Today’s spot of the day is Ouagadougou (pronounced: WA-ga-DOO-goo), the capital, cultural and economic hub and largest city of landlocked Burkina Faso, which means “Land of the Honorable People” and was formerly known as Upper Volta. Its people are known as Africa’s most honest people. Ouagadougou is one of the oldest and less urbanized cities on earth.

• The shortened name is Ouaga (pronounced: WA-ga).
• The name dates to the 15th century when two warring tribes declared a truce renaming the area to “Wage sabre soba koumbem tenga,” meaning “head war chief’s village.
• It is a city situated on the central plateau (12.4°N 1.5°W) the size of Great Britain, located in the heart of West Africa between the Sahara Desert and the forest of the south.
• It was colonized by France as a passageway to the Ivory Coast, Benin, Mali, and Niger.
• It is made up of the Mossi (60%), who are excellent horsemen and were influential in repelling the slave trade for 400 years, the Samo, Gourounsi, Lobi, and other tribes.
• The climate is hot, semi-arid and tropical wet, and dry. The rainy season is from June-September and the hottest months are February-May.
• The staple food is sorghum, millet, maize, fonio, peanuts, yams, potatoes, and okra.
• Ouagadougou’s primary industries are food processing and textiles.
• Known for its hospitality, culture, mopeds, singed chickens, indigenous masks, and dancing.
• Places of interest are Bangr-Weoogo urban park, Naba Koom , Jardin de l’amitié Ouaga-Loudun, La Place du Grand Lyon, Parc Animalier de Ziniaré, Musée de Manega, Laongo, Ouagadougou Grand-Mosque.