Burundi

Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked nation in East Africa.

It sits within the Great Rift Valley. This location places it at the junction of the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa. The country is bordered by Rwanda to the north. Tanzania lies to the east and southeast. The Democratic Republic of the Congo borders the west.

Lake Tanganyika forms a significant portion of the southwestern border.

Burundi is one of the smallest countries in Africa. It is a densely populated nation with over 14 million people.

The country is divided into two main urban centers. Gitega serves as the political capital.

Bujumbura is the largest city and acts as the economic capital.

Most of the population lives in rural areas. In 2019, only 13.4% of people lived in urban settings. The people of Burundi speak three official languages. Kirundi is the sole recognized national language. French and English are also official. English was officially added to this list in 2014.

Burundi has a deep history as a pre-colonial state. The Kingdom of Burundi, or Urundi, emerged in the late 16th century. It was a polity ruled by a monarch called a mwami.

This king led a princely aristocracy known as the ganwa. These nobles owned most of the land. They collected tribute from Hutu farmers and Tutsi herders. In the mid-18th century, the Tutsi royalty strengthened its control. They used a system called ubugabire. This was a patron-client relationship. In this system, the people received royal protection in exchange for tribute and land tenure.

Social structures in the kingdom were often fluid. The population consisted of Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa peoples. Roughly 81% of the people are of Hutu origin. About 18% are Tutsi, and fewer than 1% are Twa. The distinction between Hutu and Tutsi was not always purely ethnic. It was often a socio-cultural concept. For example, Hutu farmers who acquired wealth and livestock could gain higher status. They could even become Tutsi. Conversely, Tutsi who lost their cattle could be called Hutu. Many marriages also occurred between these groups.

Colonialism changed the course of Burundian history. In 1885, Burundi became part of German East Africa. After Germany's defeat in World War I, the League of Nations took control. Belgium was given a mandate over the territory. They combined Burundi and Rwanda into Rwanda-Urundi.

Following World War II, it became a United Nations Trust Territory. Belgium maintained many local institutions, including the monarchy. Political parties eventually formed, which helped lead the push for independence. Burundi finally gained independence on July 1, 1962.

The post-independence era has seen significant political instability. After independence, Burundi was a constitutional monarchy. However, a coup d'état in 1966 replaced the monarchy with a republic. For 27 years, the country was ruled by Tutsi dictators. This period included a genocide of the Hutu population in 1972. In 1993, Melchior Ndadaye became the first Hutu president. His assassination three months later triggered a 12-year civil war. The Arusha Agreement in 2000 helped lead to a new constitution in 2005. Since then, the Hutu-led CNDD–FDD has been the dominant party.

Today, Burundi faces major economic and ecological challenges. It is the poorest country in the world by nominal GDP per capita.

The nation struggles with poverty, corruption, and illiteracy. The economy relies heavily on subsistence agriculture and grazing. This pressure on the land has caused serious environmental issues. Deforestation is a major concern. Less than 6% of the land is covered by trees. Much of that remaining forest is used for commercial plantations. This loss of trees leads to soil erosion and habitat loss. Many young people emigrate to find better opportunities elsewhere.