President Maurice Yameogo was deposed on Jan. 3, 1966, by a military coup led by Col. Sangoule Lamizana, who dissolved the National Assembly and suspended the constitution. Constitutional rule returned in 1978 with the election of an Assembly and a presidential vote in June in which Gen. Lamizana won by a narrow margin over three other candidates.

On Nov. 25, 1980, a bloodless coup took place that put Gen. Lamizana under house arrest. Col. Saye Zerbo took charge as the president of the Military Committee of Reform for National Progress. Maj. Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo toppled Zerbo in another coup on Nov. 7, 1982. Captain Thomas Sankara, in turn, deposed Ouedraogo a year later. His government changed the country's name on Aug. 3, 1984, to Burkina Faso ("the land of upright men") to sever ties with its colonial past. In Feb. 1996 a little-known economist, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, became prime minister.

Ouagadougou also spelled WAGADUGU, capital and largest town of Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). It was the capital of the historic Mossi kingdom of Wagadugu (founded in the 15th century) and the seat of the morho naba ("great king") of the Mossi people. Islam became the religion of the kings under Naba Dulugu (ruled 1796?-1825?). The morho naba still lives in the city, though his powers have been greatly eclipsed by the French colonial and post-independent administrations.

Ouagadougou is a city of large trees and modern public buildings abutting traditional residential neighbourhoods. It has a market, a crafts centre, the national museum, and the University of Ouagadougou (1969). It is connected by rail to the Atlantic port of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and has an international airport. Major products include textiles, carbonated beverages, matches, and footwear. Population (1985 est.) 359,801.