Popular vet working in country years ago (5,5)

I believe the answer is:

upper volta

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'country years ago' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'popular vet working' is the wordplay.
'working' indicates anagramming the letters.
'popular'+'vet'='popularvet'
'popularvet' anagrammed gives 'UPPER VOLTA'.

'in' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for upper volta that I've seen before include "old country" , "Former name of Burkina Faso; popular vet (anag.)" , "Pre-1984 name for Burkina Faso" , "Former name (until 1984) of Burkina-Faso" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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