Introduction to Bujumbura

The capital of Burundi, Bujumbura is located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika some ten km north of the place where Stanley and Livingston met and where Stanley spoke the famous words "Dr. Livingstone I presume?" no introduction to Bujumbura will ever be complete without a reference to this famous meeting.

Bujumbura is a pretty busy place with a population of more than 300,000 inhabitants. The area was colonised by Germany at the end of the 19th century, and there is still architecture dating from that period of Burundi's history, including the Postmaster's House. Other attractions include three museums and the Islamic Cultural Centre. In the good days there are a number of cafés and restaurants along the lake shores. There used to be a colorful market, the best in the country.

Burundi had been involved in a civil war since 1993. It now has a power sharing government with the President as the head of the state. Though Burundi has democratic structures political freedom is limited and both parliament and government are transitory.