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Coordinates: 03°25′42″S 29°55′30″E / 3.42833°S 29.92500°E / -3.42833; 29.92500
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'''Gitega''' ({{IPA|fr|ɡiteɡa}}), formerly '''Kitega''', is the [[Capital city|political capital]] of [[Burundi]]. Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau<ref name=britannica>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Gitega |title=Gitega (Burundi)|author=Encyclopedia Britannica|author-link=Encyclopedia Britannica|website=Encyclopedia Britannica Online|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> roughly {{convert|62|km|mi}} east of [[Bujumbura]], the largest city and former political capital, Gitega is also the second largest city<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-are-the-biggest-cities-in-burundi.html|title=Biggest Cities In Burundi|date=24 December 2018}}</ref> and former royal capital of the [[Kingdom of Burundi]] until its abolition in 1966.<ref name="gitegaafp">{{cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Burundi-names-Gitega-as-new-capital/4552908-4906718-ckc120/index.html|title=Burundi names Gitega as new capital|author=Agence France-Presse|date=22 December 2018|website=The EastAfrican|publisher=Nation Media Group|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref><ref group=note>From 1922 on, Usumbura (now Bujumbura) acted as a second, colonial, administrative and economic capital of the country; it effectively became its only political capital between the abolition of the monarchy in 1966 and January 2019.{{Citation needed|date=December 2021}}</ref> In late December 2018, Burundian president [[Pierre Nkurunziza]] announced that he would follow on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status,<ref name=gitegaafp /> with Bujumbura remaining as economic capital and centre of commerce.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-24/burundi-moves-political-capital-from-bujumbura-to-gitega|title=Burundi Moves Political Capital From Bujumbura to Gitega|last=Nimubona |first=Désiré |date=24 December 2018|website=Bloomberg|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> A vote in the [[Parliament of Burundi]] made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move in over three years.<ref name=bbcnews>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/ce1qrvlel07t/burundi |title=Burundi to change its capital city |date=17 January 2019 |website=BBC World News |publisher=British Broadcasting Company |access-date=22 January 2019 |quote=The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=December 2023}}
'''Gitega''' ({{IPA|fr|ɡiteɡa}}), formerly '''Kitega''', is the [[Capital city|political capital]] of [[Burundi]]. Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau<ref name=britannica>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Gitega |title=Gitega (Burundi)|author=Encyclopedia Britannica|author-link=Encyclopedia Britannica|website=Encyclopedia Britannica Online|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> roughly {{convert|62|km|mi}} east of [[Bujumbura]], the largest city and former political capital, Gitega is the country's fourth largest city<ref>https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/burundi</ref> and former royal capital of the [[Kingdom of Burundi]] until its abolition in 1966.<ref name="gitegaafp">{{cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Burundi-names-Gitega-as-new-capital/4552908-4906718-ckc120/index.html|title=Burundi names Gitega as new capital|author=Agence France-Presse|date=22 December 2018|website=The EastAfrican|publisher=Nation Media Group|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref><ref group=note>From 1922 on, Usumbura (now Bujumbura) acted as a second, colonial, administrative and economic capital of the country; it effectively became its only political capital between the abolition of the monarchy in 1966 and January 2019.{{Citation needed|date=December 2021}}</ref> In late December 2018, Burundian president [[Pierre Nkurunziza]] announced that he would follow on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status,<ref name=gitegaafp /> with Bujumbura remaining as economic capital and centre of commerce.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-24/burundi-moves-political-capital-from-bujumbura-to-gitega|title=Burundi Moves Political Capital From Bujumbura to Gitega|last=Nimubona |first=Désiré |date=24 December 2018|website=Bloomberg|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> A vote in the [[Parliament of Burundi]] made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move in over three years.<ref name=bbcnews>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/ce1qrvlel07t/burundi |title=Burundi to change its capital city |date=17 January 2019 |website=BBC World News |publisher=British Broadcasting Company |access-date=22 January 2019 |quote=The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=December 2023}}


