Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation of seventeen million people
in western Africa, north of Ghana. It is geographically in the
Sahel--the agricultural region between the Sahara Desert and the
coastal rain forests. Most of central Burkina Faso lies on a
savanna plateau, 200 meters-300 meters (650 ft.-1,000 ft.) above
sea level, with fields, brush, and scattered trees. The country
is mostly savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the
Black, Red, and White Voltas. The largest river is the Mouhoun
(Black Volta), which is partially navigable by small craft.
Source: NASA/The Map Library Burkina Faso has West Africa's
largest elephant population. Game preserves also are home to
lions, hippos, monkeys, warthogs, and antelope. Infrastructure
and tourism are, however, not well developed. Annual average
rainfall varies from about 100 centimeters (40 in.) in the south
to less than 25 centimeters (10 in.) in the north and northeast,
where hot desert winds accentuate the dryness of the region. The
cooler season, Novem