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Official Name
Republic of Burundi

Population
7,802,000

Capital City
Bujumbura (340,000)

Largest Cities
Bujumbura, Gitega, Muyinga, Ngozi

Currency
Burundi Franc

International dialing code
+257

National Day
1 July Independence Day

Latitude/Longitude
3° 37'S, 29° 35'E

Languages
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili

Land Area
25,650 sq km (9.903 sq miles)

Burundi, once known as Urundi, was controlled by Germany from 1884, and by Belgium from 1919, until gaining its independence in 1962. The country's recent history is robust with bloody battles between the Hutu and Tutsi, and those ethnic conflicts and disagreements continue today. In this country less than 50% of children attend school hence the future is uncertain, and HIV/AIDS is rampant. In addition, basic foods and medicines are in short supply. With a high population density and very limited natural resources, most of the citizens remain economically suppressed, and resign themselves to subsistence agricultural farming.

The landlocked small country of Burundi, located on the northeastern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, is a very mountainous country. The only land below 3,000 ft is a narrow strip of plain along the Ruzizi River in the west. From the wooded Mitumba Mountains in the west, the land drops gradually into an uneven plateau and some grassland savanna, up to its border with Tanzania. The average elevation of the central plateau is over 5,000 ft. Major rivers include the Kanyaru, Malagarasi, Rusize and Ruvubu, and siginificant lakes include the Cohaha, Rwero and of course, Lake Tanganyika.

Climate
Weather conditions and temperatures vary widely in Burundi based on differences in altitude. Generally, the upper elevations in the mountains and the central plateau are cooler than the lowlands in the Lake Tanganyika area. Overall, the annual temperature (on average) is near 25ºC (78ºF). The heaviest rain fall is along the Rusizi River in the northwest, while across the country, rainfall is inconsistent. The longest wet season runs February - May, while the significant dry season is June - August.

Tourist Attractions
 Experience Burundi your self by going there. Burundi tourist attractions are plenty and the country has lots to offer to the visitors. Burundi is one of the significant African countries that provide exquisite holiday opportunities for all kinds of travelers; be it the adventurous or the calm one. The breathtaking landscapes, Savannah forests and the various tourist attractions make Burundi a hot favorite destination of the travelers. Every year thousands of visitors visit this exotic African country as it has a unique mysticism in it. Accommodations as well as eating options are pretty good and well-scattered in Burundi; hence staying in Burundi can be enjoyable. The places of interest are various and one can catch the various moods of Burundi while touring the country

 Some of the famous Burundi tourist attractions include: • Chutes de la Kagera • Kibabi Hot Springs • Lake Tanganyika • Rusizi National Park • Ruvubu National Park • Makamba Nature Reserve • Karera Falls • Rusizi National Park • Bururi Natural Reserve • Saga Beach • Rwihinda Lake Natural Reserve this awesome African destination. Waterfalls, natural reserves, hot springs, museums and zoos are the popular tourist attractions of Burundi.

Bujumbura
The history of Bujumbura date back to 1876. Originally, Bujumbura was only a port on the shore of the Lake Tanganyika. With time it developed into an important business city which finally became the Capital of Burundi. Bujumbura is throning on the shore of the Lake Tanganyika which is geographically the western border of the country. Lake Tanganyika remains attractive for all kind of fantastic fans: skiing water, sailing, fishing and many other activities which usually imply strolls along the lake. There are many beautiful places along the lake which are convenient for swimming, especially the public beach of KAJAGA, near the Hotel "Club du Lac Tanganyika." But for the guests who are not fond of water, Bujumbura offers you: golf, tennis, woolly-ball, horse riding, bowling and even a flying-club. Most of the hotels have international class restaurants. Bujumbura has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment. The tourist can dine beside the Lake perhaps savoring a delicious local fish called the “Sangala,” and then spend the evening in a night club, relaxing in a friendly atmosphere. Lake Tanganyika is the deepest in the world just after Lake Baikal in the former USSR.

Beautiful Landscapes
From the mountainous landscape which constitutes the peak Congo Nile, you have a beautiful view of the central plains and Gitega which is the second town of Burundi. The city of Gitega is a peaceful place with peculiar beauty and exquisite charm. The route Bujumbura-Gitega goes via Muramvya (50 km from Bujumbura) through the serene greenlife and beautiful landscape. At 12 kilometers from Gitega, the road reaches Giheta, an artistic center for different works in leather, ceramic, ivory, wood-carvings.

Fauna and Flora
The geographical structure of Burundi and the micro-climates within the country involve a diversity of vegetation. Thus, from the savanna to the steppers, through ombrophilous mountain forest, Burundi is indeed a  delightful nation. The fauna is quite rich and comprises different type of animals: antelopes, hares, buffalos, cynocephalus.Crocodiles and hippopotomus are vast in Lake Tanganika where they can sometimes be seen from the shore. Beauty, variety and scientific value of Lake Tanganyika, Ruvubu and Kibira are worthy of great interest of ecologists.

 

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