What was the original name of Burkina Faso?

The original name of Burkina Faso was Upper Volta. The name referred to the upper reaches of the Volta River system, whose major branches are the Black Volta, White Volta, and Red Volta.

France established the colony of Upper Volta in 1919 within French West Africa. The territory was created from areas previously administered as parts of Upper Senegal and Niger and the Côte d'Ivoire. Its capital was Ouagadougou, which remains Burkina Faso's capital today.

Upper Volta was dissolved in 1932 for administrative and economic reasons, with its territory divided among neighboring colonies. It was re-established after World War II in 1947. The territory became the autonomous Republic of Upper Volta in 1958 and gained independence on August 5, 1960.

The country adopted the name Burkina Faso on August 4, 1984, under the government of Thomas Sankara. The new name combines words from the Mossi and Dyula languages and is generally translated as “land of upright people.” Thus, Upper Volta is the correct historical name, while Burkina Faso is the modern one.