Article Outline
Arable land and land used for permanent crops account for 53 percent of Burundi’s land area. Another 6 percent is covered by forest. The principal mineral resources are peat, uranium, nickel, petroleum, tin, bastnasite, and gold.
The climate is tropical, moderated in most places by altitude. The average annual temperature is 20°C (68°F) on the plateau and 23°C (73°F) in the Great Rift Valley. Dry seasons are from May to August and from January to February, and the rest of the year is rainy. The average annual precipitation is about 850 mm (about 33 in), but can vary significantly year to year. Lack of rain periodically causes droughts, and excessive rainfall can cause floods and landslides.
Poor land management has damaged the country’s environment. Overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands have contributed to severe soil erosion. Most of the country’s once extensive forests have been cleared for pastureland and farmland, and human settlements are encroaching upon the habitats of Burundi’s wildlife. Of the animal species that inhabit Burundi, 28 (2004) are threatened. Burundi has ratified an international agreement intended to protect endangered species. About 5.4 percent (2004) of the country’s total area is officially protected from development. The main protected areas are Kibira National Park, Ruvubu National Park, Ruzizi Nature Reserve, and Bururi Nature Reserve.
The population of Burundi (2007 estimate) is 8,390,505. The overall density of 327 persons per sq km (847 per sq mi) is one of the highest in Africa. The population is 89 percent rural. Most Burundians live in family groupings dispersed throughout the highlands, and villages are uncommon. Instability due to violence between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups in both Burundi and Rwanda has led to mass migrations. Most Hutu have fled Bujumbura and some have gone to Rwanda. Thousands of persecuted Rwandan Tutsi have crossed into Burundi. Burundi’s life expectancy at birth is 51 years, among the lowest in the world, due to poverty, ethnic strife, and numerous diseases, including one of the highest incidences of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the world. The population growth rate in 2007 was an estimated 3.6 percent. The country’s capital and most important city is Bujumbura, on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.
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Ethnic Groups and Languages
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The chief ethnic groups are the Hutu and the Tutsi, who have traditionally comprised 85 percent and 14 percent of the population, respectively. The Twa, a pygmy group, account for 1 percent. The official languages are Kirundi and French. Swahili is also widely spoken along Lake Tanganyika.
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