Tag Archive for: From The Hippo’s Ears

Andrew Stegmann

From The Hippo’s Ears: The Republic of the Congo

Facts you may not have know about The Republic of the Congo:

The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic, RotC, or simply the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa.

The Congo is a unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic, and gained independence from France in 1960.

1.  When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

The handshake is the most common greeting, and those close to each other may hug when greeting. Hello in Lingala is “mbote”. How are you is “ndenge nini?. In French, these would be “bonjour” and “comment allez-vous?” respectively.

2. What languages are spoken in the country?

The Congo has four official languages – French, Lingala, Kituba, and Kikongo. 62 spoken languages are recognized in the country. French and Kituba are very common. Lingala is influential in the sparsely inhabited northern half of the country.

3. Do you use a twelve hour clock, or a twenty-four hour clock?

We use a 24-hour system.

4. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in the country?

We drive on the right side of road.

5. How important is punctuality?

Time is flexible in the Congo. People don’t always arrive on time for meetings – this is part of the culture.

6. Which types of music are popular? Who are some of the most popular musicians?

The Republic is home to the Sub-Saharan African music traditions of the Kongo (48%), Sangha (20%), M’Bochi (12%) and Teke (17%) people. Folk instruments in the Republic of the Congo include the xylophone and mvet. The mvet is a kind of zither-harp, similar to styles found elsewhere in both Africa and Asia. The mvet is made of a long tube with one or two gourds acting as resonators. The Congo also shares popular music genres with its neighbor, the DRC, including soukous, a dance music genre.

For a taste of soukous music, listen to Dibolo Dibala’s Michel.

Pointe-Noire, Congo.

7. Are there any Traditional Dances?

One popular kind of dance in the Congo is ngoma. It is centered around traditional ngoma drum rhythms, Ngoma involves people coming together in rhythmic music and dance to address “difficult issues”, often related to health or life transitions. Mabiba Baegne is an internationally-acclaimed ngoma teacher.

Watch Mabiba Baegne’s dancing here.

8.  What traditional Festivals are celebrated in the country?

Feux de Brazza

The Feux de Brazza is a popular international festival of traditional music created in 2005 and that takes place in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo. The festival is held every two years alternating with the Pan-African Music Festival (FESPAM) and it favors traditional cultural exchanges.

The international festival welcomes groups of African artists, musicians, dancers, painters, and researchers. Burning firewood is lighted to inaugurate the event and symbolizes ancestral practices that should be preserved. The Feux de Brazza was established to safeguard African traditions so that future generations will continue to be aware of the continent’s rich culture. The festival is a challenge to the younger generation to preserve Africa’s culture of music and dance.

FESPAM (Panafrican Music Festival)

The Pan-African Music Festival is a multidimensional event that takes place every two years in Brazzaville. It has existed since 1993. It offers musical performances, a symposium, a permanent exhibition of musical instruments, training workshops, the Miss FESPAM event and other related activities.

Besides its cultural aspect, FESPAM is a scientific institution where researchers can explore, analyze, and evaluate the multifaceted aspects of African music. The festival offers a space for experts and musicologists to meet and discuss their work.

FESPAM is organized by the government of the Republic of Congo, under the aegis of the African Union (AU) and in partnership with UNESCO CICIBA, CIM, and AFRICOM.

9. What are the seasons like?

Since the country is located on the Equator, the climate is consistent year-round, with the average day temperature a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights generally between 16 °C (61 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F). The average yearly rainfall ranges from 1,100 millimeters (43 in) in the Niari Valley in the south to over 2,000 millimeters (79 in) in central parts of the country. The dry season is from June to August, while in the majority of the country the wet season has two rainfall maxima: one in March–May and another in September–November.

