Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), shaped like a pair of welder's goggles, sits at the edge of the Sahel, locked in by Benin, Togo and Ghana to the southeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the south, Mali to the west and Niger to the north. At about twice the size of Colorado, it's one of the smallest territories in West Africa but one of the most heavily populated. Distribution is uneven and sketchy; large tracts of land in the north are almost deserted, while the south and central regions are bursting at the seams.

Most of Burkina is flat, arid and scrubby. To the north the vegetation thins out to sandy dunes as it approaches the Sahara. Conversely, the south opens up into forests and sugar cane fields and in the east there are rolling plateaus and green woodlands. The three major rivers of Burkina Faso, the Mahoun (Black Volta), Nazinon (Red Volta) and Nakanbe (White Volta), drain the central plateau in a southerly and easterly direction respectively.

Deforestation and desertification are a major threat to Burkina Faso, brought about through an unholy combination of drought, rapid population growth, overgrazing, and severe economic woes. The result is a 70km (43mi) swathe of land around the capital city, Ouagadougou, that's completely devoid of trees. The land has been picked clean as a bone by residents using the woods as their prime energy source. Some parks and reserves have survived this onslaught. Throughout the major national parks you can still see elephants, hippopotamuses, buffalo, antelope and crocodiles.

The climate in Burkina Faso is similar to other Sahel countries with two distinct seasons. The dry season lasts from November to May, and the wet season from June through to October. The hottest time of the year is between March and June, and dusty Harmattan winds blow incessantly between December and February, turning the landscape hazy and unphotogenic, and people sour, and irritable.

Burkina Faso's currency, the West African franc (CFA), is fixed against the Euro dollar. For as little as US$15 a day you can get a decent room (albeit with shared bathroom facilities), clean sheets and a foursquare meal from one of the local hole-in-the-wall diners. If you want to be closer to the centre of the city, are looking for airconditioned rooms, swimming pools, and a bit of ambience with your meal, you'll be paying about US$60 a day. Fancy hotels and French cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner will set you back about US$150-200 a day.

Ecobank in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso charges little commission on travellers cheques and changes most currencies; it's best to carry American Express traveller's cheques in French francs. Banks generally require proof of purchase to change travellers' cheques, so tuck receipts away in a safe place. BICIAB in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso gives cash advances on a Visa card.

Tipping in Africa is a grey area. It's tied to the notion of a gift or

As with most of West Africa, the best time to go is weather related. November to February are the cooler months of the year, although the dusty Harmattan winds might temper your enthusiasm between the months of December and February. If you're going in an odd-numbered year, the film festival starts in late February, and if in an even year, the cultural festival begins early April.