Safest cities in Burundi
6 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- Parts of Bujumbura Province
- Parts of Butanyerera Province
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in BurundiTerrorist attacks in Burundi cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- Armed group activity and conflict along the border between Burundi and DRC has increased. Be cautious and keep up to date with developments through local media, given heightened insecurity. The only international airport in Burundi is the Melchior Ndadaye airport. In the event that flights were not available at the airport, there are currently…
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsYou can take steps to reduce your personal risk, by:
Laws and cultural differences
- Illegal drugsIllegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual acts are illegal. Punishment includes a prison sentence of between 3 months and 2 years and a fine. Burundi is a socially conservative society and LGBT+ people are not accepted. Showing affection in public may receive unwanted and negative attention.
- MoneyBurundi is largely a cash-based society. Take US dollars dated post-2006. Most businesses will not accept or exchange older currency and US dollars with small tears will also be rejected. You can usually exchange euros and British pounds.
Outdoor activities
- SwimmingAvoid swimming in Lake Tanganyika due to the risk of:
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Burundi, see information on driving abroad.
- Road conditionsThere are only a small number of paved roads and these are sometimes in poor condition. Road infrastructure generally is poor and roads are frequently blocked or damaged by landslides, especially after heavy rain.
- RoadblocksRoadblocks and document checks are common, and not always official. Carry a copy of your passport and visa, but you may need to produce originals.
- Fuel shortagesBurundi is currently suffering from severe fuel shortages. Do not assume you’ll be able to get fuel in the country. Where fuel is available, there can often be long lines.
- Public transportPublic transport vehicles (buses and motorbike taxis) are often poorly maintained and have low driving standards.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- FloodingThe rainy season in Burundi runs from October to May and can result in flash floods. Consular assistance is limited in Burundi.
- EarthquakesEarthquakes in the region can be felt in Burundi. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Burundi, updated 2026-05-21 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 5.65 /100k2016
- Income inequality
- Gini 37.52020
- Human development
- HDI 0.4392023
- Income
- $1,250/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 35.5 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 42/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 35/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 17/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 6.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.41GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 35.7 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.1 doctors /1k0.7 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 315 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 4.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 3.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 2.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Burundi (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How Burundi compares
| Measure | Burundi | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 5.7 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +3.3 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 37.5 | 35.2 | +2.3 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.439 | 0.763 | −0.324 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 35.5 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +20.1 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 35/100 | 52/100 | −17/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 17/100 | 39/100 | −22/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 35.7 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +16.0 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 6.5/10 | 3.8/10 | +2.7/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Burundi | Africa median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 5.7 /100k | 4.4 /100k | +1.2 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 37.5 | 38.5 | −1.0 — better for Burundi |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.439 | 0.563 | −0.124 — better for Africa median |
| Road deaths | 35.5 /100k | 27.9 /100k | +7.6 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Rule of law | 35/100 | 42/100 | −7/100 — better for Africa median |
| Corruption perceptions | 17/100 | 31/100 | −14/100 — better for Africa median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 35.7 µg/m³ | 27.3 µg/m³ | +8.4 µg/m³ — better for Africa median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 6.5/10 | 5.2/10 | +1.3/10 — better for Africa median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.