==Geography==
==Geography==
Gitega is the capital of [[Gitega Province]], one of the eighteen [[provinces of Burundi]]. It is located in the center of the country, at roughly the same distance between the commercial capital, Bujumbura on [[Lake Tanganyika]] to the west, the [[Tanzania]]n border to the east—both at around {{convert|62|km|mi}}—and the [[Rwanda]]n border, about {{convert|72|km|mi}} to the north. It lies on a broad plateau surrounded by hills, a few kilometres southwest of the confluence of the [[Ruvyironza River|Ruvyironza]] and [[Rurubu River]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=R.H. |last2=Hughes |first2=J.S. |date=1992 |title=A Directory of African Wetlands |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature |page=97 |isbn=2-88032-949-3}}</ref> [[Ruvubu National Park]], the country's biggest, lies {{convert|26|km|mi}} to the east.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://skyticket.com/guide/712|title=Burundi：Country in the Heart of the African Great Lakes Region|date=26 June 2018|website=skyticket|access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>
Gitega is the capital of [[Gitega Province]], one of the eighteen [[provinces of Burundi]]. It is located in the center of the country, at roughly the same distance between the commercial capital, Bujumbura on [[Lake Tanganyika]] to the west, the [[Tanzania]]n border to the east—both at around {{convert|62|km|mi}}—and the [[Rwanda]]n border, about {{convert|72|km|mi}} to the north. It lies on a broad plateau surrounded by hills, a few kilometres southwest of the confluence of the [[Ruvyironza River|Ruvyironza]] and [[Rurubu River]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=R.H. |last2=Hughes |first2=J.S. |date=1992 |title=A Directory of African Wetlands |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature |page=97 |isbn=2-88032-949-3}}</ref> [[Ruvubu National Park]], the country's biggest, lies {{convert|26|km|mi}} to the east.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://skyticket.com/guide/712|title=Burundi：Country in the Heart of the African Great Lakes Region|date=26 June 2018|website=skyticket|access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>


