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Burundi
Africa
One of Africa's smallest nations, Burundi has a dense population and fertile lands. It faces political instability but has rich cultural traditions.
13,000,000
Population
27,834
Area (km²)
Gitega
Capital
29
Historical Events
Historical Timeline
Cities
29 Events
September 13, 2025 - Burundi participates in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, marking its presence in international sports.
September 01, 2025 - UN human rights experts express alarm over a surge in violations, including at least 200 cases of sexual violence (such as child rape) documented from January 2024 to May 2025.
July 28, 2025 - A 5.1-magnitude earthquake strikes Rumonge, causing a crowd crush in neighboring Rwanda that injures 14.
July 17, 2025 - President Ndayishimiye is appointed by the African Union as special envoy to the Sahel region, focusing on regional stability.
May 26, 2025 - Severe food shortages and rising violence plague Musenyi refugee camp due to cuts in international aid.
March 27, 2025 - Burundi and South Africa sign a Public Service Partnership to enhance state capacity and bilateral cooperation.
March 21, 2025 - Burundi loses 1-0 to Ivory Coast in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match.
December 01, 2024 - Journalist Sandra Muhoza is sentenced to 21 months in prison on national security charges.
November 01, 2024 - The president issues pardons for over 5,400 prisoners, though political detainees are largely excluded.
August 22, 2024 - Burundi reports 171 new mpox cases, bringing the national total to 572; President Évariste Ndayishimiye pardons 5,442 inmates (41% of the prison population) to address overcrowding.
August 01, 2024 - Survivors of the 2004 Gatumba refugee camp massacre file criminal cases in Burundi, Rwanda, and DR Congo, alleging genocide.
June 06, 2024 - Sporadic gasoline shortages disrupt public transport and drive up prices amid economic pressures.
June 05, 2024 - Police attempt to abduct Iwacu journalist Pascal Ntakirutimana in Bujumbura; he escapes.
June 01, 2024 - The National Communications Council (CNC) bans rebroadcasts of two Bonesha FM radio shows for "exaggerations" and criticizes Iwacu reporting; the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH) is downgraded for lacking independence.
May 22, 2024 - A senior police officer assaults Iwacu reporter Jean-Noël Manirakiza in Gitega and confiscates his equipment.
May 02, 2024 - Journalist Ahmadi Radjabu is detained for two weeks after filming a market fire in Ruvumera.
April 21, 2024 - Former Prime Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni is arrested, exposing rifts within the ruling CNDD-FDD party.
April 01, 2024 - Journalist Sandra Muhoza is arrested for sharing an online post about alleged machete distributions to ruling party militants, charged with threatening national security.
April 01, 2024 - Parliament adopts a new electoral code raising candidate registration fees (up to 100 million Burundian francs for presidential bids) and imposing delays on independents, limiting opposition in 2025 elections.
March 01, 2024 - Authorities, including police and ruling party youth wing Imbonerakure, harass and evict hundreds of unmarried cohabitating couples, separating families and enforcing "moral order."
March 01, 2024 - A government-aligned faction of the CNL ousts leader Agathon Rwasa in an extraordinary convention; the government recognizes the new leadership, while police detain, abduct, beat, or kill several CNL members.
February 25, 2024 - RED-Tabara militants attack Gihanga in Bubanza Province, killing nine (mostly civilians) and injuring five, in one of several border incursions.
January 17, 2024 - The interior minister accuses the CNL opposition party of collaborating with terrorist groups, threatening repercussions and intensifying crackdowns on dissent.
January 01, 2024 - Burundi closes its land border with Rwanda following deadly attacks attributed to the RED-Tabara group, which Burundi accuses Rwanda of supporting; diplomatic ties strain further.
December 22, 2023 - The RED-Tabara rebel group attacks Vugizo in Makamba Province, killing 20 people (mostly civilians) and injuring nine, escalating cross-border tensions with Rwanda.
July 01, 2023 - Burundi celebrates its 61st Independence Day with national festivities, commemorating freedom from Belgian rule in 1962.
June 01, 2023 - The interior minister issues recommendations to the opposition National Congress for Freedom (CNL) party ahead of its national convention, amid ongoing restrictions on political activities.
April 02, 2023 - Flooding in two coal pits in Cibitoke Province kills 15 miners, highlighting safety risks in the informal mining sector.
January 25, 2023 - Kirundi is declared an official language alongside French and English, promoting cultural and linguistic inclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burundi
100 Questions
Burundi is in East-Central Africa, bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Lake Tanganyika.
