Burundi is a landlocked independent state which lies to the south of Rwanda and forms part of the Central African Region. The capital city is Bujumbura. Other major cities are Makamba and Rumonge.

The official languages of Burundi are Ki-Rundi and French but Ki-Swahili is widely spoken as a commercial language. The local currency is the Burundi franc. (US$ / Bur Fr - current exchange rate).

Burundi has the second-largest population density in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hutus and Tutsis are the two main ethnic groups that comprise the country's population. Most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil.

Malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, hepatitis A, meningitis, typhoid fever, yellow fever(regional), and schistosomiasis may be contracted while travelling in Burundi. Travellers should be aware that advance payment for medical services may be required. Prescription medicines should be carried in their original containers together with the prescription. Vaccinations should be obtained before entering Burundi and cholera vaccination certificates are required by al visitors. Also, visitors travelling from countries where yellow fever is endemic are required to carry meningitis and yellow fever vaccination certficates. Travellers are advised to drink only bottled water.

The economy is largely subsistence based, with coffee being the country's chief export. Production of coffee increased in the late 1990s due to a slight decrease in the insecurity in the country, however, prices continue to be low. Cotton and tea are also traded. There are a few industrial firms that manufacture consumer products, and some process cotton and coffee. Burundi’s economy is estimated to have contracted by 25% since 1998. Fiscal performance weakened in the latter part of 2001, mainly reflecting expenditure overruns.

Access to basic social and health services has been severely diminished by conflict. Economic activity began to recover and inflation decelerated in 2001. Aided by a rebound in agricultural output and reconstruction activity. These positive trends continued during the first half of 2002, but the lowest world coffee prices in a decade have posed major difficulties for Burundi, rated 171st on Human Development Index in 2003.

Along with coffee and tea, other agricultural products such as sugar, cotton fabrics, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca), beef, milk, hides, livestock feed and rice are also produced. A smaller part of the country's GDP comes from beverage production, coffee and tea processing, cigarette production, sugar refining, pharmaceuticals, light food processing, textiles, chemicals (insecticides), public works construction, consumer goods, assembly of imported components, as well as from the service industry.

Natural resources such as commercial quantities of alluvial gold, nickel, phosphates, rare earth, vanadium, and peat are being exploited.

The Burundi oil industry is one of the key elements in the economy; accounting for around 15% of its imports. It has a fledgling mining industry the development of which has been severely hampered by the political strife. Electricity is provided by the parastatal utility Regideso.

• Belgium occupied Ruanda-Urundi (as the League of Nations mandated territory encompassing both Rwanda and Burundi was named) in 1916.
• An ethnic minority, the Tutsi, had long been dominant over the majority Hutu and a pygmoid group, the Twa.
• The Belgium administration proved a somewhat disuptive influence in Burundi's social and political system.
• Two main parties came to the fore: namely the Union pour le progress, led by Louis Rwagasore (UPRONA) and the Parti démocrate chrétien (PDC).
• UPRONA won the 1961 elections and Rwagasore became prime minister, only to be assassinated two weeks later by agents of the PDC.
• The absence of Rwagasore's unifying influence led to the division of UPRONA and the emergence of open conflict between Hutu and Tutsi.
• Four governments held office during 1963-65.
• Tensions reached a climax after the assassination of the Hutu prime minister, Pierre Ngendandumwe, in early 1965.
• Despite a decisive Hutu victory at parliamentary elections held in May 1965, Mwambutsa ( the king) appointed a Tutsi prince as the new prime minister.
• Incensed by this, a faction of the Hutu-dominated gendarmerie attempted to seize power in October 1965. The repression of this coup was extremely violent.
• In July 1966 Mwambutsa was deposed by his son, Ntare. In November of the same year, Ntare was deposed by Micombero, who declared Burundi a republic.
• Following an abortive coup attempt in April 1972, brutal massacres occurred.
• In November 1976, Col. Jean-Baptiste Bagaza seized power in a bloodless coup. Efforts were made to encourage national reconciliation and integration.
• A new constitution, adopted by a national referendum in November 1981, provided for a national assembly. The first elections were held in October 1982.
• The period 1984-87 was notable for a deterioration in the government's observance of human rights, particularly in relation to religious freedom. This led to intense conflict with several Christian denominations.
• In September 1987, Bagaza was deposed by an army-led coup and the 1981 constitution was suspended.
• In August 1988 groups of Hutu slaughtered hundreds of Tutsi in the towns of Ntega and Marangara.
• Despite Buyoya's plans to combat all forms of discrimination against the Hutu, the conflict intensified.
• Buyoya's referendum in 1991 presented the report of the constitutional commission on 'national democratisation'. It received the support of more than 90% of the voters.
• In February 1993 a presidential poll was won by Milker Ndadaye who became Burundi's first Hutu head of state.
• In a coup by more than 100 army paratroopers in October 1993, several Hutu politicians and officials, including President Ndadaye, were killed by the insurgents.
• International condemnation of the coup, together with the scale and ferocity of renewed tribal violence, undermined support for the insurgents.
• In January 1994, Cyprian Ntaryamira was elected president.
• During February 1994 ethnic tension mounted as extremist factions of both Hutu and Tutsi groups attempted to establish territorial strongholds within the country.
• On 6 April 1994 President Ntaryamira was killed when the aircraft of Rwandan President Habyarimana, in which he was travelling, was the target of a rocket attack.
• In October 1994 a coalition government was announced.
• Ethnic tension persisted throughout 1994.
• An escalation of incidents of politically- and ethnically-motivated violence during 1995 prompted renewed concern that the security crisis would precipitate a larger-scale campaign of ethnic massacres similar to that witnessed in Rwanda during 1994.

Information kindly provided by Eskom.

International Finance Corporation, African Union, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, World Trade Organisation, Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Economic Community of Central African States, East African Community

Buhiga 3 & 4, Gikonge, Institut de Recherche Agronomique et Zootechnique, Marangara, Mugere I, Musongati, Rusizi hydro plant, Ruvyironza ou Mugera, Rwegura II, Sanzu 3 ou Ruyigi, University of Bujumbura