Burundi

Burundi

Both Hutu and Tutsi have inhabited Burundi for several centuries. When the scramble for the African pie was its zenith in the 19th century, the decentralized society of the country failed to resist the advance of the Germany. As a result Burundi subsequently became part of German East Africa. After 1919, Burundi came under the rule of Belgium. During the Belgians the division between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes grew further, as the Tutsis were provided better jobs and status in the misplaced superiority of Tutsis over Hutu. With its independence in 1962, Burundi’s internal condition worsened, resulting in the large-scale violence and the killing of tens of thousands, especially in 1972 and 1988.

A politically volatile country, Melchior Ndadaye, Burundi's first democratically elected president, was killed in October 1993 after occupying office for 100 days. This triggered large-scale ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi tribes. The conflict, which spanned almost a dozen years, claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people in the country. This resulted in the influx of hundreds of thousands of Burundians to the neighboring countries.

However situation is changing for better in Burundi. Present President Pierre Nkurunziza is now heading the democratically elected Hutu government. He has won the praise for his peace initiatives and has taken certain good measures, including the introduction of free education. However indiscriminate attacks from rival factions take place from time to time. These incidents have to stop otherwise many will be left out on seeing the gorgeous beauty of Burundi.

Capital: Bujumbura
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Climate: equatorial,
Total Area: 27,830 sq km
Total Population: 8,390,505
Population Growth Rate: 3.593%
Sex Ratio: 0.988 male(s)/female
Literacy: 51.6%
Ethnic Groups: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, Europeans, South Asians
Irrigated land: 210 sq km
Languages: Kirundi, French, Swahili
Time Zone: UTC+2
Currency: Burundi franc
Travel Overview
A land locked country in the heart of Africa, Burundi is a country of marvelous landscapes, from high mountains to dense forests and big lakes. Diversity in the topography is also reflected in the country’s cultural tug-of-war between two dominant tribes namely agricultural Hutu and pastoralist Tutsi, often with violent consequences.

The wonderful landscape is characterized by beautiful hills and valleys enclosed with eucalyptus trees, banana groves, cultivated fields and pasture. As you proceed towards the east, the fertile land is replaced by savannah grassland, and tea and coffee are grown on mountainsides.

Neighbouring countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo , Rwanda , Tanzania
Type of govt.: republic
Head of Govt.: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA
Major Political Parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU, National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD, Unity for National Progress or UPRONA

Participation in International Organizations: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Major Agricultural Products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc; beef, milk, hides
Natural Resources & Minerals: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Industry & Transport: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing;

Airports: 7
Roadways:
12,322 km
Major Trade Partners: Kenya, Tanzania, Belgium, Italy, France, Uganda, China, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, US
Exports: $55.68 million
Imports: $207.3 million