Burkina Faso is landlocked country in West Africa celebrates Independence Day to day on 5th august to commemorate the day when the country gained full independence from France in 1960.

Europeans made their first attempts to claim parts of the region in 1890s. The countries that expressed interest in the territory of what is now Burkina Faso were Britain, France and Germany. Eventually, Burkina Faso became a French colony in 1896.

After the Second World War, colonial empires began to collapse due to intense anti-colonial agitation. In 1956, France began to reorganize its overseas territories, granting them a larger degree of self-government. The new government of fifth republic promised to grant French colonies independence after a transitional period.

In 1960, seventeen African nations declared their independence, resulting in the year being referred to as the Year of Africa. Upper Volta was among them. The Republic of Upper Volta became fully independent from France on August 5, 1960. It was renamed Burkina Faso (“the land of honest men”) in 1984.

The above banknote is one of the early issue of the new Republic. Issued in the year 1961 the banknote comes with the denomination of 1000 West African Francs. The banknote shows native women along with traditional mask and forest on the obverse and a carved antique piece on the reverse.

Image Courtesy: banknotes.com