Burundi

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Country Name

Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi.

Location

It is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and southeast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west; Lake Tanganyika lies along its southwestern border.

Capital

Gitega (political),

Bujumbura (economic).

Reason for naming the country

Burundi's push for independence was influenced by the Rwandan Revolution and the accompanying instability and ethnic conflict that occurred there. As a result of the Rwandan Revolution, many Rwandan Tutsi refugees arrived in Burundi during the period from 1959 to 1961. The country claimed independence on 1 July 1962 and legally changed its name from Ruanda-Urundi to Burundi.

Flag

The Burundi flag was adopted on June 28, 1967. Burundi gained independence from Belgium on July 1, 1962. The Burundi flag features a white x cross that divides it into four parts. The left and right sides of the flag are green and the upper and lower parts are red. In the middle of the flag lies a white circle that has 3- six-point red stars with green borders inside. The three stars in the middle of the Burundi flag officially refer to the words in the national motto "Unité, Travail, Progrès" ("Unity, Work, Progress"). It also represents the three ethnic groups in Burundi - the Hutu, Tutsi, and the Twa. The red stands for the country's independence struggle. The green represents hope and the white stands for peace.