Africa

Burundi

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Burundi is a small landlocked country just south of the great lakes region of eastern Africa. To the north lies the infamous genocidal area of Rwanda.

High risk of street crime in Bujumbura. Mugging at gunpoint, purse snatching, pickpocketing, burglary, car break-ins and car-jacking have all been reported. Local militia groups, weapons (various), ballistics danger areas, mines, vehicle security, personal security, ambushes, kidnappings, bandits/corruption, gunfire, legal/illegal checkpoints, armed robberies, general travel, navigation, off road driving, building/office security, hot weather injuries, personal hygiene, helicopter safety, sanitation/sterilisation, clothing & equipment, emergency first aid, terrorism, cultures/customs, communications, emergency shelters.

Use bottled water only.

Hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains.

Equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January.

Bacterial diarrhoea, bilharzia, hepatitis A, HIV/AIDS, malaria, meningitis, rabies, polio, typhoid fever, yellow fever.
Hospital: Clinique Prince Louis Rwagasore, Bujumbura. Tel: 2-223 881 / 2

Earthquakes, earth tremors, flash flooding.

Some roads around Bujumbura are subject to ambushes by rebels or by criminals. Roads often closed due to military operations. Major routes closed to traffic after 1600 hours. Roads are generally in good condition.

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