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Burundi: map, flag, capital and key facts

Burundi is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 14.4 million people (2025) and an area of 27,830 square kilometres. Its capital is Gitega, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.

By Team Geography Last reviewed

Flag of Burundi
Flag of Burundi
Map showing where the country sits among its neighbours
Burundi in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.

Key facts about Burundi

CapitalGitegaGitega became the political capital in 2019; Bujumbura remains the economic capital.
ContinentAfrica
RegionEast Africa
Population14,390,003 2025, World Bank. 77th of 195.
Area27,830 km² (10,745 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 142nd largest of 195.
Population density517 people per km²
Land neighbours3: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania
Official nameRepublic of Burundi
UN statusMember state
Capital coordinates3.43° S, 29.84° E Gitega, Natural Earth.

Land neighbours

Burundi borders 3 countries on land. Each links to its own page.

Democratic Republic of the CongoKinshasaRwandaKigaliTanzaniaDodoma

From the Geography app

The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Burundi's 5, in full.

PLACELens 1 of 5

Where does Burundi sit in Africa's interior?

Burundi occupies a compact, hilly territory in the African Great Lakes region, bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo across Lake Tanganyika to the west. The country's western edge drops sharply into the Albertine Rift, one of the most biodiverse corridors on the continent. At roughly 27,834 km², it ranks among Africa's smallest nations, yet its elevation, averaging above 1,500 meters, gives it a temperate climate unusual for its equatorial latitude.

More on Albertine Rift

The western branch of the East African Rift system, running from Lake Albert to Lake Tanganyika. Its montane forests harbor more endemic vertebrate species than any other region on the African mainland.

4 more lenses on Burundi in the app

  • STORY What shaped Burundi's cultural identity?
  • NOW What challenges define Burundi today?
  • THREAD How is Burundi connected to its neighbors?
  • NOW What is Burundi's coffee story?

Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.

Compare Burundi with another country

Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.

Common questions

What is the capital of Burundi?
The capital of Burundi is Gitega. Gitega became the political capital in 2019; Bujumbura remains the economic capital. Gitega lies at about 3.4 degrees south and 29.8 degrees east. Burundi is in Africa, in the region often called East Africa.
What is the population of Burundi?
About 14.4 million people live in Burundi, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 77th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 27,830 square kilometres, that is about 517 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Burundi?
Burundi shares land borders with 3 countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. The map on this page outlines each of them around Burundi. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake.
How big is Burundi?
Burundi covers 27,830 square kilometres, or about 10,745 square miles. That makes it the 142nd largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 14.4 million gives a density of 517 people per square kilometre.

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