Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is located in the savanna region of West Africa, just south of the Sahara Desert. This country, about the size of Colorado, has an arid, hot climate. Only 10 percent of the land of Burkina Faso can be farmed, but 82 percent of the country's labor force depends on agriculture. The main crops grown in Burkina Faso are millet, sorghum, rice and peanuts. Non-agricultural industries include oil production as well as diamond and copper mining. Formerly called Upper Volta, Burkina Faso came under French control in 1896. Independence came in 1960, along with an elected government. Leadership changed when the military seized power in 1980, and seven years later a coup restored limited democracy to the country. French remains the official language.

Today, Burkina Faso relies heavily on foreign aid. For most people, modern technology has not touched daily life (for example, only one person in 221 owns a television set, and about one in every 447 has a phone). Water is scarce, and people often travel considerable distance simply to find water for daily use. Life expectancy in Burkina Faso is in the low forties, partly due to the fact that there is about one physician per 30,000 citizens. The National Center of Arts and Crafts corresponds with rural artisans living outside the nation's capital and works to preserve the art of the country's culture. The center also provides training in technical skills for artisans. The craftspeople of Burkina Faso produce a diverse collection of handicrafts including sculpture, fancy leather goods, batik fabric, pottery, baskets, "mudcloth" (natural fabric dyed with pigments from mud), musical instruments and brassware.