Burundi

CapitalGitega

LanguageKirundi

Population12 million

60 Persecutioni

Adopt o Burundi

Presidential RepublicChristian majorityOne of the poorest economies in the world, sustained by agriculture

Discover

The identity of the nation

About the nation

About Burundi

Burundi is a small landlocked country in the heart of East Africa, located between Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, with Lake Tanganyika bathing its southwestern border. In just over 27,000 square kilometers live around 12 million people, making it one of the most densely populated countries on the continent. Most speak Kirundi (the official language of Burundi), a language shared by virtually the entire population, alongside French and Swahili.

It is a nation of green hills, family farms and sacred drums. Life revolves around the land: most families grow beans, bananas, cassava and coffee on the hillsides. Coffee is the main export product, but average income remains among the lowest on the planet, and hunger affects a significant part of the people. Despite material poverty, there is a strong sense of community, hospitality and devotion.

Burundi has a Christian majority: more than nine in every ten inhabitants identify as Christians, with a strong Catholic presence and growth of evangelical and Pentecostal churches. Faith is lived out with warmth and expressiveness, in song, prayer and worship. Even so, old traditional beliefs persist in layers of the culture, and the depth of discipleship is a challenge: many profess Christ without having been transformed into maturity.

The country’s recent history has been marked by deep wounds. Tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi groups resulted in massacres, a long civil war and waves of refugees. Reconciliation, forgiveness and the healing of memories remain an urgent call for the church, which holds in its hands the message capable of reconciling a divided people.

Today, under a government that exerts strong control over society, Christians who speak openly face surveillance and pressure. Even so, the church grows and prays. Burundi is a young, wounded and resilient nation that needs intercession for peace, justice, bread and for a gospel that heals the roots and not just the surface.

History

Before Kingdom of Burundi: for centuries, a monarchy centralized around the mwami (king) and the sacred drum karyenda (sacred drum and symbol of Burundi).
1890 The territory is incorporated into German East Africa.
1916 Belgian troops occupy the region during World War I; Burundi comes under Belgian rule.
1962 Independence on July 1, initially as a monarchy.
1966 A coup abolishes the monarchy and installs a republic; a long period of military regimes begins.
1972 Large-scale massacres against the Hutu population, with hundreds of thousands dead.
1993 Multiparty elections; the assassination of the elected president triggers a civil war.
1993 Civil war between 1993 and 2005, with around 300,000 dead.
2005 Peace agreements and a new constitution; Pierre Nkurunziza takes the presidency.
2019 The political capital is moved from Bujumbura to Gitega.
Today A Christian-majority nation, marked by poverty and by wounds of reconciliation still open.

Languages

Kirundinational language, spoken by nearly the entire population
Frenchofficial language, used in administration and education
Swahililanguage of trade, spoken mainly in the cities and around the lake

Geography, cities, and climate

Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa, with mountainous terrain and steep hills. The west descends to the plain of Lake Tanganyika, one of the deepest lakes in the world, while the interior rises into plateaus above 1,700 meters. The highest point is Mount Heha, at 2,684 meters. It is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa.

Major cities

GitegaPolitical capital since 2019, in the center of the country
BujumburaLargest city and economic center, port on Lake Tanganyika
NgoziAgricultural and commercial hub of the north
MuyingaCity in the northeast, near the border with Tanzania

Climate and temperature

Plateaus (Gitega, Ngozi)Highland tropical, mild, 17 to 23°C

Lake Tanganyika (Bujumbura)Warmer and more humid, averaging around 23°C

Long dry seasonJune to August

Long rainy seasonFebruary to May

Notable people

Khadja Nin

Internationally renowned singer and songwriter

Marguerite Barankitse

Humanitarian who took in thousands of children orphaned by the war

Saido Berahino

Footballer who played for England's youth national teams

Pierre Nkurunziza

President of Burundi from 2005 to 2020

Traditional foods

🍌

Ibitoke

Plantain, boiled or mashed, the base of many meals.

🥬

Isombe

Cassava leaves sautéed with onion, tomato and peanut paste.

🫘

Ibiharage

Seasoned beans, an everyday dish served with banana or ugali.

🌽

Ubugali

Firm dough of corn or cassava flour, used to accompany stews.

🍗

Boko boko harees

A wheat dish with shredded chicken, of Arab influence, considered emblematic.

🐟

Mukeke

Fish from Lake Tanganyika, grilled or cooked, common in Bujumbura.

Understand

Culture and spirituality

2a · The culture

Cultural highlights

Sacred drums

Burundi's royal drums are Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a symbol of the nation.

Life on the hills

Local identity is organized around the hills (collines), where families and the community live.

Hospitality and sharing

Welcoming others and sharing food, even in scarcity, is a sign of honor.

Reverence for elders

The word of the elders carries weight in family and community decisions.

Expressive faith

Christian worship is lived out with singing, dancing and fervent prayer.

Memory of the wounds

The past of violence between ethnic groups still shapes trust and relationships.

What to avoid

Treating the ethnic divide lightly The wounds between Hutus and Tutsis are real and painful; the subject requires sensitivity.
Discussing government politics in public Surveillance is intense and criticism can bring risk to you and to locals.
Treating poverty with pity or superiority Dignity and partnership are worth more than handouts.
Ignoring the elders Reverence for elders opens doors; disregarding them closes relationships.
Rushing relationships Trust is built with time, presence and respect.

