Burkina Faso, also known as the Republic of Burkina Faso, is located in West Africa. Formerly owned by France, the country was known as Uppa Volta but its name was changed in 1984 after gaining independence in 1960. The capital city of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou, its official language is French and it has a population of over 15.7 million. The currency used in Burkina Faso is the West African CFA franc (XOF).