a republic in E central Africa: inhabited chiefly by the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa (Pygmy); made part of German East Africa in 1899; part of the Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi from 1923 until it became independent in 1962; ethnic violence has erupted at times between Hutu and Tutsi, as in Rwanda; consists mainly of high plateaus along the main Nile-Congo dividing range, dropping rapidly to the Great Rift Valley in the west. Official languages: Kirundi and French; Swahili is used commercially. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: Burundi franc. Capital: Gitega. Pop: 10 864 245 (2017 est). Area: 27 731 sq km (10 707 sq miles)