===Climate===
==Climate==
{{Weather box
{{Weather box
| width = auto
⚫
| location = Gitega (1961–1990)
| single line = yes
| metric first = yes
| metric first = yes
| Jan high C = 25.2
| single line = yes
⚫
| location = Gitega (1991–2020)
⚫
| Feb high C = 25.5
| Mar high C = 23.3
| Jan record high C = 35.0
| Apr high C = 24.9
| Feb record high C = 35.4
| May high C = 24.8
| Mar record high C = 32.0
| Jun high C = 25.2
| Apr record high C = 31.3
| Jul high C = 25.9
| May record high C = 30.1
| Aug high C = 26.8
| Jun record high C = 30.8
| Sep high C = 27.1
| Jul record high C = 30.7
| Oct high C = 26.4
| Aug record high C = 31.7
| Nov high C = 24.9
| Sep record high C = 32.6
| Dec high C = 24.8
| Oct record high C = 32.9
| year high C =
| Nov record high C = 31.8
| Jan low C = 13.8
| Dec record high C = 33.8
| Feb low C = 13.7
| year record high C = 35.4
| Mar low C = 13.8
| Jan high C = 27.6
| Apr low C = 14.3
| Feb high C = 27.5
| May low C = 13.6
| Mar high C = 27.1
| Jun low C = 11.6
| Apr high C = 26.4
| Jul low C = 10.5
| May high C = 25.9
| Aug low C = 11.6
| Jun high C = 26.7
| Sep low C = 12.7
| Jul high C = 27.3
| Oct low C = 13.4
| Aug high C = 28.1
| Nov low C = 13.6
| Sep high C = 28.4
| Dec low C = 13.5
| Oct high C = 27.5
| year low C =
| Nov high C = 26.6
| rain colour = green
| Dec high C = 27.0
| Jan rain mm = 157.5
| year high C = 27.2
| Feb rain mm = 146.6
| Jan mean C = 21.9
| Mar rain mm = 163.6
| Feb mean C = 21.8
| Apr rain mm = 169.2
| Mar mean C = 21.6
| May rain mm = 76.3
| Apr mean C = 21.5
| Jun rain mm = 5.6
| May mean C = 21.1
| Jul rain mm = 4.4
| Jun mean C = 21.2
| Aug rain mm = 9.2
| Jul mean C = 21.3
| Sep rain mm = 52.5
| Aug mean C = 22.3
| Oct rain mm = 100.4
| Sep mean C = 22.4
| Nov rain mm = 148.9
| Oct mean C = 21.8
| Dec rain mm = 145.2
| Nov mean C = 21.3
| year rain mm =
| Dec mean C = 21.6
| unit rain days = 0.1 mm
| year mean C = 21.6
| Jan rain days = 23
| Jan low C = 16.1
| Feb rain days = 19
| Feb low C = 16.0
| Mar rain days = 21
| Mar low C = 16.1
| Apr rain days = 22
| Apr low C = 16.5
| May rain days = 14
| May low C = 16.4
| Jun rain days = 2
| Jun low C = 15.7
| Jul rain days = 1
| Jul low C = 15.3
| Aug rain days = 2
| Aug low C = 16.4
| Sep rain days = 8
| Sep low C = 16.4
| Oct rain days = 17
| Oct low C = 16.2
| Nov rain days = 23
| Nov low C = 15.9
| Dec rain days = 24
| Dec low C = 16.1
| year rain days =
| year low C = 16.1
| Jan record low C = 12.9
| source = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref>{{Cite web
⚫
| Feb record low C = 12.9
| title = World Weather Information Service
| Mar record low C = 12.8
⚫
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| Apr record low C = 14.0
⚫
| access-date = 16 August 2024
| May record low C = 13.6
| url = https://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1521
| Jun record low C = 11.6
}}</ref>
| Jul record low C = 11.3
| Aug record low C = 12.5
| Sep record low C = 13.0
| Oct record low C = 12.9
| Nov record low C = 12.7
| Dec record low C = 13.1
| year record low C = 11.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 99.8
| Feb precipitation mm = 96.7
| Mar precipitation mm = 142.9
| Apr precipitation mm = 142.4
| May precipitation mm = 107.7
| Jun precipitation mm = 44.7
| Jul precipitation mm = 10.4
| Aug precipitation mm = 39.2
| Sep precipitation mm = 88.0
| Oct precipitation mm = 109.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 192.1
| Dec precipitation mm = 185.3
| year precipitation mm = 1258.8
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 7.3
| Feb precipitation days = 7.4
| Mar precipitation days = 12.5
| Apr precipitation days = 15.5
| May precipitation days = 11.1
| Jun precipitation days = 1.8
| Jul precipitation days = 0.6
| Aug precipitation days = 2.4
| Sep precipitation days = 6.9
| Oct precipitation days = 13.4
| Nov precipitation days = 17.3
| Dec precipitation days = 14.1
| year precipitation days = 110.1
| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Rwanda/CSV/GITEGA.csv
⚫
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Gitega
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
⚫
|access-date = June 16, 2024}}</ref>
}}
}}


Latest revision as of 14:14, 7 November 2024

"Capital of Burundi" redirects here. For the former capital until 2019, see Bujumbura.
Gitega
Capital city
Top: Gitega skyline; Middle: Cathedral of Christ the King, Downtown Gitega; National Museum of Gitega, Kibimba School Memorial
Gitega is located in Burundi
Gitega
Gitega
Location in Burundi
Gitega is located in Africa
Gitega
Gitega
Gitega (Africa)
Coordinates: 03°25′42″S 29°55′30″E / 3.42833°S 29.92500°E / -3.42833; 29.92500
Country Burundi
ProvinceGitega Province
Area
22 km2 (8 sq mi)
 • Urban
22 km2 (8 sq mi)
 • Metro
27 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation
1,504 m (4,934 ft)
Population
 (2020)[1]
135,467
 • Density6,200/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (Central Africa Time)
 • Summer (DST)(Not Observed)

