Official Name Republic of Burundi

Population 7,802,000

Capital City Bujumbura (340,000)

Largest Cities Bujumbura, Gitega, Muyinga, Ngozi

Currency Burundi Franc



National Day 1 July; Independence Day

Latitude/Longitude 3° 37'S, 29° 35'E

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

Religions Christian, Catholic, traditional beliefs
 

Land


Land Area 25,650 sq km (9.903 sq miles) - slightly smaller than Maryland

Landforms 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.

Highest Point Mount Heha, 8,759 ft. (2,670 m)

Lowest Point Lk. Tanganyika, 2,532 ft. (772 m)

Land Divisions 16 provinces, including: Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana and Ruyigi.

Natural Resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone