Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) became independent from France on 5 August 1960. In August 1984, Upper Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso, meaning "the country of honorable people."

Military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise Compaore came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then.

A new constitution establishing the fourth republic was adopted in June 1991.

Burkina Faso's legal system is a civil law system based on the French model and customary law.