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___ Burundi

A virtual guide to Burundi. This page aims to give you an overview of Burundi's art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government.
Beside a country profile with facts and figures, the page contains links to sources with information about this east-central African nation, e.g.: some official web sites of Burundi, addresses of Burundi and foreign embassies, country guides, weather information, maps, and local newspapers from Burundi.

A Woman voting
Election Burundi - a woman voting
© ONUB Photo: Martine Perret 2005
  

Republic of Burundi | Republika y'u Burundi

Country Profile


Flag of Burundi
Flag of Burundi

Background:
Burundi is a small nation in east-central Africa's Great Lakes region.
Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only one hundred days in office. Since then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their borders, briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government, inaugurated on 1 November 2001, signed a power-sharing agreement with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the agreement has been problematic, however, as one remaining rebel group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed, clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Elections in August 2005 have radically transformed Burundi's political landscape. The success of the former CNDD-FDD rebels, including the selection of Pierre Nkurunziza as president on 19 August, gives the party control of all branches of government. Concurrently, the security sector has been profoundly restructured with CNDD-FDD fighters now making up 40 per cent of the army. They provide a safeguard against attempted coups to interrupt the peace process and thus a guarantee that further reforms required under the Arusha agreement for peace and reconciliation will be realised. Nonetheless, the elections are just one, albeit important, step toward a lasting peace.


border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania

related countries: Belgium
 
where in Africa is Burundi

Official Name:
Republika y'u Burundi
République du Burundi
Republic of Burundi
short form: Burundi
formerly: Urundi

ISO Country Code: bi

Time:
Local Time = UTC +2h
Actual Time: Thu-Sept-9  09:34

Capital City: Bujumbura (pop 300 000)

Other Cities: Cibitoke, Muyinga, Ngozi, Bubanza, Gitega, Bururi.

Government:
Type: Republic; democratically elected, post-transition government established 26 August 2005.
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium).

Geography:
Location: East-central Africa south of the Equator.
Area: 25 227 sq km (9 740 sq mi)
Terrain: Hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains.
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Climate: Tropical equatorial, with wet and dry seasons, temperature varies with altitude.

People:
Nationality: Burundian(s).
Population: 6.8 million.
Ethnic groups (estimated): Hutu 85%; Tutsi 14%; Twa 1.0%.
Religions (estimated): Roman Catholic 60%-65%; Protestant 10%-15%; traditional beliefs 15%-20%; Muslim 5%.
Languages: Rundi (Kirundi), and French (offiocial), Swahili (trade and governmental language)
Literacy: 37%

Natural resources: Nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower.

Agriculture products: Coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides.

Industries: Light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components.

Exports partners: Germany 20.7%, Belgium 8.6%, Pakistan 7%, USA 5.9%, Rwanda 5.9% (2004)

Imports partners: Kenya 13.6%, Tanzania 11.1%, USA 8.8%, Belgium 8.5%, France 8.3%, Italy 5.9%, Uganda 5.6%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2004)

Currency: Burundi franc (BIF)


Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Burundi

Diplomatic Missions
Embassy of Burundi
Embassy of Burundi in Germany.
List of Diplomatic Missions accredited to Burundi
Address list of foreign Diplomatic Missions.


ONUB - United Nations Operation in Burundi
ONUBS mission is to support and help to implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national reconciliation, as provided under the Arusha Agreement.


Maps
 Map of Burundi
Political map of Burundi.
 Above Map of Burundi as PDF
(Get Acrobat PDF Reader)

Google Earth Google Earth Burundi
Zoomable satellite view of Burundi.
Google Earth Google Earth Bujumbura
Zoomable satellite view of Burundi's capital city.
to Map of Africa
Political Map of Africa.


 

Burundi News

Agence Burundaise de Presse (ABP)
Government controlled press agency.
Net Press
Agence Burundaise de Presse; Burundi Press Agency (in French).

Abarundi
Burundi news (in French).
BurundiQuotidien
Burundi news (in French).
Burundi Realities
Analysis, Research, Information and Data on Burundi (French and English)
Umuco (U.N.A.)
Recent news from Umuco News Agency (in French)

Africatime Burundi
Central news (in French).
afrol News - Burundi
Burundi related news in English and Spaanish.

IRIN Africa: Burundi
Burundi News and background information.
 

 

Arts & Culture

Burundi : Musique
AfroMix list of contemporary Burundi musicians.
 

 

Business & Economy


Banque de Credit de Bujumbura

Coffee
Coffee Board of Burundi
Site provides information about the Coffee Board and arabica coffee farming.
Bero Café Burundi BECABU
Green coffee exporter.


Pages jaunes  
Yellow pages.
 

Destination Burundi - Community and Country Guides



Info Burundi
Burundi forum (in French).

burundi information project
Site ment to be a tool to get a better overview of the projects and initiatives that are going on in Burundi.


Travel and Tour Consumer Information

 Books about Travel in Burundi

US books 

Guides Burundi
   Travel Guides Burundi
   Guide de tourisme et voyages en Burundi (in French)
UK books  Burundi Travel Guides
fr books  Guide de tourisme et voyages en Burundi
German books  German Books: Reiseführer Burundi

Education

Higher Education in Burundi
Burundi Higher Education Profile.
Université du Burundi
Official university web site with information about its mission, its institutions and its organisation structure. (in French)
 
 

History

Histoire Burundi
Burundis History from Prehistory until the ethnic conflict in the beginning of the 1990s (In French).
Ethnic Conflict Burundi
Ethnic Conflict between the Hutu and the Tutsi Tribes in Burundi.
 
 

Human Rights

Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l'Homme
Human Rights League of Burundi with information ont he work of the league (in French.)
OPDE - Oeuvre humanitaire pour la Protection et le Développement de l'Enfant en difficulté
A humanitarian charity for the protection and development of the street children of the Great Lakes.
Relief Web: Burundi
The UN administered Relief Web with Humanitarian information on Burundi.
 
 

Additional Information on Burundi

Africa South of the Sahara: Burundi
Stanford University
BBC News Country Profile: Burundi
Governments on the WWW: Burundi
Index on Africa: Burundi
MBendi Profile: Burundi
Including economic overviews and directories of companies.
Open Directory Project: Burundi
Wikipedia: Burundi
The World Factbook -- Burundi
 
 


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The Burundi page was last modified on: Thursday, 01-Apr-2010 13:08:29 CEST


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