Thursday, 26 March 2015

BURKINA FASO - Repibilik báága Burkĩna Faso

Burkina Faso , officially the Republic of Burkina Faso (Mossi: Repibilik báága Burkĩna Faso), is a landlocked country in West Africa. It covers an area of around 274,200 square kilometres (105,900 sq mi) and is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north; Niger to the east; Benin to the southeast; Togo to the southeast; Ghana to the south; and Ivory Coast to the southwest. The July 2019 population estimate by the United Nations was 20,321,378. The country's official language of government and business is French. Roughly 50% of the population speaks the Mossi language natively. Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), the country was renamed "Burkina Faso" on 4 August 1984 by erstwhile President Thomas Sankara. Its citizens are known as Burkinabé. Its capital is Ouagadougou.

The story of the posts in Burkina Faso begins in the 1890s, with French penetration into the area and the establishment of military posts. Prior to the creation of French Upper Volta in 1919, postal service in the area was administered by Senegambia and Niger and then Upper Senegal and Niger.

Upper Volta's first stamps were issues of Upper Senegal and Niger overprinted "HAUTE-VOLTE", appearing in 1920. Overprints and surcharges continued to be issued throughout the 1920s, then superseded in 1928 by a definitive series of 23 stamps featuring three designs: a Hausa chief, Hausa woman, and Hausa warrior. Upper Volta also participated in the Colonial Exposition Issue of 1931. In 1932 the colony was dissolved and its territory divided between Côte d’Ivoire, French Sudan and Niger.

Upper Volta was reconstituted in 1947, its postal administration continued to be part of French West Africa until the establishment of the Republic of Upper Volta in 1958. The Republic operated its own postal system, and issued its first stamp in 1959, marking the 1st anniversary of the Republic, and memorializing governing council president Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly, who had died recently. In 1960 it issued a definitive series of 18 stamps showing native animal masks, and generally followed a stamp program consistent with other African members of the French Community. On August 5, 1960, it attained full independence from France.



The covers posted on March 28, 2017 and I received on April 20, 2017. Earlier Burkina Faso issued many thematic stamps, but now it is less.

My  friend Holger Kaufhold sent these covers from Ouagadougou during his African vacation in March 2015. The postmark he put himself from post office to make it clear. Burkina Faso postal service called as Sonapost still use old fashioned Registered labels and they don't print thematic stamps for collectors. Our mutual fried Bachirbou ,who is a law student in Niamey also helped to get the cover in perfect way. Thank You Holger and Bachirbo.


The Main post office building in Ouadadougou , the capital city of Burkina Faso.
My friend Holger preparing  the covers and postcards for postmarking

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