Local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
Local short form: Burundi
Former: Urundi
BURUNDI ETYMOLOGY:
The country's modern name is derived from the word “Kirundi” in Bantu language.
BURUNDI CAPITAL CITY:
Bujumbura is the capital city of Burindi.
BURUNDI CURRENCY:
Burundian Franc is the official currency of Burundi.
BURUNDI HISTORY:
The Twa tribe were the very first to inhabit the region.
The original inhabitants of Burundi were the Twa- a Pygmy community.
The Twa are now present only in a small minority (1%).
The dominant groups now are the Hutu (85%) and the Tutsi (14%).
Though the two communities were similar in culture, language and ethnicity, they followed different occupations.
Hutu were primarily concerned with agriculture while the Tutsi were mainly cattle breeders
In 1933, the Belgians imposed a rule that required every one to carry a proof of tribal identity.
Since independence, the landowning Tutsi aristocracy has dominated Burundi.
Burundi was once part of German East Africa.
Burundi was assigned the status of United Nations trust territory in 1923 afterBelgium won a League of Nations mandate.
In 1962, Burundi gained independence and was ruled by a Tutsi king, Mwami Mwambutsa IV.
In 1965, a conflict arose between the Hutu and the Tutsi.
Mwambutsa was deposed by his son, Ntaré V, in 1966.
Ntaré was overthrown in a military coup by Premier Michel Micombero in 1966.
In 1970–1971, a civil war began which led to a large number of casualties.
On Nov. 1, 1976, Lt. Col. Jean-Baptiste Bagaza led a coup and took over as president.
The constitution was suspended and a 30-member Supreme Revolutionary Council became the governing body.
In Sept 1987, Maj. Pierre Buyoya overthrew Bagaza and assumed presidency.
Riots between the two ethnic groups resurfaced in August 1988, leaving thousands of Hutus dead.
Buyoya made efforts to resolve the differences between the two ethnic groups.
On June 2 1993, Melchior Ndadaye won the country's first democratic presidential elections.
Since he was the first Hutu to come into power, he was assassinated during a coup after a few months.
The second Hutu president, Cyprien Ntaryamira, was also assassinated.
The political killings led to a mass furor and resulted in Hutu gangs massacring the Tutsis.
In July 1996, six nations proposed to dispatch troops in the region to restore peace.
After several aborted cease-fires, a 2001 peace plan included a power-sharing agreement that has been relatively successful.
Burundi’s 12 year long civil war came to end with a democratically elected leader.
BURUNDI DEMOGRAPHICS:
Majority of the population are of Hutu ethnic origin.
Most of the remaining population is Tutsi.
Twa (Pygmy), South Asians and Europeans are present in small numbers.
Burundi has the second highest population density in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Roman Catholicism is the most prevalent faith followed by indigenous faiths,
Protestants and Muslims are present in minority.
The official languages are Kirundi and French.
Swahili is also spoken in some areas.
BURUNDI GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS:
Burundi is run by a republic government.
Administrative divisions consist of 17 provinces namely Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana and Ruyigi.
The Constitution came into force on 28 February 2005 and ratified by popular referendum.
The legal system is based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law.
Burundi has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.
The president is both the chief of state and head of government.
The cabinet consists of a Council of Ministers appointed by president.
The president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term.
The constitution permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament.
The vice president is nominated by the president and endorsed by parliament.
The legislative branch is represented by a bicameral Parliament or Parlement consisting of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale and a Senate.
The National Assembly has a minimum of 100 seats- 60% for Hutu and 40% for Tutsi with at least 30% being women.
Members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms.
The Senate has 54 seats.
34 members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms and remaining seats are assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state.
The judicial branch is represented by the Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court and the High Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court).
BURUNDI CULTURE:
The culture of Burundi has been rich in local traditions.
Hilltop compounds in rural areas are known as “rugos”.
Marriages are usually mediated by families and the groom’s family is often required to pay a “bride price”.
Traditional drumming and dancing form an important part of festivals and social gatherings.
The oral tradition of story-telling, folklore, poetry, song and history is still popular.
Cattle herders engage in kivivuga amazina, an improvisational poetry contest.
Football and mancala games are popular sports.
Cricket is fast gaining popularity among the country’s youth.
New Year’s Day is celebrated in a traditional style with drumming, dancing and feasting.
BURUNDI ECONOMY:
Burundi has a poor economy due to lack of resources and an underdeveloped manufacturing sector
Most people are dependant on subsistence farming.
Coffee and Tea exports are the primary source of economic growth.
The yield is however, dependant on weather conditions and international prices.
The Tutsi dominate the government and the coffee trade.
The long civil war has been a great setback for Burundi’s economical development.
Illiteracy and AIDS are the two main factors that hinder the country’s growth.
Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.
Economic activity has increased considerably after the end of civil war.
Poor administration and inadequate law and order have resulted in corruption and a decline in government’s revenues.
The GDP (purchasing power parity) as estimated in 2007 was $2.896 billion.
68% of the population is below poverty line.
Agricultural produce includes coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk and hides.
The main industries are light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction and food processing.
The Industrial production growth rate is 6.4% (2007 est.)
Exports commodities include coffee, tea, sugar, cotton and hides.
Imports commodities include capital goods, petroleum products and foodstuffs.
BURUNDI INFRASTRUCTURE
Telephone services in Burundi are one of the most underdeveloped in the world.
There is less than one fixed line per 100 people.
Mobile cellular services are comparatively better.
There are about two cellular connections per 100 people.
There are a total of 5 radio broadcast stations and only 1 television broadcast stations.
Internet services are extremely limited.
Burundi has 8 airports of which one 1 has paved runways.
The roadways span over a distance of 12,322 km.
Waterways are located mainly on Lake Tanganyika.
The main ports and terminals are located in Bujumbura.
BURUNDI EDUCATION:
Only 59.3% of the population is literate.
Male: 67.3%
Female: 52.2% (2000 est.)
BURUNDI NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES:
Rwanda (north)
Tanzania (south and east)
Democratic Republic of the Congo (west)
Lake Tanganyika (west)
BURUNDI GEOGRAPHICAL SETTINGS:
Burundi is located in Central Africa.
Its geographical coordinates are 3 30 S, 30 00 E.
The country covers a total area of 27,830 sq km.
The climate of Burundi is mostly equatorial.
The average annual temperatures vary with altitudinal variation across the plateaus.
The average annual rainfall is about 150 cm.
February to May and September to November are wet seasons.
June to August and December to January are dry seasons.
The terrain is hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east and some plains .