Gitega (French pronunciation: [ɡiteɡa]), formerly Kitega, is the political capital of Burundi. Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau[2] roughly 62 kilometres (39 mi) east of Bujumbura, the largest city and former political capital, Gitega is the country's fourth largest city[3] and former royal capital of the Kingdom of Burundi until its abolition in 1966.[4][note 1] In late December 2018, Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would follow on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status,[4] with Bujumbura remaining as economic capital and centre of commerce.[5] A vote in the Parliament of Burundi made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move in over three years.[6][needs update]

Geography

[edit]

Gitega is the capital of Gitega Province, one of the eighteen provinces of Burundi. It is located in the center of the country, at roughly the same distance between the commercial capital, Bujumbura on Lake Tanganyika to the west, the Tanzanian border to the east—both at around 62 kilometres (39 mi)—and the Rwandan border, about 72 kilometres (45 mi) to the north. It lies on a broad plateau surrounded by hills, a few kilometres southwest of the confluence of the Ruvyironza and Rurubu Rivers.[7] Ruvubu National Park, the country's biggest, lies 26 kilometres (16 mi) to the east.[8]

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Gitega (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35.0
(95.0) 		35.4
(95.7) 		32.0
(89.6) 		31.3
(88.3) 		30.1
(86.2) 		30.8
(87.4) 		30.7
(87.3) 		31.7
(89.1) 		32.6
(90.7) 		32.9
(91.2) 		31.8
(89.2) 		33.8
(92.8) 		35.4
(95.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27.6
(81.7) 		27.5
(81.5) 		27.1
(80.8) 		26.4
(79.5) 		25.9
(78.6) 		26.7
(80.1) 		27.3
(81.1) 		28.1
(82.6) 		28.4
(83.1) 		27.5
(81.5) 		26.6
(79.9) 		27.0
(80.6) 		27.2
(81.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 21.9
(71.4) 		21.8
(71.2) 		21.6
(70.9) 		21.5
(70.7) 		21.1
(70.0) 		21.2
(70.2) 		21.3
(70.3) 		22.3
(72.1) 		22.4
(72.3) 		21.8
(71.2) 		21.3
(70.3) 		21.6
(70.9) 		21.6
(70.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 16.1
(61.0) 		16.0
(60.8) 		16.1
(61.0) 		16.5
(61.7) 		16.4
(61.5) 		15.7
(60.3) 		15.3
(59.5) 		16.4
(61.5) 		16.4
(61.5) 		16.2
(61.2) 		15.9
(60.6) 		16.1
(61.0) 		16.1
(61.0)
Record low °C (°F) 12.9
(55.2) 		12.9
(55.2) 		12.8
(55.0) 		14.0
(57.2) 		13.6
(56.5) 		11.6
(52.9) 		11.3
(52.3) 		12.5
(54.5) 		13.0
(55.4) 		12.9
(55.2) 		12.7
(54.9) 		13.1
(55.6) 		11.3
(52.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 99.8
(3.93) 		96.7
(3.81) 		142.9
(5.63) 		142.4
(5.61) 		107.7
(4.24) 		44.7
(1.76) 		10.4
(0.41) 		39.2
(1.54) 		88.0
(3.46) 		109.4
(4.31) 		192.1
(7.56) 		185.3
(7.30) 		1,258.8
(49.56)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.3 7.4 12.5 15.5 11.1 1.8 0.6 2.4 6.9 13.4 17.3 14.1 110.1
Source: NOAA[9]

History

[edit]

Gitega was at one time the seat of the Kingdom of Burundi and remained as capital of the kings of Burundi (mwami) until 1966.[citation needed]

The Germans founded the town of Gitega in 1912 when Burundi was part of German East Africa.[10]