The capital is Gitega, while Bujumbura is the largest city and economic hub.
Around 14 million people as of 2025 estimates.
Kirundi, French, and English are official languages. Swahili is also spoken in trade.
Equatorial but moderated by altitude: mild in highlands, warmer in lowlands.
The Burundian franc (BIF).
White diagonal cross dividing red and green fields, with three red stars inside a white disk.
Bujumbura, Gitega, Ngozi, Muyinga, and Ruyigi.
On July 1, 1962, from Belgium.
It was part of Ruanda-Urundi under Belgian colonial rule.
King Mwambutsa IV.
In 1966, replaced by a republic.
Michel Micombero.
Évariste Ndayishimiye (as of 2025).
A presidential republic.
Hutu (~85%), Tutsi (~14%), and Twa (1%).
Christianity (~90%), with Catholics the majority; traditional beliefs and Islam also present.
Around $4 billion in 2025 estimates.
Around $300, one of the lowest in the world.
Around 70%.
Around 62 years.
About 5 children per woman.
About 65% are under 25 years old.
Coffee, tea, gold, and rare earth minerals.
Coffee, which provides a large share of export earnings.
Fuel, machinery, foodstuffs, and manufactured goods.
Nickel, gold, rare earths, peat, and arable land.
Lake Tanganyika, the second-deepest freshwater lake in the world.
Mount Heha (2,684 m).
The Ruvubu, Ruzizi, and Malagarasi rivers.
Central Africa Time (CAT), UTC +2.
Beans, sweet potatoes, maize porridge, and cassava are staples.
A stiff porridge made from maize flour, eaten with sauces.
Steamed or fried plantains, common in Burundian cuisine.
A traditional fermented milk drink.
Football (soccer), basketball, and running.
Yes, including winning a gold medal in 1996 (Venuste Niyongabo, 5000m).
Historically between Hutu and Tutsi groups.
A conflict from 1993 to 2005 between Hutu rebels and Tutsi-led government.
The Arusha Peace Agreement.
The first democratically elected president (Hutu), assassinated in 1993.
President from 2005 until his death in 2020.
It is the ruling party, originally a rebel group.
Very high, especially among youth.
Around 85% of the population.
Beans, maize, cassava, bananas, and sorghum.
Cattle, goats, and chickens.
Often high, due to economic instability.
Poverty, limited resources, and dependence on agriculture.
Air Burundi (with limited service).
It is the largest city, port, and former capital.
It is the political capital since 2019.
A rainforest reserve in northern Burundi.
A large wildlife reserve in eastern Burundi.
Hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, chimpanzees, and birds.
Around 65%.
Around 75%.
They are central in farming and markets, with increasing political participation.
Limited, underfunded, and reliant on aid.
Malaria, cholera, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.
High, but improving slowly.
It contributes peacekeeping troops, especially in Somalia.
Member state since 2007.
It participates in peacekeeping missions abroad.
About 15–20%, one of the lowest in Africa.
Widespread, even in rural areas.
Limited roads, no railways, and dependence on Lake Tanganyika shipping.
Bujumbura International Airport.
Regional neighbors and Europe for coffee and tea.
Tanzania, Kenya, and China.
Many live in Europe, U.S., and neighboring countries.
They send remittances that support families.
Around 77%, higher than older generations.
“Burundi Bwacu” (“Our Burundi”).
“Unity, Work, Progress.”
Football.
Imvutano (traditional draped cloth), with western clothes common.
The Royal Drummers of Burundi performances are world famous.
The shield with three spears and stars.
Red = struggle, green = hope, white = peace, stars = unity.
They have cultural influence but limited political power.
Caused by limited production and instability.
Around $300–400 annually.
About 15%, mostly rural population.
Poverty, political instability, ethnic tensions, and conflict.
It sends troops to AU and UN missions.
Dependent on peace, political stability, and agricultural growth.
Basket weaving, drums, pottery, and wood carving.
It is a symbol of unity, heritage, and royal ceremonies.
Free primary education, but shortages of teachers and schools.
Balancing democracy with ethnic reconciliation.
Beans, bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, and goat meat.
Central for trade, agriculture, and women’s work.
The Burundi National Drummers Festival.
Reducing malaria and maternal mortality.
Strong social and cultural influence.
Declining but still high.
Switzerland (coffee and gold).
Low adult literacy, especially in rural women.
It has a rich cultural heritage, strategic location, and history that reflects wider African struggles for peace and unity.