Editing Republic of Upper Volta

{{Short description|Former country in West Africa (1958–1984); now Burkina Faso}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Expand French|date=August 2012|République de Haute-Volta|topic=gov}}
{{stack begin}}
{{Infobox Former Country
| native_name            = {{native name|fr|République de Haute-Volta}}
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Upper Volta
| common_name            = Upper Volta
| demonym                = Upper Voltan<ref>National Basic Intelligence Factbook. United States: Central Intelligence Agency, 1980, p. 205 [https://books.google.com/books?id=CKSDXD2RmFgC]</ref>
| era                    = [[Cold War]]
| government_type        = [[One-party state|One-party]] [[presidential republic]] (1960–1966)<hr>[[Corporate statism|Corporatist state]] under a [[military dictatorship]] (1966–1980)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/burkinafaso.htm|title=The Economic History of Burkina Faso|website=San José State University Department of Economics}}</ref><hr>[[Military dictatorship]] (1980–1983)<hr>[[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninist]]<ref>{{cite web |date= 2020 |title= AFRICAN MARXIST MILITARY REGIMES, RISE AND FALL: INTERNAL CONDITIONERS AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS |url= https://seer.ufrgs.br/rbea/article/download/97061/58862 |access-date=2025-02-10 |publisher= Brazilian Journal of African Studies |language=en |quote= …Military Coups of a new type, which introduced revolutionary regimes self-declared Marxist-Leninist. This is the case of Somalia (1969) and Ethiopia (1974), the most emblematic case, but also of four french-speaking countries: Congo-Brazzaville (1968), Daomey/Benin (1972-74), Madagascar (1975) and Alto Volta/Burkina Faso (1983).}}</ref> [[Military dictatorship|military dictatorship]] (1983–1984)<ref>{{cite web |date= 2020 |title= AFRICAN MARXIST MILITARY REGIMES, RISE AND FALL: INTERNAL CONDITIONERS AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS |url= https://seer.ufrgs.br/rbea/article/download/97061/58862 |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher= Brazilian Journal of African Studies |language=en |quote=In contrast to Angola and Mozambique, where the Marxist component was associated with National Liberation Movements, those in Ethiopia and Somalia, as well as the four Francophone States, had Marxist Military Revolutions/Regimes after more than a decade of independence. […] In Somalia and Ethiopia, military coups in 1969 and 1974, respectively, evolved into socialist-oriented Marxist Military Regimes, which did not prevent the outbreak of a war between both states in 1977-78. In Somalia, the conflict complicated the strategy of socialist transformation, but in Ethiopia the opposite happened, with its deepening. In parallel, Congo-Brazzaville, Benin, Madagascar and Alto Volta (Burkina Faso), four former French colonies, suftered military coups that took the same path.}}</ref>
| year_start             = 1958
| status                 = [[Self-governing colony]] (1958–1960)
| year_end               = 1984
| event_start            = [[Self-governing colony]]
| date_start             = 11 December
| event_end              = [[Geographical renaming|Renamed]]
| date_end               = 4 August
| event1                 = [[Independence]]
| date_event1            = 5 August 1960
| event2                 = ''[[1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état|Coup d'état]]''
| date_event2            = 3 January 1966
| event3                 = ''[[1980 Upper Voltan coup d'état|Coup d'état]]''
| date_event3            = 25 November 1980
| event4                 = ''[[1982 Upper Voltan coup d'état|Coup d'état]]''
| date_event4            = 7 November 1982
| event5                 = ''[[1983 Upper Voltan coup d'état|Coup d'état]]''
| date_event5            = 4 August 1983
| p1                     = French Upper Volta
| flag_p1                = Flag of France.svg
| s1                     = History of Burkina Faso#Burkina Faso{{!}}Burkina Faso
| flag_s1                = Flag of Burkina Faso.svg
| image_flag             = Flag of Upper Volta.svg
| flag                   = Flag of Upper Volta
| image_coat             = Coat of arms of Upper Volta.svg
| symbol_type_article    = Coat of arms of Burkina Faso
| image_map              = LocationBurkinaFaso.svg
| capital                = [[Ouagadougou]]
| national_motto         = "Unité{{spaced ndash}}Travail{{spaced ndash}}Justice" {{small|{{in lang|fr}}<br />"Unity{{spaced ndash}}Work{{spaced ndash}}Justice"}}
| national_anthem        = {{lang|fr|[[Hymne National Voltaïque]]|italic=no}}<br />{{center|[[File:Republic of Upper Volta.ogg]]}}
| common_languages       = {{ubl|[[French language|French]] (official)|[[Mossi language|Mossi]]|[[Fula language|Fula]]|[[Gourmanché language|Gourmanché]]|[[Bambara language|Bambara]]}}
| religion               = {{ubl|[[Sunni Islam]]|[[Christianity]]|[[Traditional African religions|Traditional religions]]}}
| currency               = [[West African CFA franc|CFA franc]]
| title_leader           = [[President of Upper Volta|President]]
| leader1                = [[Maurice Yaméogo]]
| year_leader1           = 1959–1966
| leader2                = [[Sangoulé Lamizana]]
| year_leader2           = 1966–1980
| leader3                = [[Saye Zerbo]]
| year_leader3           = 1980–1982
| leader4                = [[Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo]]
| year_leader4           = 1982–1983
| leader5                = [[Thomas Sankara]]
| year_leader5           = 1983–1984
| title_representative   = [[List of governors of Upper Volta|High Commissioner]]
| representative1        = Max Berthet
| year_representative1   = 1958–1959
| representative2        = Paul Masson
| year_representative2   = 1959–1960
| deputy1                = [[Gérard Kango Ouédraogo]]
| year_deputy1           = 1971–1974
| deputy2                = Thomas Sankara
| year_deputy2           = 1983
| title_deputy           = [[Prime Minister of Upper Volta|Prime Minister]]
| cctld                  = 
| footnotes              = 
| population_estimate    = 6,823,000
| population_estimate_year = 1980<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm|title=Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: Data Query|publisher=United Nations|website=esa.un.org|access-date=2025-04-04}}</ref>
| today                  = [[Burkina Faso]]
| iso3166code            = HV
}}
{{History of Burkina Faso}}
{{stack end}}
The '''Republic of Upper Volta''' ({{langx|fr|République de Haute-Volta}}) was a landlocked [[West African]] country established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing state within the [[French Community]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.africa.com/countries/burkina-faso/afripedia/ |title=Burkina Faso |work=Afripedia |publisher=Africa.com |url-status=unfit |access-date=2017-02-09 |archive-date=2017-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155824/https://www.africa.com/countries/burkina-faso/afripedia/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Field Listing: National Holiday |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/print_2109.html |access-date=2020-11-30 |website=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA |archive-date=2020-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922105638/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/print_2109.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Before becoming autonomous, it had been part of the [[French Union]] as the [[French Upper Volta]]. On 5 August 1960, it gained full independence from [[French Fourth Republic|France]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Meredith |first=Martin |date=2013 |title=[[The State of Africa]] |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=69 |isbn=9780857203885}}</ref> On 4 August 1984, it changed its name to [[Burkina Faso]].

