Bujumbura, << `boo` juhm BUR uh >>, is the capital and largest city of Burundi. The city has a population of about 375,000. It lies in the western part of the country, along the northeast shore of Lake Tanganyika.
Most of Burundi’s government activity takes place in Bujumbura. The city is also a trading center and a center for shipping on Lake Tanganyika. An international airport serves Bujumbura. The University of Burundi is in the city.
Bujumbura formerly was called Usumbura. German troops founded the city as a military post in 1896, when the Burundi area was part of German East Africa. In 1919, Usumbura became the capital of Ruanda-Urundi, a Belgian-controlled territory that is now Burundi and the neighboring country of Rwanda. Burundi gained independence in 1962, and the city became the nation’s capital. The city’s name was changed to Bujumbura that same year.
