(République du Burundi). According to Localcollegeexplorer, Burundi is a state of central-eastern Africa (27,834 km²). Capital: Bujumbura. Administrative division: provinces (17). Population: 8,303,300 residents (2009 estimate). Language: French and kiRundi (official), Swahili. Religion: Catholics65%, non-religious / atheists 18.7%, Muslims 10%, other religions 6.3%. Monetary unit: Burundian franc (100 cents). Human Development Index: 0.394 (174th place). Borders: Rwanda (N), Tanzania (S and E), Democratic Republic of Congo (W). Member of: EAC, UN, AU and WTO, EU associate.
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
When the Europeans arrived in the country they found populations well organized according to an articulated hierarchy, in which the Tutsis, Nilo-Hamitic breeders, more evolved than the Hutus, Bantu farmers, and the Batwa pygmoids emerged., hunter-gatherers of the forest. At the time of independence, the more numerous Hutus acquired a position of supremacy, which, however, they did not take advantage of to show intolerance towards other ethnic groups. Later, however, the rivalry between Hutu and Tutsi, exploited for the purposes of power by local rulers or foreign powers, emerged more clearly, and starting from the 1990s, despite the start of a process of normalization in relations between the two groups dragged Burundi into a bloody inter-ethnic civil war. As a result of these ethnic clashes, intense flows of refugees have taken place towards neighboring countries, in particular Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and above all the Democratic Republic of the Congo, triggering a long series of cross military interventions. The return of refugees began in 2002-2003. The Hutus continue to be the vast majority of the population (81%); followed by the Tutsis (16%), a small minority of pygmies (1%) and other ethnic groups (2%). With its 298 residents / km², Burundi is one of the most densely populated African countries, albeit with a rather irregular distribution, also due to the state of insecurity in which the country finds itself. The most densely populated area is the north-central plateau, where there are better conditions for agriculture and livestock, while the human presence decreases as we proceed towards the lowlands. The only city is the capital With its 298 residents / km², Burundi is one of the most densely populated African countries, albeit with a rather irregular distribution, also due to the state of insecurity in which the country finds itself. The most densely populated area is the north-central plateau, where there are better conditions for agriculture and livestock, while the human presence decreases as we proceed towards the lowlands. The only city is the capital With its 298 residents / km², Burundi is one of the most densely populated African countries, albeit with a rather irregular distribution, also due to the state of insecurity in which the country finds itself. The most densely populated area is the north-central plateau, where there are better conditions for agriculture and livestock, while the human presence decreases as we proceed towards the lowlands. The only city is the capital while the human presence decreases moving towards the lowlands. The only city is the capital while the human presence decreases moving towards the lowlands. The only city is the capital Bujumbura, an active port on Lake Tanganyika; other small towns worthy of note are Gitega, a road junction on the central plateau, Bururi and Muyinga.
ENVIRONMENT
The territory of Burundi is made up almost entirely of plateaus and minor reliefs, with typically tropical mountain landscapes. The dominant vegetation is the savannah, both herbaceous and arborate. In the central-southern part, in particular along the Tanganyika coasts and the Rusizi valley, the country is covered by herbaceous savannah; further south of the plateau there is, instead, the wooded savannah, where the most common trees are eucalyptus, acacia and oil palm. The wildlife is very varied, among the many species present in the area we find elephants, hippos, crocodiles, wild boars, leopards, antelopes and monkeys; moreover, ducks, geese, partridges and quail are common. Uncontrolled deforestation to obtain fuel and new agricultural land with a consequent increase in soil erosion, population growth, the increase in land destined for farming and poaching are among the environmental problems that most afflict the country: biodiversity, desertification, disposal of harmful waste, especially endangered and protection of the ozone layer. The protected areas are 5.6% and also include three national parks: Kibira (1933), Ruzizi (1974) and Ruvubu (1933).
ECONOMY
One of the poorest countries in Africa, largely assisted by international organizations including the World Bank and the IMF (in 2005 international aid represented 46.8% of its GDP), Burundi has an extremely backward economy, whose economy structure has remained almost unchanged since the colonial era. The civil war that devastated the country for twelve years only worsened the already precarious economic situation. After the 2005 elections, which marked a turning point in the pacification process, the economy began to show slight signs of recovery: GDP per capita, while remaining very low, it rose to US $ 163. The GDP was US $ 1,321 million in 2009. § Pure subsistence agriculture prevails, which, with approx. 93% (2007) of the workforce contributes 45% to the formation of the national income and gives cereals (mainly maize and sorghum), potatoes and cassava, bananas and legumes. Plantation agriculture, introduced by the Belgians, is the only profitable activity and mainly concerns coffee, cotton and tea. Coffee covers about 90% of exports every year, making the country very subject to international fluctuations in the price of this product. § The products of livestock farming, which has a fairly large number of animals but of rather poor quality, and of fishing, practiced in the waters of Lake Tanganyika, are also addressed to internal needs.; food insufficiency, however, remains the country’s fundamental problem. § More intense exploitation of mineral resources (gold, cassiterite, nickel) and an expansion of the industries, concentrated in Bujumbura and until now limited to coffee and oilseed processing plants, as well as some small footwear and textile complexes, a brewery, a few cement factories and small mechanical workshops. § Exchanges are still very modest. Burundi exports, as has been said, mainly coffee, followed by skins, cotton and tea, supplying Europe above all; on the other hand, imported products (machinery, food products, fuels) come mainly from Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and Zambia. Foreign debt and the payment of related interest are high. § There are no railways, while the road network is quite dense (12,322 km of roads in 2004 of which only about 1,200 asphalted), although in part it is not passable during the rainy season; important is the lake service on Tanganyika, which makes connections between Bujumbura and the port of Kigoma (Tanzania), through which practically all the country’s foreign trade passes; Bujumbura has an international airport.
