Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou is the capital of the West African nation of Burkina Faso. Located in the center of the country the city has wide tree-lined boulevards and several interesting sights including the National Museum of Arts and Craft, the Nouveau Grand Marche  and the Moro Naba Palace.

The name Ouagadougou goes back to the 15th century when the Yonyonse and the Ninsi tribes inhabited the area. They were in constant conflict until 1441 when Wubri, a Yonyonse hero and an important figure in Burkina Faso’s history, led his tribe to victory. He then renamed the area from "Kumbee-Tenga," as the Ninsi had called it, to "Wogodogo," meaning "where people get honor and respect." Ouagadougou is a corruption of Wogodogo. The spelling of the name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in former French African colonies. The country changed its name from 'Upper Volta' to Burkina Faso in the 1980s. If English orthography were used (as in Ghana or Nigeria), the spelling would be Wagadugu.