Gitega | |
---|---|
Top: Gitega skyline; Middle: Cathedral of Christ the King, Downtown Gitega; National Museum of Gitega, Kibimba School Memorial | |
Coordinates: 03°25′42″S 29°55′30″E / 3.42833°S 29.92500°E | |
Country | Burundi |
Province | Gitega 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 | |
• Density | 6,200/km2 (16,000/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+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]
The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.
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