arrive in May and sometimes in April). Ouagalais say " then; that the weather is nice temps" such an amount of the rain and freshness was awaited. Attention however because the summer (or " hivernage") also bring its batch of mosquitos and the Paludisme (or malaria) then made devastations. The rainy season is the period when one acclimatizes oneself most easily because of the freshness brought by the rains.

In October - November, the rains rarefy but the temperature starts to drop (because of December which corresponds to the coldest period: the temperature goes down to 14°C even only 10), it is accompanied by the Harmattan, a wind which raises the dust of the city and which can make suffocate when this air charged with red sand mixes with pollution motor bikes at the rush hours (7h00; 12:30; 15:00; 17:30). This period is relatively pleasant because the city is still a little green and the mosquitos fewer than during the wintering.

The season dries is prolonged then December at April. In December and January the temperatures fall but remain largely bearable. Only the autochtones complain about low temperatures and wear large wind-breakers during this period.

In February - March, the temperatures go up quickly, they then reach frequently 40°C.

Administrative organization

The city counts 30 sectors and 17 villages for 5 districts: Baskuy, Bogodogo, Boulmiougou, Nongr-Maasom and Sig-Noghin. Each district is directed by an elected mayor and has same attributions as the other common Burkinabes, except for the budget.

Lists of the mayors

1956 : first municipal elections
1959: dissolution of the municipal council replaced by a special delegation
1961 to 1965: Joseph Issoufou Conombo
1995 -: Simon Compaoré

Economy and transport

The city has few industries, developed mainly in the agroalimentary and textile fields.

For transport, an international airport (code AITA: OAU) is present, and the city is the terminus of a railway exploited by the Sitarail coming from Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and of the roads towards Lome (Togo), Bamako (Mali), Niamey (Niger), Accra (Ghana).

The inhabitants of Ouagadougou appreciate to circulate in two wheels. The national park of motor bikes is estimated at: 600000 motor bikes; : 50000 motor bikes are marketing each year.

Education and culture

The university of Ouagadougou was founded in 1974 and was the first establishment of higher education of the country. One also finds there universities with vocation of the area of the African west such as group EIER-ETSHER. Many establishments of higher education appeared recently: the polytechnic university of Sore, the university of Koudougou, the institute of Computer sciences and management (ISIG) of Ouagadougou.

The city accommodates the Panafrican Festival of the cinema and the television of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) , the International fair of the craft industry of Ouagadougou (SIAO), and is the site of one of the largest markets of West Africa.

Sports

The capital has many football clubs, of which clubs the most titrated at the national level: the Shooting star of Ouagadougou and ASFA Yennenga. The other clubs of the city evolving/moving with the more high level are:

Common ACE SONABEL
Football Club
RC Kadiogo
Santos FC
US Ouagadougou
USFA

Health

The city has of public infrastructures (like the national hospital Yalgado Ouédraogo, sector 4 of the city) and much of private infrastructures.

Twinning

Ouagadougou is twinned with:

Grenoble France
Leuze-in-Hainaut Belgium
Loudun France.

References

Random links: