Burundi is geographically at the
heart of Africa but, sadly, has also been at the heart of African horrors in recent years. Here is a country of
wonderful landscapes, from mountaintops to forests, huge lakes to tropical plateau. Yet this topographical patchwork mirrors Burundi’s cultural patchwork, one which has interwoven both Hutu and Tutsi tribal strands, often with violent consequences.
Burundi’s situation is improving. President Nkurunziza, democratically elected in 2005, is engaged in
peace talks and has announced applauded measures, such as
that of introducing free education. However, there is still a danger of indiscriminate attacks from rebel groups in Burundi. Until these incidents are fully quashed, many will miss out on seeing the beauty of Burundi for themselves.
GeographyBurundi is a land-locked country in the heart of Africa, a little south of the equator, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, by the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and by Tanzania to the south and east. The interior is a broken plateau sloping east to Tanzania and the valley of the River Malagarasi. The southern tributary of the Nile system rises in the south of the country. The landscape is characterized by hills and valleys covered with eucalyptus trees, banana groves, cultivated fields and pasture. In the east, the fertile area gives way to savannah grassland, and tea and coffee are now grown on mountainsides.
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