Nestled at the crossroads of East and Central Africa, Burundi is a small, landlocked country straddling the crest of the Nile-Congo watershed. Bordered by DRC, Rwanda, and Tanzania, Burundi offers breathtaking views over Lake Tanganyika, which defines much of its western border.

A land of stunning landscapes, Burundi is dominated by hills and mountains, with significant altitude variation. The country’s lowest point is at Lake Tanganyika, 772 meters above sea level, while the highest peak, Mount Heha, reaches an impressive 2,670 meters. Colonized by Germany at the end of the 19th century and later mandated to Belgium by the League of Nations after World War I, Burundi achieved independence in 1962.

Despite its modest size, Burundi is densely populated, with around 6.5 million inhabitants, averaging about 180 people per square kilometer. The economy is predominantly agricultural, with 86% of the workforce engaged in farming. Coffee is the main commercial crop, accounting for two-thirds of the country’s export income. Other key cash crops include tea, cotton, tobacco, and palm oil, while subsistence farming focuses on crops like cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, maize, and sorghum.

Burundi also boasts a rich musical heritage, particularly in percussion. The country’s drummers are renowned worldwide, and fittingly, Burundi’s main coffee export is called Ngoma, meaning “drum” in the local language. Explore the unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and agricultural prowess that makes Burundi a vital part of the African coffee landscape.

• Varieties: Arabica
• Production: tbc
• Export: tbc
• Marketing system: Auction and direct sale
• Harvest season: February-June
• Port of shipment: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Export destinations: Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, UK, and USA
• Harvest season: February – June
• Port of shipment: Dar-es-Salaam
• Export destinations: Belgium, Germany, Holland, Japan, USA, Australia