In March 2007, President of Burundi Pierre Nkurunziza announced that Burundi was planning to bring back its capital city to Gitega, saying that it is in a better location for a capital than Bujumbura.[11]

On 24 December 2018, it was announced by Nkurunziza that Gitega was to become the capital city of Burundi, pending only Parliament approval.[4][12] The expected parliamentary assent (given the President's CNDD-FFD party comfortable majority in both chambers) arrived through a vote on 16 January 2019, with some ministries already starting the move two days later.[6]

On 7 December 2021, a fire broke out in an overcrowded prison in Gitega, killing at least 38 and injuring more than 69.[13]

Education

[edit]

The Polytechnic University of Gitega was founded in 2014.[14]

Culture

[edit]

It is the home of Burundi's National Museum of Gitega. Several karyenda royal drum sanctuaries are located in the area, as well as the ibwami (royal court). On 29 April 1972, Ntare V of Burundi, the country's last Mwami (King), was killed in Gitega.[citation needed]

Places of worship

[edit]

Places of worship in Gitega are predominantly Christian churches and cathedrals, including: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gitega (Catholic Church), Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi (Anglican Communion), Union of Baptist Churches in Burundi (Baptist World Alliance), and Assemblies of God.[15] There are also Muslim mosques.[citation needed]

Transportation

[edit]

Gitega was served by Gitega Airport, which is now defunct.[when?] Gitega is served by four National Roads (Routes Nationales, RN): RN2 connects it with Bujumbura through the northwest, via Muramvya and Bujumbura Rural provinces. RN15 leads to the north of country, towards Ngozi and continuing on to Rwanda, while passing through the ancient royal court of Gishora; RN12, which separates from RN15 on the outskirts of Gitega, heads northeast to serve the provinces of Karuzi and Muyinga. The last is RN3, which heads towards the southwest towards Rumonge and Lake Tanganyika.[16]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ From 1922 on, Usumbura (now Bujumbura) acted as a second, colonial, administrative and economic capital of the country; it effectively became its only political capital between the abolition of the monarchy in 1966 and January 2019.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Institute de statistiques et d'etudes economiques du burundi, (Annuaires Statistiques 2016, p 23)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  2. ^ Encyclopedia Britannica. "Gitega (Burundi)". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. ^ https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/burundi
  4. ^ a b c Agence France-Presse (22 December 2018). "Burundi names Gitega as new capital". The EastAfrican. Nation Media Group. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. ^ Nimubona, Désiré (24 December 2018). "Burundi Moves Political Capital From Bujumbura to Gitega". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Burundi to change its capital city". BBC World News. British Broadcasting Company. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019. The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.
  7. ^ Hughes, R.H.; Hughes, J.S. (1992). A Directory of African Wetlands. Cambridge, United Kingdom: International Union for Conservation of Nature. p. 97. ISBN 2-88032-949-3.
  8. ^ "Burundi：Country in the Heart of the African Great Lakes Region". skyticket. 26 June 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  9. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Gitega". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  10. ^ Françoise Le Guennec-Coppens, Pat Caplan, Les Swahili entre Afrique et Arabie, KARTHALA Editions, France, 1991, p. 174
  11. ^ "Gitega Soon to Become the Capital of Burundi", AllAfrica.com, 27 March 2007, retrieved 15 February 2010
  12. ^ "Burundi's Political Capital now is Gitega". Emirates Business. 24 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Burundi prison fire kills at least 38 in Gitega". BBC News. 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  14. ^ DAM, "Burundi: Début des cours à l’Université Polytechnique de Gitega en février", burundi-agnews.org, Burundi, January 9, 2014.
  15. ^ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, "Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices", ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p.456.
  16. ^ "Burundi". Road numbering systems. Google Sites. Retrieved January 22, 2018.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Chrétien, Jean-Pierre (2015). Gitega, capitale du Burundi : une ville du Far West en Afrique orientale allemande, 1912-1916. Paris: Éditions Karthala. ISBN 9782811115098.
[edit]
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