Burundi is a sovereign landlocked country located in the African Great Lakes region of East Africa.
The country’s neighbors include Tanzania to the east and the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and the country of Rwanda to the north.
The capital and the largest city in the country is Bujumbura, other notable cities and towns include, Gitega, Muyinga, Ngozi, Muyinga, Ruyigi, Kayanza, Bururi, Rutana, Muramvya, Makamba, Bubanza, Buhongo, Bukirasazi, Bururi, Cankuzo Cibitoke, Gitega, Kabez and ropean.
Europeans explorers and missionaries arrived in Burundi around the mid-1850s.
The territory now known as Burundi was once a German territory but was ceded to Belgium after Germany lost the First World War. Before gaining its independence from Belgium in July 1st 1962 the country was formerly known as Ruanda-Urundi.
The official languages of the country are Kirundi, French and English.
With a surface area of 27,834 km² Burundi is one of the smallest countries in Africa. It is roughly half the size of the European country of Croatia.
Burundi is a low income earning country, its highest revenue earnings comes from the exportation of tea, coffee, sugar and hides. The country’s main export partners are Germany, Pakistan, Canada, Rwanda, Kenya, China and The United States of America. Its main import partners are Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and the United Arab Emirates.
The country’s currency is the Burundian Franc, like other countries of the world the currency is printed by the country’s Central Bank
Burundi is home to an African Great Lake called the Lake Tanganyika, by volume and depth the lake is the second largest freshwater lake in the world only second to Lake aikal in the European country of Siberia..
The natural resources found in Burundi include uranium, gold, tin, limestone, rare earth oxides, nickel, copper, vanadium, tungsten, niobium, and tantalum.
According to 2016 estimate the population of the country is around 10,524,117, although the original inhabitants of Burundi were the Twa people, they now make just 1% of the country’s population.
The two largest ethnic groups in the country are the Hutu and the Tutsi people who make up to 99% of the country’s population, the Hutsi majority constitutes about 84% of the population while the Tutsi constitutes the remaining 14%.
The Hutsi and the Tutsi speak the same language and share similar traditional practices and customs.
The people of Burundi are 67% Roman Catholic Christians, Protestant Christians 5%, indigenous beliefs 32% and Muslim 1%.
The Jehovah witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventist were banned because it is thought that their doctrines challenge civil authority.
Standing at 2,000ft Mount Heha is the highest mountain in Burundi and the highest point in the Burundi Highlands mountain range. The mountain is located in the Bujumbura Rural province of Burundi.
Burundi is home to many wild and aquatic animals. Wild animals found in the country include Chimpanzees, Wild Dogs, African Golden Cats, Carruther’s Mountain Squirrels, Cheetah, Lion, Ruwenzori Shrew, Spotted-necked Otter, and Antelopes. Apart from different species of fresh water fishes other aquatic animals found in the country includes crocodiles, and hippopotamuses.
The country is home to about 200 species of birdlife.
Some of the animals found in the country are on the verge of extinction in the country, this is largely due to over population, and excessive hunting.
Thewalking catfish which is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish is found in Burundi. The fish is so named because of its ability to “walk” across dry land, to find food or suitable environments.
The Mosso screeching frog is a species of frog in the Arthroleptidae family is only found in Burundi.
Located in Burundi is the Kagera Falls which is a magnificent series of waterfalls made up of six branches divided on three landings which provide a spectacular vision.
Burundi’s political system is that of the presidential system of government where the president doubles as the head of states and the head of Government. The country practices the Multi party political party system which affords the existence and dominance of many political parties who all have equal right to contest for political offices.
River Nile which is the longest river in Africa and the second longest in the world has its distance source from the Ruvyronza River. Other notable rivers in the country are the Kagera River, Ruzizi River, Ruvyironza River, Akanyaru River, Ruhwa River, Kaburantwa, Ntahangwa, and Mugere.
In 1996 Burundi became the poorest country ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
