Bujumbura, Burundi

History | Geography | Administration | Economy | Transport | Health | Culture

🇧🇮 Bujumbura, formerly Usumbura, is the largest city and main port of Burundi. It ships most of the country's chief export, coffee, as well as cotton and tin ore. In late December 2018, Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would follow through on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status, with Bujumbura remaining as economical capital and centre of commerce. A vote in the Parliament of Burundi made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move to Gitega within three years.

History Bujumbura grew from a small village after it became a military post in German East Africa in 1889. After World War I it was made the administrative centre of the Belgian League of Nations mandate of Ruanda-Urundi. The name was changed from Usumbura to Bujumbura when Burundi became independent in 1962. Since independence, Bujumbura has been the scene of frequent fighting between the country's two main ethnic groups, with Hutu militias opposing the Tutsi-dominated Burundi army.

Geography Bujumbura is on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world after Lake Baikal. The city also lies at the mouth of the Ruzizi River and two smaller rivers (Muha and Ntahangwa).

Administration Bujumbura is governed by a community council and community administrator. It is further divided into three communes, or neighborhoods, each with its own council and council leader. Each of the three current communes were created from the 13 former communes (currently sub-communes), due to a 2014 reorganization, which in turn are further sub-divided into villages or zones: • Commune of Muha ◦ Kanyosha ▪ Quarters: Gisyo-Nyabaranda, Gisyo, Musama I, Musama II, Musama III, Musama IV, Musama V, Nyabugete, Kizingwe-Bihara, Nkenga-Busoro, Ruziba, Kajiji ◦ Kinindo ▪ Quarters: Kibenga, Kinanira I, Kinanira II, Kinanira III, Kinanira IV, Kinindo, Zeimet-OUA ◦ Musaga [sv] ▪ Quarters: Gasekebuye-Gikoto, Gitaramuka, Kamesa, Kinanira I, Kinanira II • Commune of Mukaza ◦ Buyenzi ▪ Quarters: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII ◦ Bwiza  ▪ Quarters: Bwiza I, Bwiza II, Bwiza III, Bwiza IV, Kwijabe I, Kwijabe II, Kwijabe III ◦ Nyakabiga  ▪ Quarters: Kigwati, Nyakabiga I, Nyakabiga II, Nyakabiga III ◦ Rohero [sv] ▪ Quarters: Centre Ville, Rohero I - Gatoke, Kabondo, Mutanga-Sud - Sororezo, Asiatique, I.N.S.S, Rohero II, Kiriri-Vugizo • Commune of Ntahangwa ◦ Buterere ▪ Quarters: Buterere I, Buterere II A, Buterere II B, Kabusa, Kiyange, Maramvya, Mubone, Mugaruro, Kiyange ◦ Cibitoke [it] ▪ Quarters: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII ◦ Gihosha ▪ Quarters: Gasenyi, Gihosha, Gikungu, Kigobe, Mutanga-Nord, Muyaga, Nyabagere, Taba, Winterekwa ◦ Kamenge  ▪ Quarters: Gikizi, Gituro, Heha, Kavumu, Mirango I, Mirango II, Songa, Teza, Twinyoni ◦ Kigobe ▪ Quarters: Kigobe Nord, Kigobe Sud ◦ Kinama ▪ Quarters: Bubanza, Buhinyuza, Bukirasazi I, Bukirasazi II, Bururi, Carama, Gitega, Kanga, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Ruyigi, SOCARTI. ◦ Ngagara [sv] ▪ Quarters: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, Industriel.

Economy Bujumbura's central market is in the City Centre, along Rwagasore Avenue. During the Burundian Genocide, citizens had become less likely to travel far from the City Centre, and markets in neighbouring communities lost their business to the central market in Bujumbura. Consequently, vendors moved their business to the central market, many settling outside the market due to lack of space. However, the central market houses the largest variety of merchandise in the city, with stores that sell a wide range of goods.

At dawn of 27 January 2013 a serious fire ravaged Bujumbura's central market. Due to poor emergency response, the fire lasted for hours, resulting in a serious blow to local exchanges. Hundreds of vendors, local and foreign, lost their goods to the fire and the reported looting. While Burundi's emergency services were unable to extinguish the blaze on their own, neighbouring Rwanda sent helicopters to assist in the emergency response.

Transport The Bujumbura International Airport is situated on the outskirts of the city.

Public transport in Bujumbura mainly consists of taxis and mini-buses, locally known as the Hiace. Public transport vehicles are generally white and blue.

