Burundi

American  

[boo-roon-dee] / bʊˈrʊn di /

noun

1. a republic in central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: formerly the southern part of the Belgian trust territory of Ruanda-Urundi; gained independence on July 1, 1962. 10,747 sq. mi. (27,834 sq. km). Bujumbura.

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Burundi British  

/ bəˈrʊndɪ /

noun

1. Former name (until 1962): Urundi.  a republic in E central Africa: inhabited chiefly by the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa (Pygmy); made part of German East Africa in 1899; part of the Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi from 1923 until it became independent in 1962; ethnic violence has erupted at times between Hutu and Tutsi, as in Rwanda; consists mainly of high plateaus along the main Nile-Congo dividing range, dropping rapidly to the Great Rift Valley in the west. Official languages: Kirundi and French. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: Burundi franc. Capital: Bujumbura. Pop: 10 888 321 (2013 est). Area: 27 731 sq km (10 707 sq miles)

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Burundi Cultural  

1. Nation in Central Africa, bordered by Rwanda on the north, Democratic Republic of Congo on the west, and Tanzania on the east and south. Its capital is Bujumbura. It achieved independence in 1962. It has been torn by ethnic conflict between Tutsis and Hutus.

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Other Word Forms

• Burundian adjective

Example Sentences

For years, Burundi has been gripped by a profound economic crisis, notably a three-year-long petrol shortage that has paralysed the country.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Yousra Hassan, a 20-year-old from Burundi, a French-speaking country in East Africa, won a scholarship to North Central College in Naperville, Ill., after 18 months of intensive English study.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Authorizing credits from voluntary projects “is a difficult question for us at this time,” said Astere Nindamutsa, designated national authority for Burundi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

"I feel the safest I've ever been," said Liberty Mini, a 33-year-old interior decorator originally from Burundi, who has lived in Lagos for three years.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

Burundi is about the size of Connecticut and is home to some 8.5 million people.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John