Mount Tenakourou

{{Short description|Highest point in Burkina Faso}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Mount Tenakourou | image = Tenakourou.jpg | image_caption = Stones at the top of the Tenakourou | image_size = 260 | elevation_m = 747 | elevation_ref = <ref>[http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=11090 "Téna Kourou" on Peakbagger.com] Retrieved 30 September 2011</ref> | prominence_m = | prominence_ref = | listing = Country high point | map = Burkina Faso | map_caption = Location in Burkina Faso (on the border with Mali) | map_size = 240 | label_position = right | location = Burkina Faso – Mali border | range = | coordinates = {{coord|10|45|00|N|5|25|00|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = | topo = | type = Hill | age = | last_eruption = | first_ascent = | easiest_route = }}

'''Mount Tenakourou''' (also spelled Ténakourou, Tena Kourou or Téna Kourou) is the highest point in Burkina Faso. It is a hill situated on the border of the Cascades Region of Burkina Faso and the Sikasso Region of the country of Mali, not far from the source of the Black Volta. It has an elevation of {{convert|747|m|ft|0}}. The hill is part of Burkina Faso's South-Western Paleozoic sandstone massif<ref>Ouedraogo, O., Schmidt, M. (2011). [http://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/botanik/phanerogamen1/ouedraogo_et_schmidt_2010-atlas-bf-7-5_chaines-greseuses.pdf Chaînes gréseuses. Formations saxicoles / Sandstone chains. Saxicolous formations]. In: Thiombiano, A., Kampmann, D. [Hrsg.]: ''Atlas de la Biodiversité de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, Tome II: Burkina Faso / Biodiversity Atlas of West Africa, Volume II: Burkina Faso''. BIOTA, Ouagadougou & Frankfurt/Main, pp. 390-395</ref><ref>Giorgis, I. et al. [https://iris.unito.it/retrieve/handle/2318/142369/22854/Giorgis_et_al_2014_OA.pdf "The lateritic profile of Balkouin, Burkina Faso: geochemistry, mineralogy and genesis"]. In: ''Journal of African Earth Sciences'' 90(2014), pp. 31-48.</ref> and was formed through the incline of the country's Central Plateau.<ref>Gall, L.T., Hobby, J.M. (2007) ''Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations''. Detroit: Thomson Gale</ref> The surrounding terrain is relatively flat and around {{convert|400|m|ft|0}} high.<ref>[https://www.ryanswell.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Burkina-Faso-Teachers-Resource-1.pdf Burkina Faso-Teachers Resource], Ryan's Well Foundation</ref>

The Tenakourou is located {{convert|46|km|miles|0}} to the North-West of Sindou<ref name="asd">{{in lang|fr}} {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190129181756/https://djiguiya-sindou.com/?portfolio=mont-tenakourou Mont Tenakourou]}}, Association Solidarité Djiguiya</ref> and can be reached through Kankalaba. Other nearby towns are Orodara in Burkina Faso and Loulouni in Mali. One of the attractions is that the summit offers a view over three countries: Burkina Faso, Mali at a distance of {{convert|3|km|miles|0}} and Ivory Coast at {{convert|13|km|miles|0}}.<ref name="asd"/><ref name="sidwaya">{{in lang|fr}} Sanou, W.I., [http://news.aouaga.com/h/12051.html Village de Tena : une colline célèbre dans un village coupé du monde], Sidwaya, 20 August 2013</ref> In 1974, the French erected a pile of stones on the summit to raise its elevation to 750 metres.<ref name="sidwaya"/> Between 2003 and 2005, the National Tourism Office of Burkina Faso organised a series of high-profile climbs of the hill to raise its touristic potential.<ref name="sidwaya"/>

The name Tenakourou signifies "the hill of Tena" in Dyula language. Tena is the name of the village of around 600 inhabitants that lies at the foot of the peak, surrounded by scrubland. Its name means "have a seat here". The village has a mosque and a school, and sometimes hosts an Arts Festival.<ref name="sidwaya"/>

Although the area is considered a hotspot of plant diversity,<ref>Pullaiah, T. (2019) ''Global Biodiversity: Volume 3: Selected Countries in Africa''. Oakville: Apple Academic Press</ref> it is still relatively neglected in terms of scientific research.<ref>Schmidt, M., Thiombiano, A., Ouédraogo, A., Hahn-Hadjali, K., Dressler, S. & Zizka, G. (2010) "Assessment of the flora of Burkina Faso". In: X. van der Burgt, J. van der Maesen & J.-M. Onana (eds), ''Systematics and Conservation of African Plants'', pp. 571–576. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew</ref> Some of the species found are:<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [https://science.mnhn.fr/all/list?originalCollection=Herbier+National+du+Burkina+Faso Collection : Herbier National du Burkina Faso], Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle</ref> {| |- valign="top" |style="width:30%;" | *''Andropogon'' sp. *''Cajanus kerstingii'' *''Capparis'' sp. *''Clematis hirsuta'' *''Crotalaria'' sp. *''Crotalaria ononoides'' *''Cymbopogon giganteus'' *''Leptospron adenanthum'' *''Ludwigia hyssopifolia'' |style="width:30%;" | *''Panicum phragmitoides'' *''Polygala'' sp. *''Schizachyrium'' sp. *''Schizachyrium exile'' *''Scleria bulbifera'' *''Sida'' sp. *''Solanum'' sp. *''Trema orientalis'' *''Vitex chrysocarpa'' |} Species of the fungus genus ''Scleroderma'' have also been identified.<ref>Sanon, K.B., et al. "Morphological and molecular analyses in Scleroderma species associated with some Caesalpinioid legumes, Dipterocarpaceae and Phyllanthaceae trees in southern Burkina Faso." ''Mycorrhiza'' 19.8 (2009): 571-584</ref>

<gallery> File:Mt Tenakourou MS 1954.JPG|A hut near the summit of Tenakourou File:Burkina 20110120 081418.jpg|Stones at the top of the Tenakourou File:Burkina 20110119 175308.jpg|Village on the side of Mount Tenakourou File:Khaya senegalensis MS 2037.JPG|''Khaya senegalensis'' near Mount Tenakourou </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenakourou, Mount}} Category:Mountains of Burkina Faso Category:Mountains of Mali Category:Burkina Faso–Mali border Category:International mountains of Africa Category:Highest points of countries {{Highest points of Africa}}