Bujumbura's taxis are abundant all over the city, and are considered the safest form of transportation. There are taxi-motos (motorcycle taxis) and taxis-vélos (bicycle taxis), although they are only available in certain parts of the city.

For long distance travel, locals prefer to take the many Hiace full-size vans, which travel regularly across Burundi. Bujumbura's main bus terminal is located by the Central Market.

Health Bujumbura is also home to many clinics and the province's main hospitals: the Prince Regent Charles Hospital, the Roi Khaled Hospital, and the Military Hospital.

Culture Bujumbura's main attractions are its many museums, parks and monuments. Museums in the city include the Burundi Museum of Life and the Burundi Geological Museum. Other nearby attractions are the Rusizi National Park, the Livingstone-Stanley Monument at Mugere (where David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley visited 14 days after their first historic meeting at Ujiji in Tanzania), the presidential palace and the source of the southernmost tributary of the Nile, described locally as the source of the Nile.

Bujumbura, Burundi 
<b>Bujumbura, Burundi</b>
Image: SteveRwanda

Bujumbura is rated E+ by the Global Urban Competitiveness Report (GUCR) which evaluates and ranks world cities in the context of economic competitiveness. E+ cities are strong regional gateway cities. Bujumbura has a population of over 374,809 people. Bujumbura also forms the centre of the wider Bujumbura metropolitan area which has a population of over 1,112,057 people.

To set up a UBI Lab for Bujumbura see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork

Twin Towns, Sister Cities Bujumbura has links with:

🇿🇦 Cape Town, South Africa 🇨🇳 Hefei, China
Text Atribution: Wikipedia Text under CC-BY-SA license | GUCR

North of: -3.383

🇹🇿 Tengeru -3.374

🇹🇿 Arusha -3.367

🇹🇿 Moshi -3.349

🇮🇩 Banjarmasin -3.317

🇪🇨 Machala -3.267

🇧🇷 Viana -3.22

🇰🇪 Malindi -3.216

🇧🇷 Altamira -3.195

🇧🇷 Itacoatiara -3.143

🇧🇷 Manaus -3.11

East of: 29.367

🇺🇦 Haisyn 29.393

🇹🇷 Uşak 29.408

🇹🇷 Gebze 29.437

🇿🇦 Polokwane 29.45

🇿🇦 Middelburg 29.45

🇲🇩 Bender 29.483

🇹🇷 İnegöl 29.525

🇹🇷 Karamürsel 29.6

🇧🇮 Kayanza 29.617

🇹🇿 Kigoma 29.627

West of: 29.367

🇷🇼 Kibuye 29.333

🇷🇼 Rubavu 29.333

🇨🇩 Butembo 29.283

🇹🇷 Yalova 29.267

🇷🇼 Gisenyi 29.25

🇨🇩 Goma 29.233

🇹🇷 Pendik 29.233

🇧🇾 Babruysk 29.229

🇹🇷 Kartal 29.184

🇨🇩 Kalemie 29.183

Antipodal to Bujumbura is: -150.633,3.383

Locations Near: Bujumbura 29.3667,-3.38333

🇧🇮 Kayanza 29.617,-2.917 d: 58.8  

🇨🇩 Bukavu 28.867,-2.5 d: 112.8  

🇷🇼 Cyangugu 28.883,-2.483 d: 113.6  

🇷🇼 Nyamasheke 29.15,-2.367 d: 115.6  

🇷🇼 Ruhango 29.786,-2.233 d: 136.1  

🇷🇼 Kibuye 29.333,-2.05 d: 148.3  

🇷🇼 Muhanga 29.753,-2.085 d: 150.6  

🇹🇿 Kigoma 29.627,-4.877 d: 168.6  

🇷🇼 Kigali 30.032,-1.975 d: 173.1  

🇷🇼 Gasabo 30.133,-1.883 d: 187.3  

Antipodal to: Bujumbura -150.633,3.383

🇺🇸 Hilo -155.089,19.725 d: 18134.7  

🇺🇸 Maui -156.446,20.72 d: 17987.2  

🇺🇸 Kahului -156.466,20.891 d: 17968.5  

🇺🇸 Wailuku -156.505,20.894 d: 17966.9  

🇺🇸 Maui County -156.617,20.868 d: 17965.9  

🇺🇸 Honolulu -157.85,21.3 d: 17875.5  

🇺🇸 Pearl City -157.969,21.394 d: 17861.2  

🇺🇸 Līhuʻe -159.35,21.967 d: 17744.6  

🇺🇸 Lihue -159.35,21.967 d: 17744.6  

🇺🇸 Kapa'a -159.333,22.083 d: 17733.7  

Bing Map

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