Burundi Independence Day

Burundi Independence Day

July 1

This national holiday commemorates Burundi's independence from Belgium, which had control over the country since the end of World War II, on this day in 1962. Before the war, Germany had counted Burundi among its African territories. Since independence, the country has suffered from devastating ethnic violence between the Hutus, who constitute the majority of the population, and the Tutsis, who are in the minority.

CONTACTS:
Burundi Embassy
2233 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Ste. 212
Washington, D.C. 20007
202-342-2574; fax: 202-342-2578

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 110
NatlHolWrld-1968, p. 97

Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, Fourth Edition. © 2010 by Omnigraphics, Inc.