• The Republic of Burundi is an African country in the Great Lakes region which includes Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, which makes up much of the country's western border. Burundi is bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• 1. Capital: Bujumbura
  2. Government: Republic
  3. Independence from Belgium: July 1, 1962
  4. Population: 7,548,000 (2005) Est
  5. Currency: Burundi franc (BIF)
  6. Official Languages: Kirundi, French
  7. Religion: Christian, Indigenous beliefs, Muslim
  8. Time Zone: Central Africa Time (UTC+2)
  9. International Dialing Code: +257
  10. Internet TLD: .bi
  11. Motto: "Ubumwe, Ibikorwa, Iterambere" (Unity, Work, Progress)
  12. Anthem: Burundi bwacu
  13. Area: 10,745 square miles

• A Troubled Country

  Isolated, pressured by external political and racial tension, and lacking resources, Burundi has the lowest Gross Domestic Product per capita of all the countries in the world. In a (2007) survey published in School of Psychology, the people of Burundi were determined to have the lowest satisfaction in life of any country.

• Decades of Ethnic Struggle

  Burundi, much like neighboring Rwanda, as suffered with racially-driven conflict since its independence from Belgium. Ethnic Hutus and Tutsi have engaged in ethnic cleansing and massacres despite several cease fires, the most recent of which has not been implemented.

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