Burunga
Burunga is the largest of Burundi's five provinces by area. It covers an area of 6,206 square kilometres (2,396 sq mi) and recorded a population of 2,118,551 in the 2024 Burundian census. The province's capital is Makamba, while Rumonge is its largest town, reporting a population of 35,931 in the 2008 Burundian census.
Burunga | |
|---|---|
 Rumonge, the largest town in Burunga | |
 Location of Burunga in Burundi | |
| Coordinates: 4°S 30°E / 4°S 30°E | |
| Country |  Burundi |
| Inaugurated | 2025 |
| Capital | Makamba |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Parfait Mboninyibuka (CNDD-FDD) |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,206 km2 (2,396 sq mi) |
| Population (2024 census)[1] | |
• Total | 2,118,551 |
| • Density | 341.4/km2 (884.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
Burunga is the largest of Burundi's five provinces by area. It covers an area of 6,206 square kilometres (2,396 sq mi) and recorded a population of 2,118,551 in the 2024 Burundian census.[1] The province's capital is Makamba,[2] while Rumonge is its largest town, reporting a population of 35,931 in the 2008 Burundian census.[3]
Geography
[edit]
Located in southern Burundi, Burunga borders Lake Tanganyika to the west, the Burundian provinces of Bujumbura, Gitega and Buhumuza to the northwest, north and northeast respectively, and Tanzania's Kigoma Region to the east and south. The Kibimbi and Inanzerwe massifs on the Bututsi plateau in the centre of the province divide the Imbo plain along Lake Tanganyika and Mumirwa foothills from the Moso and Buragane lowlands to the east.[4]
Burunga contains five of Burundi's six nature reserves: Bururi Forest Nature Reserve, Malagarazi Nature Reserve, Kigwena Nature Reserve, Rumonge Nature Reserve, and Vyanda Forest Nature Reserve.[5] The Makamba Protected Landscapes are also located in the province.[6] Three sites in Burunga are on Burundi's list of Tentative World Heritage Sites: Karera Falls and Nyakazu Gorge (also known as German Gorge[7]) in the commune of Musongati, and the southernmost source of the Nile at Gasumo on Mount Kikizi in the commune of Bururi.[8]
History
[edit]On 16 March 2023, President of Burundi Évariste Ndayishimiye signed into law a reorganization of Burundi's administrative divisions,[2] which included the reduction of Burundi's provinces from eighteen to five.[9] Burunga was created from the former provinces of Bururi, Makamba and Rutana, the communes of Burambi, Buyengero and Rumonge formerly part of Rumonge Province, and the zone of Mahwa formerly part of the commune of Ryansoro in Gitega Province.[9] The new provinces took effect with Burundi's 2025 parliamentary and local elections. Burunga's first governor Parfait Mboninyibuka was sworn in on 4 July 2025.[10][11]
Burunga is named after a region of southern Burundi described in the Nkoma cycle of Burundian oral tradition as being conquered by Ntare Rushatsi on his way to founding the kingdom of Burundi.[12] Historically this part of Burundi has been a zone of commercial exchange between the central plateau and the Imbo and Moso lowlands.[9] Since the 1980s, SOSUMO has grown and processed sugarcane around Gihofi.[13]
Communes
[edit]Burunga is divided into seven communes: Bururi, Makamba, Matana, Musongati, Nyanza, Rumonge, and Rutana.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Brinkhoff, Thomas (7 June 2025). "Burundi: Administrative Division". City Population. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Ndayishimiye, Évariste (16 March 2023). "Loi Organique N° 1/05 du 16 Mars 2023 portant détermination et délimitation des provinces, des communes, des zones, des collines et/ou quartiers de la République du Burundi" (in French). CENI Burundi. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Brinkhoff, Thomas (8 June 2025). "Burundi". City Population. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Nduwayezu, Gérard; Fofo, Alphonse; Masabo, Onesphore; Bukuru, Désiré; Ahishakiye, Jérôme; Nindorera, Damien (1 January 2023). Paysages Protégées de Kibimbi-Inanzerwe: Etude d’identification (PDF) (Report) (in French). Gitega: Office Burundais pour la Protection de l’Environnement. p. 4. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Burundi". World Database on Protected Areas. Protected Planet. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Tuyisenge, Cedric (16 January 2023). "Location map of Makamba Protected Landscapes" (PDF) (Map). Biodiversité du Burundi. Conservation et Communauté de Changement (3C). Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Bradt, Hilary (1989). Backpacker's Africa (3rd ed.). Bradt Travel Guides. p. 137. ISBN 0-946983-20-8. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ^ "Burundi". World Heritage Convention. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Projet de loi organique portant délimitation des provinces, des communes, des zones, des collines/quartiers de la République du Burundi" (PDF). Senate of Burundi. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Senate approves Five New Provincial Governors After Major Administrative Reform". Breaking Burundi. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ Manirakiza, Patrick (6 July 2025). "Burundi's new Governors sworn in following major provincial reforms". Burundi Times. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Guillet, Claude; Ndayishinguje, Pascal, eds. (1987). Légendes historiques du Burundi (in French). Éditions Karthala. pp. 26, 48. ISSN 0290-6600. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ^ Iriho, Clovis (2021). "Le travail ouvrier au Burundi : identité et conditions socio-économiques des ouvriers de l'usine sucrière de la SOSUMO". Les Cahiers d'Afrique de l'Est / The East African Review (in French). 56. doi:10.4000/eastafrica.1535.