10. What are some interesting facts about the President?

President Denis Sassou Nguesso has served in the position since 25 October 1997. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party régime of the Congolese Party of Labour (PCT) for 12 years. Under pressure from international sources, he introduced multiparty politics in 1990 and was then stripped of executive powers by the 1991 National Conference, remaining in office as a ceremonial head of state. He stood as a candidate in the 1992 presidential election but was defeated, placing third. He was an opposition leader before returning to power during the Second Civil War (1997–1999), in which his rebel forces ousted President Pascal Lissouba.

The President was born in Edou, in the Oyo district, in northern Congo, in 1943. He is married to Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, a retired teacher.

11. What are the country’s major industries?

The Congo’s main industries are forestry, agriculture, and petroleum. Other industries include brewing, sugar, and palm oil. Exports include cocoa, coffee, plywood, and diamonds. The Congo’s main export partner is China, followed by the United States.

12. What are some of the things visitors can look forward to experiencing?

Major tourist attractions include visiting Nabemba Tower, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Memorial, Basilique Sainte-Anne-du-Congo de Brazzaville, Musee National du Congo, and Reserve Naturelle de Gorilles de Lesio-Louna-Lefini.

Brazaville, Congo.

13. What is a popular local drink?

A popular local drink in the Congo is palm wine – a fermented beverage made from the sap of a wild palm tree.

14. What is a popular local dish?

Popular dishes in the Congo include manioc (cassava root served as cubes with fish or meat); makobe (freshwater fish seasoned with chili, and cooked in marantacee leaves); and plantains (similar to bananas, which are fried like chips).

15. What do you pay, on average, for the following?

The Congo uses the Central African franc (CFA). (1 USD = approximately 594 CFA).

3-course meal at a mid-range restaurant: 10,696 CFA
Apples (1 kg): 3,550 CFA
Milk (1 l): 1,188 CFA
Cappuccino: 1,782 CFA
Water (350 ml): 511 CFA
Loaf of white bread: 653 CFA

16. Any general safety tips?

  • Travel is advised against within 50km of the border with the Central African Republic in Likouala region, as well as the Boko, Kindamba, Kinkala, Mayama and Mindouli districts of Pool region, and the Mouyondzi district of Bouenza region.
  • Previous periods of unrest have seen an increased police and military presence in Brazzaville. You should maintain a high level of security awareness, avoid political protests and avoid travel after dark.
  • Check whether you have consular support before traveling to the Congo.
  • While not common, violent crime, such as armed robbery and assault, remains a concern throughout the Republic of the Congo.

17. In conclusion, famous (and sometimes infamous) people from the country include:

  • Jadelin Mabiala Gangbo, a novelist and writer born in Brazzaville in 1976.
  • Emmanuel Boundzéki Dongala, a novelist who has authored many award-winning books.
  • François M’Pelé, a former professional footballer, who has played for teams in the Congo, as well as in Europe.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa  can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Image sources: [1], [2], Global Witness [3].

Andrew Stegmann

From The Hippo’s Ears: The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Written by Quintin Coetzee

Facts you may not have know about The Democratic Republic of the Congo:

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (République démocratique du Congo), also known as DR Congo, the DRC, DROC, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa.

The DRC is a unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic, and gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

1.  When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

Common greetings include handshakes, as well as hugs and cheek kisses for those who know each other well. Hello in Lingala is “mbote”. How are you is “ndenge nini?. In French, these would be “bonjour” and “comment allez-vous?” respectively.

2. What languages are spoken in the country?

French is the official language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is culturally accepted as the lingua franca facilitating communication among the many different ethnic groups of the Congo. According to a 2014 OIF report, 33 million Congolese people (47% of the population) could read and write in French.

Approximately 242 languages are spoken in the country, but only four have the status of national languages: Kituba (“Kikongo ya leta”), Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili.

3. Do you use a twelve hour clock, or a twenty-four hour clock?

We use a 24-hour system.

4. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in the country?

We drive on the right side of road.

5. How important is punctuality?

Time is flexible in DRC. People don’t always arrive on time for meetings – this is part of the culture.

