Commune of Busoni | |
|---|---|
  Commune of Busoni | |
| Coordinates: 2°31′37″S30°13′01″E / 2.527°S 30.217°E | |
| Country |  Burundi |
| Province | Kirundo Province |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (Central Africa Time) |
Busoni is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi. The seat lies at Busoni.
The Commune of Busoni has an area of 420.9 square kilometres (162.5 sq mi) and had a population of 145,424 as of the 2008 census. [1] It is in the north of Kirundo Province, bordering Rwanda to the north. The northeast is covered by the southern part of Lake Rweru, which extends north into Rwanda and east into the Commune of Giteranyi. Lake Kanzigiri defines the northeastern boundary with the Commune of Bwambarangwe. The settlement of Kabanga is to the west of its southern point. Akayoba Island (Île Akayoba) is in the south of the lake. The Murehe Forest is in the north of the commune. The upper part of Lake Cohoha is in the northeast. The RN 14 highway runs north through the eastern part of the commune through Gasenyi to the Rwandan border, where it becomes the NR5 highway. [2]
The Muhere Forest is to the west of Lake Rweru and east of the RN 14 highway, which crosses into Rwanda to the north of Gasenyi. [3] It is in the Commune of Busoni in the collines of Munazi, Kivo, Yanza, Gatete and Vyanzo. [4] The collines of Muhere have the form of domes separated by small valleys. The highest points are 1,565 metres (5,135 ft) above sea level, and the lowlands are 1,327 to 1,343 metres (4,354 to 4,406 ft) above sea level. [5] The Victoria Basin forest–savanna mosaic centers around Lake Victoria and extends through parts of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. The portion of this ecosystem in Burundi in limited to the northeast, and includes the Ruvubu National Park and the Murehe Forest Reserve. [6]
Lake Kanzigiri lies to the south of Lake Rweru, to which it is connected by an area of marshland. [7] The lake covers 750 hectares (1,900 acres). [8] Around Lake Kanzigiri there are wooded savannahs dominated by plants such as Pericopsis angolensis , Parinari curatellifolia and Hymenocardia acida , which indicate Zambezian influences. These eastern savannas are mainly found in the Ruvubu National Park, which indicates that Lake Kanzigiri and its marshes associated with it are a zone of separation between the Bugesera District and the Mosso-Malagarazi District. [9]
The capital of the commune is at Busoni. There is a health center at Kabanga. [10]
Busoni is divided into 42 collines , from north to south: [11]
In 2008 the OPEC Fund for International Development announced a project to build a paved road running 37 kilometres (23 mi) from the city of Kirundo to Gasenyi and the border with Rwanda. The project would also includes upgrades to feeder roads and social infrastructure. [12] In 2021 and again in 2022 dozens of collines in the Bugabira, Busoni, Kirundo and Ntega communes of Kirundo experienced a shortage of rain during the period when the bean, corn and sorghum crops were flowering and ripening, affecting over 200,000 people. Many men left the affected areas in search of work, leaving the elderly, disabled, women and children behind. [13]
Kirundo Province is one of the eighteen provinces of Burundi, in north of the country bordering Rwanda. The economy is mostly based on agriculture, with a dispersed population and few sizable communities. Before 1970 large parts of the province were forested. Migrants from the south then cleared much of the vegetation to create agricultural land, and Kirundo became the breadbasket of Burundi. The civil war from 1993 to 2005 caused agricultural output to drop by more than half. Sice then, lack of farm inputs, poor infrastructure and shortages of water have caused widespread poverty.
The Communes of Burundi are divided into 2,639 collines. Colline means "hill" in French, one of the three official languages of the country. The collines are listed below, by commune:
The commune of Bugabira is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi. The capital is Bugabira. There are health centers at Muyange and Ruhehe.
The Commune of Bwambarangwe is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi.
The Commune of Kirundo is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi.
The commune of Ntega is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi.
The Commune of Vumbi is a commune of Kirundo Province in northern Burundi.
Lake Mwungere is a lake in the Kirundo Province of Burundi.
The Murehe Forest is an area of forest in the north of the Kirundo Province of Burundi. It is protected by the Murehe Reserve, part of the Lacs du Nord Aquatic Landscape.
Lake Narungazi, or Lake Narugazi, Lake Narunganzi, is a lake in the Commune of Ntega in Kirundo Province of Burundi.
The Protected Aquatic Landscape of the North, also called the Northern Protected Waterway or Northern Protected Waterscape, is a protected area in Kirundo Province, Burundi. It covers eight lakes in the north of the province, and a forest. It was designated Ramsar site no. 2149 in March 2014.
Lake Kanzigiri is a lake in the Kirundo Province of Burundi.
Lake Rwihinda, also known as the Lac aux Oiseaux is a lake in the Kirundo Province of Burundi. It is home to diverse migratory birds, which are the main tourist attraction in the region. However, despite being protected, it is under threat from encroaching agriculture in this very poor region.
Kabanga is a village and a colline in the Commune of Busoni, Kirundo Province, Burundi.
Lake Gacamirindi, or Lake Gacamirinda, is a lake in the Kirundo Province of Burundi.
Nyavyamo Marsh is a marsh in the west of Kirundo Province, Burundi. Although parts are protected, it is mainly used for rice production.
Nyamabuno Marsh is a marsh in the northeast of Kirundo Province, Burundi.
Kabuyenge Marsh is a marsh in the northwest of Kirundo Province, Burundi.
Rugero is a colline in Kirundo Commune, Kirundo Province, Burundi.
Gasenyi is a village in the Commune of Busoni, Kirundo Province in northern Burundi, the center of the Gasenyi colline and the Gasenyi zone.
