Burundi

Burundi is a small country in East Africa. It does not touch any ocean. The country has rolling green hills and part of a giant lake called Lake Tanganyika. About 12 million people live in Burundi, and the biggest city is Bujumbura.

Land and Lakes

Burundi is nicknamed 'the Land of a Thousand Hills.' Most of the country is covered in green hills where people grow coffee and tea. Lake Tanganyika is on the western border and is one of the deepest lakes in the world. The lake has many kinds of fish found nowhere else on Earth. Hippos and crocodiles also live in and near the water.

Drums and People

People in Burundi love music, especially drum music. Traditional drummers called the Royal Drummers are famous around the world. They play huge wooden drums while dancing and jumping. Burundians speak Kirundi, French, and English. A favorite food is beans with rice or bananas. Families are very important, and children often help grow food on small farms.

Fun Facts

• Burundi's drums have been played at important events for hundreds of years.
• Coffee and tea are the biggest things grown and sold in Burundi.
• Lake Tanganyika is so long it touches four different countries.

Did You Know?

The drums of Burundi are considered so special that UNESCO named them a part of the world's cultural heritage.