6. Which types of music are popular? Who are some of the most popular musicians?

Music is a large part of Congolese culture. The DRC has blended its ethnic musical sources with Cuban rumba, and merengue to give birth to soukous, a genre of dance music from the Congo Basin.It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s and gained popularity in the 1980s in France.

For a taste of soukous music, listen to Dibolo Dibala’s Michel.

Aerial view of Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital.

7. Are there any Traditional Dances?

Kwassa kwassa is a dance created by Jeannora, a mechanic in Kinshasa. It started in the 1980s, spread across Africa, and was made popular by soukous music videos.

Watch kwassa kwassa dancing here.

8.  What traditional Festivals are celebrated in the country?

National Heroes’ Day

Referred to as “Heroes’ Day,” this public holiday is celebrated annually on January 17. It commemorates the death of Patrice Lumumba, the Congo’s popular leader. It is one of the two festivals that commemorate Lumumba’s fight for human dignity in the region.

National Liberation Day

The Congo observes National Liberation Day every year on May 17. This is a public holiday, so all offices and most businesses are closed. It pays tribute to the efforts of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo rebel group who fought the government during the second war. MLC was led by Jean-Pierre Bemba, the son of Bemba Saolona, a Congolese billionaire. Street parades and cultural shows are held.

Parents’ Day

The world observes Parents’ Day every August 1, but in the Congo, it is considered a public holiday. Locals are enthusiastic about giving greeting cards and gifts to their family.

9. What are the seasons like?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo lies on the equator, with one-third of the country to the north and two-thirds to the south. The climate is hot and humid in the river basin and cool and dry in the southern highlands, with a cold, alpine climate in the Rwenzori Mountains.

South of the equator, the rainy season lasts from October to May and north of the Equator, from April to November. Along the Equator, rainfall is fairly regular throughout the year. During the wet season, thunderstorms often are violent but seldom last more than a few hours. The average rainfall for the entire country is about 1,070 mm (42 in).

10. What are some interesting facts about the President?

President Félix Tshisekedi has served in the position since January 2019. He is the leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the oldest and largest party of the Democratic Republic of Congo, succeeding his father – Étienne Tshisekedi – in the role. Tshisekedi’s election at the end of 2018 marked the first peaceful transition of power since the DRC became independent from Belgium in 1960.

11. What are the country’s major industries?

The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered one of the world’s richest countries in natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals were estimated in 2011 to be worth in excess of US$24 trillion. The DRC’s main exports are gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, crude oil, and wood.

12. What are some of the things visitors can look forward to experiencing?

Major tourist attractions include visiting Lac Ma Vallée, Mount Mangengenge, and the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

View down a road in Kinshasa.

13. What is a popular local drink?

Ginger drinks and rice-based beers are popular. Linguila is a local wine made by fermenting sugar cane.

14. What is a popular local dish?

Popular DRC dishes include Chikwangue/kwanga (cassava, cooked and stored in banana leaves); loso na madesu (rice and beans); and liboke Ya mbika (steamed pumpkin seed pudding).

15. What do you pay, on average, for the following?

The DRC uses the Congolese franc (CDF). (1 USD = approximately 1,666 CFA).

3-course meal at a mid-range restaurant: 10,796 CDF
Apples (1 kg): 9,996 CDF
Milk (1 l): 3,382 CDF
Cappuccino: 5,198 CDF
Water (350 ml): 1,283 CDF
Loaf of white bread: 2,116 CDF

16. Any general safety tips?

  • Crime is common, and being vigilant is advised.
  • You should avoid using any taxis in DRC. If you must take a taxi, use a privately booked one. Don’t hail taxis in the street.
  • On 17 July 2019, the World Health Organisation declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) following an outbreak of the Ebola virus in eastern DRC. New cases continue to be reported across the affected areas including the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
  • Travel within 50km of the border with the Central African Republic and South Sudan is advised against.

