Burundi

Republika y’u Burundi (Kirundi)

République du Burundi (French)

Political Status: Independent state since July 1, 1962; under military control beginning November 28, 1966; one-party constitution adopted by referendum of November 18, 1981; military control reimposed following coup of September 3, 1987; multiparty constitution adopted March 13, 1992, following referendum of March 9; military rule reimposed following coup of July 25, 1996; transitional constitution signed into law June 6, 1998; new transitional constitution providing for a three-year transitional period adopted October 27, 2001; new constitution approved by national referendum on February 28, 2005; transitional period concluded with local and national elections in June–September 2005.

Area: 10,747 sq. mi. (27,834 sq. km.).

Population: 5,139,073 (1990C); 8,032,000 (2006E).

Major Urban Center (2005E): BUJUMBURA (407,000). (In 2007 the government announced plans to ...