== Etymology ==
[[File:Upper volta map with rivers.PNG|thumb|200px|left|Map showing the [[Volta River]] in Upper Volta]]

The name Upper Volta indicated that the country contains the upper part of the [[Volta River]].

== History ==
[[French Upper Volta|Upper Volta]] obtained independence on 5 August 1960, with [[Maurice Yaméogo]] of the [[African Democratic Rally (Burkina Faso)|Voltaic Democratic Union-African Democratic Rally]] (UDV-RDA) becoming the country's first president. A constitution was ratified the same year, establishing presidential elections by direct universal suffrage and a National Assembly, both with five-year terms. Shortly after coming to power, Yaméogo banned all political parties other than the UDV-RDA. He had shown a deep authoritarian streak even before becoming president. Between the time he became prime minister of Upper Volta while it was still a French colony and independence two years later, opposition parties were subjected to increased harassment.

On 3 January 1966, Yaméogo was overthrown in a [[1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état|coup]] d'état led by army chief [[Sangoulé Lamizana]]. Although multiparty democracy was nominally restored four years later, Lamizana dominated the country's politics until he was himself overthrown in 1980.

After a series of short-term presidencies, [[Thomas Sankara]] then came to power through yet another military [[coup d'état]] on 4 August 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thomas Sankara |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Sankara |website=[[Encyclopedia Britannica]] |access-date=2017-02-09 |archive-date=2016-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010201132/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Sankara |url-status=live}}</ref> After the coup, he formed the National Council for the Revolution (CNR), with himself as president. Under the direction of Sankara, the country changed its name on 4 August 1984, from Upper Volta to [[Burkina Faso]], which means "Land of Incorruptible People".<ref name="WDL1">{{Cite web |title=More (Language of the Mossi Tribe) Phrase Book |url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/635 |access-date=16 February 2013 |website=[[World Digital Library]] |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123122514/https://www.wdl.org/en/item/635/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Politics ==
From 1958 to 1960, the Republic of Upper Volta was led by a high commissioner:
*[[Max Berthet]] (11 December 1958 to February 1959),
*[[Paul Masson (Upper Volta politician)|Paul Masson]] (February 1959 to 5 August 1960).
From 1971 to 1987, the Republic of Upper Volta was led by a prime minister:
*[[Gérard Kango Ouédraogo]] (13 February 1971 to 8 February 1974)
*[[Thomas Sankara]] (4 August 1983 to 14 October 1987)
{{clear}}

