Republic of Upper Volta ( French : République de Haute-Volta ). It was an autonomous African republic within the French Community established on December 11, 1958 , formerly known as French Upper Volta . On August 1 , 1960 , independence from the French government is officially granted [1] . This state changed its name to Burkina Faso on August 4 , 1984 during the mandate of the communist leader Thomas Sankara .
Republic of Upper Volta.
The name Upper Volta indicates that the country contained the upper reaches of the Volta River (Black Volta), and its two tributaries, the White Volta and the Red Volta , a tributary of the former. The colors of the Upper Volta flag represent these three rivers.
The Republic of Upper Volta was a West African country that existed from 1958 to 1984. It was located in the region that is now known as Burkina Faso. The country gained its independence from France in 1960 and was initially led by President Maurice Yaméogo. In 1966, Yaméogo was overthrown in a military coup, and a series of military regimes ruled the country until 1983.
In 1983, Captain Thomas Sankara seized power in another coup and renamed the country Burkina Faso, which means “land of honest men.” Sankara was known for his revolutionary policies, including efforts to improve education, healthcare, and women’s rights, and his rejection of foreign aid and debt. However, his government was also criticized for human rights abuses and authoritarianism.
Sankara was assassinated in 1987, and his successor, Blaise Compaoré, ruled the country until he was ousted in a popular uprising in 2014. Burkina Faso is now a democratic country and a member of the African Union and the United Nations.
