Ougadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso. The administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation, it is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,181,702 (as of 2006). The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga.
Ouagadougou is served by an international airport, rail links to Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire and to Kaya in the north of Burkina, and a highway to Niamey, Niger. Being a crossroads, there are many cinemas and nightclubs. Ouagadougou was the site of Ouagadougou grand market, one of the largest markets in West Africa, which burned in 2003 and remains closed. Other attractions include the National Museum of Burkina Faso, the Moro-Naba Palace, the National Museum of Music, and several craft markets. French is the main langauge of business and commerce and travelers should come armed with at least a few basic phrases.