Burundi

Overview

Introduction

Burundi used to call itself the Switzerland of Africa (a title that was also claimed by neighboring Rwanda). But while it has mountains, the country has known little Swiss-style peace or neutrality, especially in the past few years. The same ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi that resulted in one of the world's most terrible atrocities in Rwanda in 1994 have been seething in Burundi for decades. The cease-fire that ended the country's civil war in mid-2005 is fragile, with sporadic attacks continuing. A new government and constitution in 2005 have stabilized the country to a small degree, but there is still much that needs to be done. Travelers would do best to go elsewhere in Africa for mountainous scenery.

Request Full Destination Guide

To request access to the full version of this destination guide, please provide your email address below. Your email address will only be used for verification purposes and will not be used for marketing purposes.