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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Burundi
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1992-09-03
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Republic of (Republika y'Uburundi) area
27,834 sq km/10,744 sq mi capital Bujumbura
towns Kitega physical grassy highland
features Lake Tanganyika, Great Rift Valley;
source of the White Nile head of state and
government Pierre Buyoya from 1987 political
system one-party military republic political
parties Union for National Progress (UPRONA),
nationalist socialist exports coffee, cotton,
tea, nickel, hides, livestock; there are also
500 million tonnes of peat reserves in the
basin of the Akanyaru river currency Burundi
franc (295.25 = 1 Feb 1990) population (1988)
5,130,000 (of whom 15% are the Nilotic Tutsi,
still holding most of the land and political
power, and the remainder the Bantu Hutu);
annual growth rate 2.8% life expectancy men
45, women 48 language Kirundi (a Bantu
language) and French (official); Kiswahili
religion Roman Catholic over 50%, with a
Sunni Muslim minority literacy 43% male/26%
female (1985) GDP $1 bn (1983); $273 per head
of population chronology 1962 Separated from
Ruanda-Urundi, as Burundi, and given
independence as a monarchy under King
Mwambutsa IV. 1966 King deposed by his son
Charles, who became Ntare V and was in turn
deposed by his prime minister, Capt Michel
Micombero, who declared Burundi a republic.
1972 Ntare V killed, allegedly by the Hutu
ethnic group. Massacres of 150,000 Hutus by
the rival Tutsi ethnic group, of which
Micombero was a member. 1973 Micombero made
president and prime minister. 1974 UPRONA
declared the only legal political party, with
the president as its secretary general. 1976
Army coup deposed Micombero. Col
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza appointed president by
Supreme Revolutionary Council. 1981 New
constitution adopted, providing for a
national assembly. 1984 Bagaza elected
president as sole candidate. 1987 Bagaza
deposed in coup in Sept. Maj Pierre Buyoya
headed new Military Council for National
Redemption. 1988 Some 24,000 majority Hutus
killed by Tutsis. First Hutu prime minister
appointed.