17. In conclusion, famous (and sometimes infamous) people from the country include:

  • Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese politician and independence leader, who served as the first Prime Minister of the independent Democratic Republic of the Congo. He played a significant role in the transformation of the Congo from a colony of Belgium into an independent republic.
  • Robert Kidiaba, former Congolese international footballer who played for TP Mazembe, as a goalkeeper.
  • Le Grand Kallé (Joseph Athanase Tshamala Kabasele), a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa  can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Image sources: [1], [2], [3].

Andrew Stegmann

From The Hippo’s Ears: Cabo Verde

Facts you may not have know about Cabo Verde:

Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, and forms part of the Macronesia ecoregion. In ancient times these islands were referred to as “the Islands of the Blessed” or the “Fortunate Isles”. Located 570 kilometers (350 miles) west of the Cabo Verde Peninsula off the coast of Northwest Africa, the islands cover a combined area of slightly over 4,000 square kilometers (1,500 sq miles).

Cabo Verde has a population of approximately 540,000, and is a unitary, semi-presidential republic. Cabo Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975, and began using a multi-party system in 1990.

1.  When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

A handshake is a very common greeting, and some people may prefer to greet by kissing on the cheek. Useful phrases include “olá” (hello). “modi bu sta?” (how are you?), and “te logu” (goodbye).

2. What languages are spoken in the country?

Cabo Verde has one official language – Portuguese.

It is the language of instruction and government, and is also used in newspapers, television, and radio. Cape Verdean Creole, a dialect continuum of Portuguese-based creole, is a recognized national language. It is used colloquially, and is the mother tongue of virtually all Cape Verdeans.

3. Do you use a twelve hour clock, or a twenty-four hour clock?

We use a 24-hour system.

4. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in the country?

We drive on the right side of road.

5. How important is punctuality?

Time is flexible in Cape Verde. People don’t always arrive on time for meetings – this is part of the culture.

6. Which types of music are popular? Who are some of the most popular musicians?

Cape Verde music incorporates African, Portuguese, and Brazilian influences. Cape Verde’s quintessential national music is the morna, a melancholy and lyrical song form typically sung in Cape Verdean Creole. The most popular music genre after morna is the coladeira, followed by funaná and batuque music. Cesária Évora is a well-known Cape Verdean singer worldwide, known as the “barefoot diva”, because she liked to perform barefooted on stage. Other popular singers include Sara Tavares, Lura, and Mayra Andrade.

For a taste of Cabo Verdean music, listen to Cesária Évora’s Bia Lulucha.

7. Are there any Traditional Dances?

Two major traditional dances are the funaná (accompanied by accordion-based music), and the batuque (which is danced in a circle, and accompanied by singing only).

Watch traditional batuque dancing here.

8.  What traditional Festivals are celebrated in the country?

Carnival 

Taking place each February or March, this is Cabo Verde’s most famous festival. The carnival is characterized by revellers cladded in fancy dresses who throng streets creating an electrifying atmosphere with the beat of good music. There is an entertaining float procession, with incredible, flamboyant costumes against the backdrop of a clear blue sky.

The Flag Feast

This festival takes place on April 30th, on the island of Fogo. The festival starts with the ritual of women peeling and pounding maize in a pestle to the beat of the drum. The flags are important symbols and are blessed in water. Fogo males compete in horse races to have the honour of organizing next year’s event. The event combines a ceremonial mass and street party.

Sete Sóis e Sete Luas

Taking place in Ribeira Grande, on the island of Santo Antao, this festival offers superb music and culture. The name means ‘Seven Suns and Seven Moons’.

9. What are the seasons like?

Cape Verde’s climate is milder than that of the African mainland, because the surrounding sea moderates temperatures on the islands and cold Atlantic currents produce an arid atmosphere around the archipelago. Conversely, the islands do not receive the upwellings (cold streams) that affect the West African coast, so the air temperature is cooler than in Senegal, but the sea is warmer, because the orographic relief of some islands, such as Santiago with steep mountains, cover it with rich woods and luxuriant vegetation. Average daily high temperatures range from 26 °C (79 °F) in February to 31 °C (87.8 °F) in September. It rains irregularly between August and October.

