Burundi: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

An introduction to the country’s geography can be found in Françoise Cazenave-Piarrot, Alain Cazenave-Piarrot, and Albert Lopez, Géographie du Burundi: le pays et les hommes (1979); and Atlas du Burundi (1979). Useful sources on language, literature, and arts include Ethel M. Albert, “‘Rhetoric,’ ‘Logic,’ and ‘Poetics’ in Burundi: Culture Patterning of Speech Behavior,” American Anthropologist, special issue, pp. 35–54 (winter 1964–65); Alexandre Kimenyi, Kinyarwanda and Kirundi Names: A Semiolinguistic Analysis of Bantu Onomastics (1989); F.M. Rodegem, Précis de grammaire rundi (1967) and Sagesse kirundi (1961); R.P. Bagein, Grammaire kirundi à l’usage des commençants (1951); and the classic Jan Vansina, De la tradition orale: essai de méthode historique (1961).

The classic source for precolonial ethnography and history is Hans Mayer, Die Barundi (1916), also available in a French edition excellently annotated by Jean-Pierre Chrétien, Les Barundi (1984). Also useful for this period of history is Emile Mworoha (ed.), Histoire du Burundi: des origines à la fin du XIXe siècle (1987). For colonial history, some useful sources are Michel Lechat, Le Burundi politique; and Joseph Gahama, Le Burundi sous administration Belge (1983), which also includes an English-language summary. Postindependence developments and politics are dealt with at length in René Lemarchand, Rwanda and Burundi (1970); René Lemarchand and David Martin, Selective Genocide in Burundi (1974); René Lemarchand, Burundi: Ethnocide as Discourse and Practice (1994, also published as Burundi: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide, 1996); and Marc Manirakiza, La Fin de la monarchie burundaise (1990); and a shorter pamphlet and article are provided by Reginald Kay, Burundi Since the Genocide (1987); and Allison Boyer, “Unity at Last?,” Africa Report, 37:37–40 (March/April 1992). Ellen K. Eggers, Historical Dictionary of Burundi, 2nd ed. (1997), includes an extensive bibliography and a chronology of Burundi’s history.

Ellen Kahan Eggers

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
In the History section, updated with additional detail about Ndayishimiye's presidency. Oct 19, 2024
In the History section, updated with the status of Gitega as the country's political capital. Oct 01, 2024
Country Profile: Updated Capital and related footnote. Sep 25, 2024
Country Profile: Updated Head of government. Sep 29, 2023
Add new Web site: Official Site of Embassy of The Republic of Burundi in Ankara. May 23, 2023
Add new Web site: GlobalSecurity.org - Burundi - Introduction. Nov 21, 2022
Add new Web site: South African History Online - Burundi. Sep 06, 2022
Add new Web site: The Africa Center at the University of Pennsylvania - Burundi. Mar 13, 2022
Country Profile: Updated the head of state and head of government and added a footnote. Jun 30, 2020
Country Profile: Updated head of state and government. Jun 22, 2020
In the History section, updated with the inauguration of Evariste Ndayishimiye after the death of Pres. Pierre Nkurunziza in June 2020. Jun 18, 2020
In the History section, updated with the Constitutional Court's ruling that upheld the results of the May 2020 presidential election. Jun 09, 2020
In the History section, updated with the results of the May 2020 elections. May 29, 2020
In the History section, added detail about the country's withdrawal from the ICC, ICC investigation in to human rights violations, the 2018 amendments to the constitution, and upcoming elections. Feb 13, 2020
Add new Web site: Interesting Facts for Kids - Interesting Burundi Facts. Oct 18, 2019
In the People section, updated demographic data. Aug 01, 2019
In the Economy section, updated trade data. Aug 01, 2019
Add new Web site: CRW Flags - Historical flags of Burundi. Apr 26, 2018
Country Profile: Expanded country profile. Oct 06, 2017
In People section, added data charts. Jun 15, 2017
In Economy section, added data charts. Jun 15, 2017
Added locator map to the Introduction. Jun 15, 2017
Add new Web site: World InfoZone - Burundi. Dec 09, 2016
Country Profile: Updated form of government; revised footnotes 1 and 2. May 24, 2016
In History section, updated with ongoing unrest after 2015 elections. Jan 21, 2016
Country Profile: Updated head of state and government. Aug 27, 2015
In History, updated to mention that Nkurunziza won the presidential election held on July 21, 2015. Jul 24, 2015
In History section, updated with postponement and controversy surrounding the presidential and parliamentary elections. Jul 14, 2015
In History section, updated with reported arrests of coup leaders and apparent end to the coup attempt. May 15, 2015
In History section, updated with coup declared by Maj. Gen. Godefroid Niyombare. May 13, 2015
In History section, updated with controversy and protests surrounding the president's desire for a third term. May 05, 2015
Add new Web site: globalEDGE - Burundi. Nov 26, 2013
Add new Web site: British Broadcasting Corporation - Burundi. Dec 06, 2012
Country Profile: Added name of head of state and head of government, along with urban-rural, life expectancy, literacy, and GNI per capita statistics. Feb 21, 2012
Country Profile: Changed form of government. Feb 21, 2012
Country Profile: Changed Form of government. Feb 23, 2011
Updated to mention Nkurunziza's reelection. Jul 01, 2010
Country Profile: Updated area and population figures. Feb 03, 2010
Country Profile: Updated Form of government. Oct 20, 2009
Changed spelling of mwani to mwami. Jun 01, 2009
Added new Web site: National Geographic - Travel and Cultures - Burundi. Apr 16, 2009
Country Profile: 2009 update Jan 15, 2009
Added new Web site: Lonely Planet - Burundi. Jul 02, 2008
Article revised and updated. Jun 18, 2007
Added new Web site: Official Site of the Embassy of Burundi in Germany. Jun 05, 2007
Added new Web site: World Atlas.Com - Burundi. Jun 05, 2007
Added new Web site: Energy Information Administration - Great Lakes Region: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Jan 19, 2007
Added new Web site: Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Burundi. Jul 26, 2006
Article revised. Feb 16, 2001
Article revised. Dec 09, 1999
Article added to new online database. Jul 26, 1999
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