Historical Dictionary of Burundi

The Republic of Burundi, a small but densely populated country in the Saharan Africa, gained its independence from Belgium in 1962. It is most widely known for the fierce and blood warfare between the two main ethnic groups - Hutus and Tutsis. Years of ethnic fighting have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, and only recently has there been a lessening of bloodshed. However, with democratically elected leaders replacing military dictators and peace becoming more prevalent than conflict, the future is looking bright.
This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Burundi is an important reference especially due to the lack of information available on the country. It is not only about the present and the recent past but also about the country's early history, which reveals sources of conflict. This book includes a chronology, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, an introductory essay, appendixes, a bibliography, and several hundred cross-referenced dictionary entries of Burundi's history, politics, economy, society, and culture.

Ellen K. Eggers teaches linguistics and English at California State University, Chico.