Burundi, in long form the Republic of Burundi is a country in East Africa with a large shoreline on Lake Tanganyika, located in the region of the great lakes and bordered to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the north by Rwanda and to the east and south by Tanzania. Since February 4, 2019, its political capital has been Gitega. Bujumbura, the former political and economic capital and the most populous city in the country, is the economic capital..
Burundi is divided into 18 provinces, 119 communes and 2,638 or 2,639 hills. The provinces and communes of Burundi were created on December 25, 1959 by a Belgian colonial decree. In July 2022, the government of Burundi proposed reducing the number of provinces to 5 and municipalities to 42. This meets the territorial standardization requirements of the East African Community. This centralizing project must however be adopted by the parliament of Burundi.
Located on a plateau in the heart of Africa, Burundi enjoys an equatorial climate tempered by altitude (1,700 meters on average in the center, lower on the outskirts). Mount Heha, southeast of Bujumbura, rises to 2,670 meters. But the highest point in the country is a little southeast of Mount Heha at 2,684 meters. A strip of land along the Rusizi River, north of Lake Tanganyika, is the only region whose altitude is below 1,000 meters. This region is part of the Albertine Rift, the extreme west of the Great Rift Valley.
The official languages of Burundi are Kirundi and French and English as a third language . Both languages of instruction, to which is added Kiswahili although it is not an official language of the country. French, however, remains an elite language, spoken by less than ten percent of the population. As for Swahili, the regional Bantu language, it is above all spoken by traders and remains mainly confined to urban areas.
Burundi is a beautiful country in the heart of Africa, full of amazing places to see. It’s perfect for anyone who loves nature and learning about different cultures. One of the top spots is Lake Tanganyika, one of the longest and deepest lakes in the world. It’s full of fish, making it great for swimming. Then there’s Rusizi National Park, where you can see hippos and crocodiles living in the wild, surrounded by beautiful plants and trees. For a taste of Burundi’s culture, watching the traditional drummers of Gishora is a must. They play drums in a way that tells stories and celebrates their history. Visiting Burundi means you’ll get to see and do things that are special and different. It’s a place that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.
