Here is a country of wonderful landscapes, from mountaintops to forests, huge lakes to tropical plateaus. Burundi is located at the heart of Africa but sadly has also been at the heart of African repulsion in recent years, with many horrific events taking place. The situation has cooled in recent years, however it has been described as a powder keg that could potentially explode at any moment. Despite these hardships the people of Burundi are amongst the most welcoming and sociable you’ll ever meet. The capital Bujumbura, nestled along the shores of Lake Tangyanika , is a great place to get your feet wet and enjoy what Burundi has to offer. Home to thousands of U.N. soldiers and countless more NGO and AID workers, Buja is a fantastic place to grab a Primus, enjoy the nightlife and engulf yourself in African hospitality. Burundi used to call itself the Switzerland of Africa (a title that was also claimed by neighbouring Rwanda).

Understanding the Geography

Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Africa. It is bordered by Rwanda on the north, Tanzania on the south and east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west. Although the country is landlocked, much of its western border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika.

Geographically isolated, facing population pressures and having sparse resources, Burundi is one of the poorest and most conflict-ridden countries in Africa and in the world. Its small size belies the magnitude of the problems it faces in reconciling the claims of the Tutsi minority with the Hutu majority.

Climate Conditions

Equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)