Socioeconomic indicators

2b · The field

Religions

Catholics60%

Evangelicals20.6%

Anglicans8.4%

Muslims5.5%

Ethnic religions3.8%

Other Christians1.5%

Spiritual and social challenges

Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:

The wounds between Hutus and Tutsis remain open and feed distrust and fear.

Cycles of violence left roots of hatred that only the forgiveness of Christ can break.

Government pressure and surveillance create a climate of dread that stifles freedom.

Christian faith coexists with traditional beliefs and divination practices.

Material misery steals dreams and exposes families to exploitation.

Food insecurity affects a large part of the people and hurts children especially.

Injustice and the diversion of resources undermine trust in institutions.

Many profess Christ without discipleship that transforms life.

Successive crises have driven multitudes into exile, splitting families apart.

Occult practices still seek protection and power apart from the gospel.

Freedom and reach

Religious persecution

Burundi is a Christian-majority nation, but following Jesus with integrity can come at a high cost for those who trouble the powerful. The main source of pressure does not come from another religion, but from a government that exerts tight control over society. The authorities’ distrust reaches the judiciary, the press and also the churches.

Security agents and government-linked youth groups closely monitor Christian communities. Many churches keep silent out of fear: pastors and believers who denounce injustice, pray for change or refuse to support the regime can suffer threats, imprisonment, abductions and, in extreme cases, lethal violence. The Ministry of the Interior interferes in the life of religious institutions, restricting activities and imposing limits.

In recent years, pressure on the church has grown steadily, and violence against Christians has reached high levels. In the midst of this, the church of Burundi continues to gather, to worship and to cry out for peace, justice and courage to proclaim the gospel in an atmosphere of fear.

The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.

Unreached people groups

Burundi is ethnically more homogeneous than many of its neighbors: nearly the entire population speaks Kirundi and is historically divided among Hutus, Tutsis and the Twa minority. More than nine in every ten Burundians declare themselves Christians, which makes the country largely reached in numerical terms. The greater challenge is not the absence of the gospel, but depth: discipleship, reconciliation between wounded groups and a faith that penetrates beyond the surface. There are also Muslim communities and remnants of traditional beliefs to be reached with love and truth.

In the country i

90.5%Christians

20.6%evangelicals

By population i

0.1%unreached

99.2%significantly reached

0.1% Unreached (16K)
0% Minimally reached (0)
0% Superficially reached (0)
0.7% Partially reached (98K)
99.2% Significantly reached (14.1M)

By people groups i

6people groups

1unreached · 16.7%

16.7% Unreached (1)
0% Minimally reached (0)
0% Superficially reached (0)
33.3% Partially reached (2)
50% Significantly reached (3)

Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.

Some unreached people groups in this country

Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.

See the full overview of the peoples

The Bible in this country

5languages spoken

4With complete Bible

1Without complete Bible

80% With complete Bible (4)
20% Only portions of the Bible (1)

Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.

Languages without a complete Bible

Rundi Official

Complete Bible

French Official

Complete Bible

Burundian Sign Language

Portions translated See the full Bible status for this country View overview

See the full Bible status for this country

Pray

Intercede for this nation

What to pray for

Intercession for Burundi

For the healing of the ethnic wounds among Hutus, Tutsis and Twa, so that the forgiveness of Christ may break the cycles of violence and revenge.

For the church of Burundi, that it may grow in discipleship and depth, and not only in numbers.

For the Christians who suffer surveillance and pressure because of their faith, that they may have courage, wisdom and protection.

For justice and integrity among the authorities, so that fear may give way to freedom and respect for human dignity.

For the families struck by hunger and poverty, that they may have bread, work and hope.

For the children and youth of a very young nation, that they may know Christ and grow up in peace.

For Burundian refugees and exiles, that they may find welcome and one day be able to return safely.

For national reconciliation, that the church may be an instrument of peace and a bridge between the divided.

For those who still follow traditional beliefs and for the Muslim community, that they may know the love of Jesus.

For pastors and leaders, that they may be faithful, courageous and full of the Spirit in the midst of pressure.

Send and sustain

Not everyone goes, everyone takes part

Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.

Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.

Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.

Adopt this nation in prayer Give toward this nation Mobilize your church

Go

Practical details for those who want to go

Local time

Local time · Gitega

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· · UTC+2

Cost of living

Cost of living Low in local currency, but average income is very low

Simple meal (restaurant)8,000 FBu local dish

1-bedroom rent (central Bujumbura)1,300,000 FBu/month varies greatly by neighborhood

Local transport fare3,000 FBu

Bread (500 g)6,000 FBu

Milk (1 liter)3,000 FBu

Cost by city

BujumburaThe most expensive city in the country, especially for foreigners' housing

Gitega and the interiorLower cost, with less infrastructure for visitors

Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.

Practical points for those who go

Learn some Kirundi: gestures of respect in the local language open doors and touch people's hearts.
French helps a lot: it is the language of administration and education; English is little spoken.
Be careful with political topics: surveillance is intense and discretion protects you and the locals.
Take care of your health: bring protection against malaria and confirm your vaccines, especially yellow fever.
Respect the elders and the community: trust is built with presence, patience and time.
Carry cash: cards and ATMs are limited outside Bujumbura.

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