Sub Saharan Africa

Burundi
Last reviewed: 15 July 2008

Country information

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Map of Burundi

Area: 27,834 sq km
Population: 8,300,000
Capital City: Bujumbura (population approx. 800,000)
People: Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa 1%, European 3,000, South Asian 2,000.
Language(s): Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and the Bujumbura area)
Religion(s): Catholicism, Islam, Animist
Currency Burundi franc = 100 centimes
Major political parties: National Council for the Defence of Democracy- Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD); Burundi Democratic Front (FRODEBU); Unity for National Progress (UPRONA). Others - National Council for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD); Party for National Redress (PARENA); Movement for the Reabilitation of the Citizen (MRC).
Head of State: President Pierre Nkurunziza
First Vice President: Dr Yves Sahinguvu
Second Vice President: Gabriel Ntisezerana
Minister for External Relations and Co-operation: Antoinette Batumubwira
Membership of International groupings: African Union (AU), UN, Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African community (EAC).