Burundi

Burundi (officially called the Republic of Burundi) is a small country in Africa. The capital of Burundi is Gitega. The official languages of Burundi are Kirundi, Swahili, French and English. There are about 14 million people in Burundi. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world.

 History 
In 1962, Burundi gained independence from Belgium.

 Provinces, communes and collines 
Burundi is divided into 18 provinces, 117 communes, and 2,638 collines (hills).Kavamahanga, D. Empowerment of people living with HIV/AIDS in Gitega Province, Burundi . International Conference on AIDS 2004. July 15, 2004. NLM Gateway. Retrieved on June 22, 2008. Provincial governments are based on these boundaries.Eggers, E., Historical Dictionary of Burundi, p. xlix.

The provinces are:
 Bubanza
 Bujumbura Mairie
 Bujumbura Rural
 Bururi
 Cankuzo
 Cibitoke
 Gitega
 Karuzi
 Kayanza Kirundo
 Makamba
 Muramvya
 Muyinga
 Mwaro
 Ngozi
 Rumonge
 Rutana
 Ruyigi

Largest cities
These are the largest cities in Burundi:

 Ranking Name Population 1. Bujumbura 340,300 2. Gitega 46,900 3. Muyinga 45,300 4. Ngozi 40,200 5. Ruyigi 36,800 6. Kayanza 26,200 7. Bururi 22,900 8. Rutana 20,700 9. Muramvya 17,600 10. Makamba 13,000

 Geography 
One of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi is landlocked. It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. It has an equatorial climate. Burundi is a part of the Albertine Rift, the western extension of the East African Rift.

The country lies on a rolling plateau in the center of Africa. The average elevation of the central plateau is , with lower elevations at the borders.  The highest peak, Mount Heha at ,O'Mara, Michael. Facts about the World's Nations. Bronx, New York: H.W. Wilson, 1999. p. 150.  is southeast of Bujumbura. The source of the Nile River is in Burundi province. It is linked from Lake Victoria to its headwaters by the Ruvyironza River. Lake Victoria is also an important water source.  It serves as a fork to the Kagera River.Klohn, Wulf and Mihailo Andjelic. Lake Victoria: A Case in International Cooperation. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved on July 20, 2008.Budge, E. A. Wallace, The Egyptian Sudan: Its History and Monuments. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J.P. Lippincott Company, 1907. p. 352. Another major lake is Lake Tanganyika in Burundi's southwestern corner.Jessup, John E., An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Conflict and Conflict Resolution, 1945–1996, p. 97.

Burundi's lands are mostly agricultural or pasture. Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation, soil erosion, and habitat loss.

There are two national parks: Kibira National Park and Ruvubu National Park. Both were formed in 1982 to keep wildlife populations.

Related pages
 Burundi at the Olympics
 Burundi national football team
 List of rivers of Burundi

 References 

Notes

Other websites




Category:States and territories established in the 1960s
Category:1962 establishments in Africa
Category:French-speaking countries
Category:Least developed countries
Category:English-speaking countries