Burundi Overview

Burundi, or the Republic of Burundi with its official name, is a landlocked country located in the eastern part of the central part of the African continent. The borders of the country are Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly with Lake Tanganyika. The capital of the country is Gitega. The capital, formerly Bujumbura, moved to the city of Gitega, about 100 kilometers east, in 2019. Bujumbura is still the economic center of the country.

A Brief History of Burundi

It is estimated that the first communities that settled in the lands where Rwanda and Burundi were established in the pre-colonial periods are the ancestors of the Tvas, which constitute the minority in these countries today. Although the region became the colony of Germany, Germany did not seize the country at first, and borders were first determined with Congo in 1885 and the regions belonging to Britain in 1886. The United Nations decided to leave Rwanda and Burundi to independence as separate states in line with the decision taken on June 6, 1962, and in line with this decision, the independence of Burundi was accepted by Belgium on July 1, 1962.

Geography in Burundi

Of the 1,140 km of the border the country has in total, 315 km consists of Rwanda, 589 km with Tanzania, and 236 km with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is generally a mountainous and highland country. The average altitude in Burundi is between 1,400 and 1,800 meters. The highest point of the country is Mount Heha, which is a part of the high plateau of Burundi, located 30 km southeast of the capital Bujumbura with 2,684 m.

Climate in Burundi

Although Burundi is close to the Equator line, it has a mild and humid climate due to the elevation of the country. As the hot equatorial climate prevails in the region overlaps with the seasonal east African climate, the climate is softened with the effect of the elevations. Although the average temperature throughout the year varies depending on the altitude, there are no major changes in temperature values. Annual temperature values ​​are experienced at the lowest 15 ° C and the highest 26 ° C. There are rainy seasons twice a year in Burundi. Monsoon rains occur in the country in the period of September-December, which is called umuhindo and 27% of the annual precipitation falls, while the monsoons called itumba fall in the period of February-June. In this second period, 40% of the annual precipitation occurs in March-May. Irregularities in annual rainfall and the consequent drought and heavy rainfalls have a negative effect on agricultural products and may cause famine from time to time.

Coffee Production in Burundi

Coffee cultivation, which started in the German Colonial period in the early 1900s, became internationally commercialized during the Belgian Colonial period. Today, it has become a sector that provides close to 40% of the employment in the country where coffee is produced with mostly small-scale farmers. Almost all coffee produced in Burundi is Arabica variety. Although most of them are bourbon varieties, the production of coffees of the Harrar, Cattura, and Catuai varieties is also carried out.