10. What are some interesting facts about the President?

President Jorge Carlos Fonseca has led the country since 2011. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 1993. President Fonseca studied law, which he lectured at the University of Lisbon. He was also Assistant Professor and Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Law and Social Sciences in Cape Verde. The President has been married to Lígia Fonseca since 1989.

11. What are the country’s major industries?

Cape Verde’s notable economic growth and improvement in living conditions despite a lack of natural resources has garnered international recognition, with other countries and international organizations often providing development aid. The economy of Cape Verde is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for more than 70% of GDP. Although nearly 35% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture and fishing contribute only about 9% of GDP. Light manufacturing accounts for most of the remainder. Cabo Verde has cooperation with Portugal at every level of the economy, and in 2007, joined the World Trade Organization (WTO).

12. What are some of the things visitors can look forward to experiencing?

Major tourist attractions include Pico do Fogo (a stratovolcano), Buracona (a popular lagoon and cave), Monte Verde (the highest peak in Cabo Verde, with beautiful views), and Praia da Atalanta beach.

13. What is a popular local drink?

Popular drinks include Strela (a beer produced in the capital), and several varieties of wines from Chã das Caldeiras, including Santa Luzia and Brava.

14. What is a popular local dish?

The Cape Verde diet is mostly based on fish and staple foods like corn and rice. A popular dish served in Cape Verde is cachupa, a slow cooked stew of corn (hominy), beans, and fish or meat. A common appetizer is the pastel, which is a pastry shell filled with fish or meat that is then fried.

15. What do you pay, on average, for the following?

Cabo Verde’s currency is the Cabo Verdean Escudo. (1 USD = approximately 97 Cabo Verdean Escudo).

3 Course meal: 1,500 CVE
Domestic beer: 170 CVE
Cup of coffee: 130 CVE
Coca cola (330ml): 110 CVE
Milk (1l): 110 CVE
Loaf of white bread: 110 CVE
Apples (1 kg): 275 CVE
Water (1.5l): 90 CVE

16. Any general safety tips?

  • Be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
  • Keep sight of your belongings at all times. Leave valuables in a hotel safe if possible and don’t carry large amounts of cash.
  • Avoid unlit areas after dark.
  • Petty crimes like pick-pocketing or handbag snatching can occur, including on beaches.
  • Make sure your holiday accommodation is secure. Lock all doors and windows at night and when you go out.
  • Sexual assaults are rare but they do occur. Be alert and avoid secluded stretches of the beach with limited or restricted visibility.
  • Carry valuables in your hand luggage when traveling via Boa Vista airport.
  • Make sure your car or bike is in good condition, and insured.

17. In conclusion, famous (and sometimes infamous) people from the country include:

  • Cesária Évora, a popular singer. She has appeared on local bank notes and stamps, and was awarded the Grand-Cross of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal.
  • Lidiane Lopes, a Cape Verdean sprinter who specializes in the 100 meters and 200 meters. She is a 100 meters record holder, and competed at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
  • Ryan Mendes, a Cape Verdean football winger who plays for Sharjah in the UAE.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa  can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. Image sources: [1], [2],  Rainer Strehl [3].

Andrew Stegmann

From The Hippo’s Ears: Burkina Faso

Facts you may not have know about Burkina Faso:

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. Burkina Faso is a francophone country, with French as the official language of government and business. Roughly 40% of the population speaks the Mossi language.

Burkina Faso has a population of approximately 20 million, is a unitary semi-presidential republic, and gained independence from France in 1960.

1.  When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

A handshake with the right hand is the most common form of greeting. There’s usually a handshake accompanied by head taps on holidays: this means touching the sides of your head to another person’s head four times – two on each side. To say hello in French, it is “bonjour”, and in Mossi, it is “Ne y windiga”.

