Burundi

National name: Republika y’u Burundi

Government
Republic.

Geography
Wedged between Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda in east-central Africa, Burundi occupies a high plateau divided by several deep valleys.

Historical Background
 Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Over 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsidominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The government and the rebel group Forces for National Liberation, which was the last rebel group to engage in negotiations, signed a cease-fire in May 2008, signaling finality in the 15-year civil war that claimed some 300,000 lives.

Capital

Bujumbura

Government

Republic

President

Pierre Nkurunziza

Language

Swahili

National Holiday

Eid al-Fitr

Religion

Islamic

Area

Total 27,834 km2 (145th)
10,745 sq mi 

Population

July 2009 estimate 8,988,091[1] (89th)
2008 census 8,038,618[2] 

Currency

Burundi franc (FBu) (BIF)