With about 7.1 million people, it is one of the most densely populated nations in Africa. It occupies a high plateau with mountains in the west. The climate is tropical, moderated by elevation. The country has 398 miles of paved roads, no railroads, three airfields, one daily newspaper, one television station and four radio stations. Its economy is based primarily on subsistence agriculture, making it one of the poorest nations in the world.
Coffee is the main commercial crop.
Many people also raise cattle, goats and sheep, and other crops include tea, cotton, sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, sugarcane, maize, peas, beans and groundnuts. Rundi and French are the official languages, but Swahili also is spoken, and English is taught in some schools. The principal forms of religion include Roman Catholicism and indigenous beliefs. Many children do not attend school, and only about half of the adults can read and write. Burundians generally are gregarious people, and they like playing soccer, listening to music, celebrating Christmas, making crafts, and maintaining a clean, neat appearance.