Burundi is a land-locked country in Central Africa bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of Congo. 
The southwestern border of the country is Lake Tanganyika, the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world by volume. Early history of Burundi dates from the 16th century when a Burundian state was established by a man named Cambarantama. It became a part of German East Africa in 1899. Belgian troops conquered the area during the First World War and in 1923, the League of Nations mandated to Belgium the territory of Ruanda-Urundi, encompassing present day Rwanda and Burundi. After World War II, the area became a United Nations Trust Territory under Belgian administration until full independence was achieved on July 1, 1962. Ethnic problems between the Tutsi (14%) & Hutu’s have plagued the country since then. Burundi has a land area of over 10,700 square miles and a population close to 9 million making it a very densely populated country at around 840 per square mile. Burundi lies on a rolling plateau with average elevations of around 5600 feet. The climate is equatorial. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world with a per-capita GDP of $400 – the country is resource-poor and the manufacturing segment is in its infancy.
The first stamps of Burundi were stamps of Ruanda-Urundi of 1953 overprinted ‘Burundi’ in black.
The theme was ‘Flowers in Natural Colors’. The set of eight (Scott #1 to #8) are valued at around $25 MNH or Used. The designs show Dissotis, Protea, Vellozia, Littonia, Ipomoea, Angraecum, Euphorbia, Ochna, Hibiscus, Protea, Schizoglossum, Ansellia, Costus, Nymphaea, Thunbergia, Gerbera, Gloriosa, Silene, and Aristolochia. A sister set followed and those were overprints on Ruanda-Urundi issues of 1959 in the ‘Animals’ theme. The set of sixteen stamps (Scott #9 to #24) are valued at around $10 MNH and $5 Used. The designs show Cape Buffaloes, Black-and-white colobus (monkey), Impalas, Elephants, Eland and Zebras, Leopard, and Lions.
Below are other relevant stamp issues of Burundi over the years:
Last Updated: 07/2011.
The southwestern border of the country is Lake Tanganyika, the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world by volume. Early history of Burundi dates from the 16th century when a Burundian state was established by a man named Cambarantama. It became a part of German East Africa in 1899. Belgian troops conquered the area during the First World War and in 1923, the League of Nations mandated to Belgium the territory of Ruanda-Urundi, encompassing present day Rwanda and Burundi. After World War II, the area became a United Nations Trust Territory under Belgian administration until full independence was achieved on July 1, 1962. Ethnic problems between the Tutsi (14%) & Hutu’s have plagued the country since then. Burundi has a land area of over 10,700 square miles and a population close to 9 million making it a very densely populated country at around 840 per square mile. Burundi lies on a rolling plateau with average elevations of around 5600 feet. The climate is equatorial. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world with a per-capita GDP of $400 – the country is resource-poor and the manufacturing segment is in its infancy.The first stamps of Burundi were stamps of Ruanda-Urundi of 1953 overprinted ‘Burundi’ in black.
The theme was ‘Flowers in Natural Colors’. The set of eight (Scott #1 to #8) are valued at around $25 MNH or Used. The designs show Dissotis, Protea, Vellozia, Littonia, Ipomoea, Angraecum, Euphorbia, Ochna, Hibiscus, Protea, Schizoglossum, Ansellia, Costus, Nymphaea, Thunbergia, Gerbera, Gloriosa, Silene, and Aristolochia. A sister set followed and those were overprints on Ruanda-Urundi issues of 1959 in the ‘Animals’ theme. The set of sixteen stamps (Scott #9 to #24) are valued at around $10 MNH and $5 Used. The designs show Cape Buffaloes, Black-and-white colobus (monkey), Impalas, Elephants, Eland and Zebras, Leopard, and Lions.Below are other relevant stamp issues of Burundi over the years:
- A set of nine stamps (Scott #25 to #33) released on September 27, 1962 to mark Burundi’s independence. The design shows King Mwami Mwambutsa IV & Royal Drummers, Flag & Arms of Burundi, and Map of Burundi & King. The set is remarkably affordable at around $4 MNH and $2 Used.
- A long set of twenty two stamps released on February 10, 1964 in the Animals theme. Burundi started issuing CTOs (canceled to order) stamps starting with this issue. For this reason, most used stamps after this period is valued very low unless they are postally used. The set (Scott #73-87 & c1-c7) catalogs for around $35 MNH and $8 Used. The designs show Impala, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Zebra, Defassa Waterbuck, Cheetah, and Elephant.
- A
long set of twenty five stamps issued in 1966 in the Flowers theme. The set (Scott #141 to #156 & c17-c25) catalogs for around $35 MNH and $6 Used. The design shows Protea, Crossandra, Ansellia, Thunbergia, Schizoglossum, Dissotis, Protea, Gazania, Hibiscus, and Markhamia. The same set was reissued in 1967 with the ‘Royaume du Burundi’ inscription replaced with ‘Republique Du Burundi’ inscription. That set (Scott #159 to #173 & c27-c35) is more valuable at around $50 MNH and $12 Used. 
A long set of twenty five stamps issued in 1968 in the Butterflies theme. The set (Scott #240 to #255 & c66 to c74) catalogs for around $95 MNH and $8 Used. The design shows Salamis Aethiops, Graphium Ridleyanus, Cymothoe, Charaxes Eupale, Papilio Bromius, Teracolus Annae, Salamis Aethiops, Papilio Zonobia, Danais Chrysippus, and Salamis Temora.
- A set of five stamps released in February 1979 in the ‘Paintings of the Virgin and Child’ theme. As a Christian majority country (around two-thirds of the population), Burundi has issued several such stamps over the years. The set (Scott #543 to #547) catalogs for around $10 MNH or Used. The design shows paintings by Rubens, Solario, Tiepolo, Gerard David, and Bellini.
- A set of five stamps released on May 1, 1986 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Great Lake Nations (Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire) Economic Community (CEPGI). The set (Scott #643 to #647) catalogs for around $20 MNH and $10 Used. The design shows an Outline map of Lake Tanganyika & CEPGI emblem in a common design along with the following insets: Aviation, Agriculture, Industry, Electrification, and Flags of Burundi, Rwanda, & Zaire.
- A set of four stamps (Scott #746 to #749) released on June 4, 1996 in the ‘Fish of Lake Tanganyika’ theme. The set catalogs for around $7 MNH or Used. The designs show Julidochromis Malieri, Cyphotilapia Frontosa, Lamprologus Brichardi, and Synodonis Petricola. Lake Tanganyika is a vital resource for close to ten million people living around the lake and provides for a large percentage of the protein in people’s diets. The downside is that pelagic fish population is coming down.
- A stamp (Scott #757) released on February 28, 2000 in the ‘Fight Against Hunger’ theme. It catalogs for around $2 MNH or Used and feature Danny Kaye, the actor and UNICEF ambassador holding a child.
Last Updated: 07/2011.
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