Landlocked Burundi lies just south of the equator on the Nile–Congo watershed. Lake Tanganyika forms part of its border with the DRC. Tension between the Hutu majority and the dominant Tutsi minority remains the main factor in politics. The current political unrest dates from the assassination of the first Hutu president in a coup by the Tutsi-dominated army in October 1993, which sparked terrible violence.

Burundi's history has been marked by violent conflict between the majority Hutu and the Tutsi, formerly the political elite, who still control the army. Large-scale massacres have occurred repeatedly over the past two decades. Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly Hutu, have been killed in political and ethnic conflict since 1993. The Twa pygmy minority has not been greatly affected.

Most Burundians are subsistence farmers; the vast majority are Roman Catholic.

Strengths

Small quantities of gold and tungsten. Potential of massive nickel reserves and oil in Lake Tanganyika.

Weaknesses

Harsh regional sanctions since 1996 coup. Overwhelmingly agricultural economy (91% of labor force) under pressure from high birthrate and war damage. Little prospect of lasting political stability.

From 1966, the Tutsi dominated the sole party UPRONA, as well as the civil service, the judiciary, and the army. Tutsi President Buyoya attempted to promote greater racial integration. This backfired in a bloody coup in 1993 when the first Hutu president, Melchior Ndadaye of Frodebu, was assassinated four months after his election, and hundreds of thousands of Hutu were killed by the army or fled to neighboring countries. The situation worsened in 1994 as the country plunged into a vicious civil war between the Tutsi-dominated army and Hutu militias. Buyoya was returned to power by a military coup in 1996, but despite his efforts to regain international acceptance, an economic boycott by neighboring countries inflicted serious damage. A peace accord was finally forged in 2001, and Buyoya formed a joint Hutu–Tutsi transitional government, but fighting continued, with the Hutu National Liberation Front refusing to sign a cease-fire or join the government.

Since 1995 Burundi has resisted proposals for UN/OAU intervention to prevent further bloodshed.

The 40,000-strong army is run by Tutsi. The attempt to bring Hutu into officer ranks was a cause of the 1993 coup. The army seized power again in 1996, and a state of virtual civil war has existed between it and rebel Hutu militias. A UNICEF program to demobilize over 14,000 child soldiers from these militias was announced in 2001.

Burundi has around 5% of the world's nickel reserves. Extraction, however, is not economically viable. There are also deposits of gold and vanadium. Surveys in the 1980s detected oil reserves below Lake Tanganyika, but production has yet to begin. Burundi imports gasoline from Iran and electricity from the DRC. New HEP plants at Mugera and Rwegura, in the far north, are intended to meet most domestic electricity requirements.

Only 2% of Burundi is forest and even this is now under pressure from one of Africa's highest birthrates. Burundi suffers from the problems associated with deforestation, particularly soil erosion. Some soils are also being exhausted from overuse. Several tree-planting programs have been introduced. UNESCO is also running ecological education initiatives at village level, aimed at women farmers.

The dense road network has been rehabilitated. There are plans for a railroad to link Burundi with Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Over half of the population of Burundi are underfed, over 30% do not have access to health services, and by 1999 11% were living with HIV/AIDS.

Elementary schooling begins at seven, and is compulsory, though further schooling is not. There are around 70 elementary schoolchildren per teacher. There is one university.

Burundi has an appalling human rights record. There have been frequent massacres of Hutu by the army. The worst pogroms occurred in 1972, 1988, 1993, and 1994.

Wealth is concentrated within the Tutsi political and business elite. Most of Burundi's people live a subsistence existence.

A lack of basic infrastructure and violent political strife deter tourists. The industry has limited potential, since Burundi lacks its neighbors' spectacular scenery and game parks.

From the 16th century, Burundi (formerly Urundi) was ruled by the minority Tutsi with the majority Hutu as their serfs. Merged with Rwanda, Burundi was controlled by Germany from 1884 and by Belgium from 1919.

• 1946 UN trust territory.
• 1959 Split from Rwanda.
• 1962 Independence.
• 1966 Army overthrows monarchy.
• 1972 150,000 Hutu massacred.
• 1993 Ndadaye wins first free elections; killed four months later.
• 1996 Buyoya retakes power.
• 1999 Talks between warring groups.
• 2000 Renewed violence.
• 2001 Power-sharing agreement between Tutsis and Hutus.