Koudougou, Burkina Faso

Capital City

With a population of just under 92,000, Koudougou is a mid-sized city in Burkina Faso that offers limited economic prospects beyond agriculture and small industry. The railroad station provides some connectivity, but the city lacks the infrastructure and amenities of the larger urban centers like the capital Ouagadougou. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the fact that the administrative borders have been repeatedly redrawn. On the plus side, Koudougou is home to a university and has a few modest cultural attractions. Overall, this is a functional but unremarkable provincial center best suited for those with a specific reason to be there, rather than a prime destination for expatriates seeking an exciting new life abroad.