5 Facts of Burundi

The capital of Burundi is Bujumbura

 

Burundi, a country in Africa about the size of Maryland, is officially known as the Republic of Burundi. While it is completely landlocked, Lake Tanganyika runs along its southwest border. Burundi was formed five hundred years ago and has experienced much political unrest between two of its major ethnic groups.

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

Only one other country in Sub-Saharan Africa exceeds Burundi's population density. There are 300 people per square mile. This population quota consists of three main ethnic groups--Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. Many emigrants are welcomed into the country on a regular basis as well.

2

Burundi's economy is almost entirely supported by agriculture. Ninety percent of the labor force is made up of subsistence farmers. Coffee is the main cash crop, responsible for over half of its exports in recent years. Although natural resources such as cobalt and copper exist in Burundi, farming continues to be the main industry.

3

Burundi ranks with four other countries as the poorest in the world. The country has experienced much war and disease. Lack of education also contributes to the low gross domestic product of Burundi.

4

Burundi was ruled by a king in the sixteenth century. For two hundred years, the Tutsi operated as the monarchs of the kingdom. However, when Germans and Belgians came to the region at the beginning of the twentieth century, it became part of a European colony.

5

Burundi has been in a process of reconstruction since 2006 when the UN directed its attention from peacekeeping to helping with the reconstruction. Peace negotiations continue to the present despite the history of conflict in this country. The last ceasefire was signed in 2008, and refugees have returned to the country. New conflicts have emerged with the arrival of 450,000 refugees who are now involved in property disputes.