2. What languages are spoken in the country?

Burkina Faso is a multilingual country. An estimated 69 languages are spoken there, of which about 60 languages are indigenous. Mossi is spoken by about 40% of the population, mainly in the central region around the capital, Ouagadougou. The country has 4 official languages; French, Mòoré, Fula, and Dioula.

3. Do you use a twelve hour clock, or a twenty-four hour clock?

We use a 24-hour system.

4. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in the country?

We drive on the right side of road.

5. How important is punctuality?

Time is flexible in Burkina Faso. People don’t always arrive on time for meetings – this is part of the culture.

6. Which types of music are popular? Who are some of the most popular musicians?

The music of Burkina Faso includes the folk music of 60 different ethnic groups. Burkinabé traditional music has continued to thrive and musical output remains quite diverse. Popular music is mostly in French. With a musical career that lasted half a century, singer Amadou Balaké was one of the foremost singers from the country during the 20th century. In his music, Balaké combined Mandé, Mossi, and Afro-Cuban traditions. Other influential artists from the country include George Ouédraogo and Joseph Moussa Salambéré “Salambo”.

Popular traditional groups from Burkina Faso include balafon bands, percussion ensembles and others such as Farafina and Gabin Dabiré, who uses elements of traditional Burkinabé music. More recently, modern musicians in Burkina Faso are beginning to incorporate more foreign influences into their music, especially those from the United States, with genres such as hip-hop, rap, salsa and techno entering the music scene.

For a taste of Beninese music, listen to Amadou Balaké’s Taximen, and George Ouédraogo’s Munafica.

Monument des Héros Nationaux in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

7. Are there any Traditional Dances?

Dancing is a long-time part of the culture of Burkina Faso, both traditional dancing and contemporary dancing. There are many small groups of dancers that perform locally or travel small distances for special events. Dancing and music groups exist for all occasions, and Bobo-Dioulasso’s Djembe drumming tradition is internationally famous.

Watch an traditional Gour’mache dance here.

8.  What traditional Festivals are celebrated in the country?

Festima Festival

Every two years, in the city of Dedougou, the Festima Festival occurs. This is a mask festival attended by around 40 villages, each of them represented by their own group of masks. Aside from much dancing, there is also the “market of the communities”, as well as the cabaret nights when various “griots” (storytellers) are in competition to reveal their own talent.

FESPACO

The PanAfrican Cinema and Television Festival of Ouagadougou is one of the most important festivals revealing the African cinema. It happens every two years in Ouagadougou. Goals of the festival include allowing contacts and exchanges between cinema, television and radio professionals; promoting the distribution of African cinema pieces; and encouraging the blossoming, development, and protection of the African cinema as a mean of expression, education, and social awareness.

Jazz à Ouaga

The festival was created in 1992, in Ouagadougou. Over the years, Jazz à Ouaga has become a major festival for all jazz lovers. The high quality of the artistic program satisfies an always increasing international body of attendees.

9. What are the seasons like?

Burkina Faso has a primarily tropical climate with two very distinct seasons. In the rainy season, the country receives between 60 and 90 cm (23.6 and 35.4 in) of rainfall; in the dry season, the harmattan – a hot dry wind from the Sahara – blows. The rainy season lasts approximately four months, May/June through September, and is shorter in the north of the country. A relatively dry tropical savanna, the Sahel, extends beyond the borders of Burkina Faso, from the Horn of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, and borders the Sahara to its north and the fertile region of the Sudan to the South. The Sudan-Sahel region is a transitional zone with regards to rainfall and temperature. Further to the south, the Sudan-Guinea zone has cooler average temperatures than the northern region.

