Burundi

Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. The capital is Gitega, though Bujumbura remains the largest city and commercial centre. With a population of about 12-million, Burundi is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa and among the poorest in the world, with an economy heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture, particularly coffee and tea exports. The country uses the Burundian franc as its currency. Burundi is a presidential republic and a member of the East African Community, alongside Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. The nation's economy faces significant challenges including limited infrastructure, political instability and restricted access to international markets owing to its landlocked geography. Ethnic tensions between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority have shaped much of Burundi's post-independence history, including a civil war that lasted from 1993 to 2005. Since independence from Belgium in 1962, Burundi has experienced recurring cycles of political violence and economic hardship, though regional integration efforts through the East African Community offer potential pathways for trade expansion and development.