== Symbols ==

=== Flag ===
{{Main|Flag of Burkina Faso#Historical flags}}
The colours of the national flag corresponded to the names of the [[Volta River|Volta's]] three main tributaries: the [[Black Volta]], the [[White Volta]] and the [[Red Volta]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Upper Volta (Burkina Faso, 1959-1984) |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/bf_uv.html |access-date=2020-11-30 |website=Flags of the World |archive-date=2020-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920045902/https://www.fotw.info/flags/bf_uv.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== National Hymn ===
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
In French:

''Fière Volta de mes aieux,''<br>
''Ton soleil ardent et glorieux''<br>
''Te revêt d'or et de fierté''<br>
''Ô Reine drapée de loyauté !''

''Nous te ferons et plus forte, et plus belle''<br>
''À ton amour nous resterons fidèles''<br>
''Et nos cœurs vibrant de fierté''<br>
''Acclameront ta beauté''<br>

''Vers l'horizon lève les yeux''<br>
''Frémis aux accents tumultueux''<br>
''De tes fiers enfants tous dressés''<br>
''Promesses d'avenir caressées''

''Le travail de ton sol brûlant''<br>
''Sans fin trempera les cœurs ardents,''<br>
''Et les vertus de tes enfants''<br>
''Le ceindront d'un diadème triomphant.''

''Que Dieu te garde en sa bonté,''<br>
''Que du bonheur de ton sol aimé,''<br>
''L'Amour des frères soit la clé,''<br>
''Honneur, Unité et Liberté.''
{{col-break}}
In English:

Proud Volta of my ancestors,<br>
Your ardent and glorious sun<br>
Takes you with gold and pride<br>
O Queen draped with loyalty!

We will make you stronger and more beautiful<br>
To your love we will remain faithful<br>
And our hearts vibrant with pride<br>
Will acclaim your beauty<br>
Towards the horizon look up<br>
Frisks with the tumultuous accents<br>
Of your proud children all trained<br>
Caressed promises of future

The work of your burning ground<br>
Endless will soak the ardent hearts,<br>
And the virtues of your children<br>
The girdle of a triumphant diadem.

May God keep you in his goodness,<br>
May the happiness of your beloved soil,<br>
The love of the brethren be the key,<br>
Honor, Unity and Freedom.
{{col-end}}

This anthem was replaced in 1984 by a new anthem, the [[Ditanyè]].

==Cultural references==
{{anchor|Rockets}}During the 1960s, the [[Soviet Union]] was sometimes derisively referred to as "Upper Volta with rockets",<ref>{{cite news |last=Crashaw|first=Steve|date=15 November 1998|title={{sic|Telev|ison|nolink=y}}: From Burkina Faso with rockets to Upper Volta without|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/televison-from-burkina-faso-with-rockets-to-upper-volta-without-1185033.html|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|location=[[London]]|access-date=7 November 2014}}</ref> coined by a journalist Xan Smiley,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russialist.org/archives/3059.html##6|title=Research Topics|website=www.russialist.org|access-date=2017-11-07}}</ref> referencing USSR's disproportion of defence sector over relatively undeveloped civilian economy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voxeu.org/article/soviet-economy-1917-1991-its-life-and-afterlife|title=The Soviet economy, 1917-1991: Its life and afterlife|last=Harrison|first=Mark|date=2017-11-07|website=VoxEU.org|access-date=2017-11-07}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[History of Burkina Faso]]
*[[List of governors of Upper Volta]]
*[[List of heads of state of Burkina Faso]]
*[[List of heads of government of Burkina Faso]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Burkina Faso topics}}
{{Years in Burkina Faso}}
{{Former French colonies}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|12.1|N|1.7|W|type:country_region:BF_|display=title}}

[[Category:French West Africa]]
[[Category:Former colonies in Africa]]
[[Category:Former French colonies]]
[[Category:French colonisation in Africa]]
[[Category:Former republics|Upper Volta]]
[[Category:20th century in Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1958]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1960]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in French West Africa]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in the French colonial empire]]
[[Category:1960 disestablishments in the French colonial empire]]
[[Category:Burkina Faso–France relations]]
[[Category:Military dictatorships|Upper Volta]]