10. What are some interesting facts about the President?

President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré has been in office since 2015. Previously he served as the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso between 1994 and 1996, and as President of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso from 2002 to 2012. He has also served as President of the political party Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP). In January 2014, he left the ruling CDP and joined a new opposition party, the People’s Movement for Progress. Upon taking office, he became the first non-interim president in 49 years without any past ties to the military. He is married to Togolese-born jurist and healthcare advocate Sika Bella Kaboré, and has three children.

11. What are the country’s major industries?

Burkina Faso’s main industries are agriculture and mining. Agriculture represents around a third of the country’s GDP, and employs around 80% of its workforce. It consists mostly of rearing livestock. Especially in the south and southwest, the people grow crops of sorghum, pearl millet, maize (corn), peanuts, rice and cotton, with surpluses to be sold. A large part of the economic activity of the country is funded by international aid. Major exports from the country include raw cotton, sesame seeds, and non-monetary gold.

12. What are some of the things visitors can look forward to experiencing in Benin?

Major tourist attractions include the Domes de Fabedougou (fascinating rock formations outside the town of Banfora); Cascades de Karfiguela (a series of waterfalls along the Komoé River in Southwestern Burkina Faso); Ouagadougou Cathedral (a 1930s-build cathedral showcasing beautiful architecture); and Reserve de Nazinga (a wildlife reserve where visitors can see elephants, among other animals).

Bobo Dioulasso Grand Mosque in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

13. What is a popular local drink?

Popular drinks include bissap (a sour-tasting drink made from roselle (bissap) flowers (a member of the hibiscus family) and sweetened with sugar; and degue, a drink made from pearl millet and yogurt.

14. What is a popular local dish?

Burkinabé cuisine, the cuisine of Burkina Faso, is similar to the cuisines in many parts of West Africa, and is based on staple foods of sorghum, millet, rice, fonio, maize, peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra.

Popular local dishes include tô (cooled polenta-style cakes made from ground millet, sorghum or corn, served with a sauce made from vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, sumbala, and carrots); and babenda, a stew of fermented beans, fish, cabbage, and/or spinach.

15. What do you pay, on average, for the following? (1 USD = approx. CFA 581)

Benin’s currency is the West African CFA franc (CFA).

3 Course meal: CFA 12,500
Domestic beer (500ml): CFA 1,000
Cup of coffee: CFA 2,000
Coca cola (330ml): CFA 450
Milk (1l): CFA 1,100
Loaf of white bread: CFA 1,500
Apples (1 kg): CFA 2,000
Water (1.5l): CFA 850

16. Any general safety tips?

Burkina Faso carries a risk of terrorist activity, and there are travel warnings for many parts of the country, including the capital. In December 2018, the Government of Burkina Faso declared a six-month state of emergency in the entire East and Sahel regions, the provinces of Kossi and Sourou in the Boucle de Mouhoun region, the province of Kenedougou in the Hauts Bassins region, the province of Loroum in the North region, and the province of Koulpelogo in the Center-East region.

UK health authorities have classified Burkina Faso as having a risk of Zika virus transmission.

17. In conclusion, famous (and sometimes infamous) people from the country include:

  • Georgie Badiel, a model and activist living and working in New York City. Badiel was Miss Burkina Faso in 2003 and Miss Africa 2004. She is also an author and activist who has taken on the issue of the lack of potable drinking water in her West African homeland. Therein she runs the Georgie Badiel Foundation which is dedicated to raising funds to support the cause.
  • Gabin Dabiré, a singer, guitarist, kora player, and composer. In 1979 his collection of ethnic music of Western Africa was published by the cultural association and music group Futuro Antico, which he co-founded with Walter Maioli and Riccardo Sinigaglia.
  • Jacky Ido, a Burkinabe-born French actor, who has starred in movies including Lockout, West, and Salaud, on t’aime.
  • Fulgence Ouedraogo, a French rugby union player. He currently plays for Montpellier Hérault RC in the Top 14 championship. His usual position is as a flanker.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa  can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. Image sources: musiccity [1], [2], [3].