Rwanda vs Burundi — Country Comparison

The flag of Rwanda is composed of three horizontal bands of light blue, yellow and green. The light blue band is twice the height of the other two bands and bears a yellow sun with twenty-four rays on its fly side.Rwanda VS The flag of Burundi is divided by a white diagonal cross into four alternating triangular areas of red at the top and bottom, and green on the hoist and fly sides. A white circle, with three green-edged red six-pointed stars arranged to form a triangle, is superimposed at the center of the cross.Burundi

Rwanda and Burundi side by side: Burundi is the larger country (27,834 km² vs 26,338 km²), while Rwanda has the bigger population (14.1 million vs 12.3 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

FactRwandaBurundi
CapitalKigaliGitega
Population14,104,96912,332,788
Area26,338 km²27,834 km²
CurrencyRwandan francBurundian franc
LanguagesKinyarwanda, English, FrenchKirundi, French
Dialling code+250+257
Main timezoneUTC+02:00UTC+02:00
Drives on theRightRight
RegionEastern AfricaEastern Africa
Emergency number112 (works on most mobile networks worldwide)112 (works on most mobile networks worldwide)

Key differences: Rwanda vs Burundi

Want the full picture for each country? See Rwanda and Burundi, or compare their population pages: Rwanda · Burundi.

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Rwanda vs Burundi — FAQ

Which is bigger, Rwanda or Burundi?

Burundi is bigger by area: 27,834 km² vs 26,338 km².

Is Rwanda bigger than Burundi?

No — Burundi is larger at 27,834 km² vs 26,338 km² for Rwanda.

Which has more people, Rwanda or Burundi?

Rwanda has the larger population: 14,104,969 (14.1 million) vs 12,332,788 (12.3 million).

How does the size of Rwanda compare to Burundi?

Burundi (27,834 km²) is larger than Rwanda (26,338 km²).

Do Rwanda and Burundi use the same currency?

No — Rwanda uses the Rwandan franc and Burundi uses the Burundian franc.

Are Rwanda and Burundi on the same continent?

Yes — both are in Africa.

What is the time difference between Rwanda and Burundi?

Rwanda and Burundi are in the same time zone (UTC+02:00).

Do Rwanda and Burundi share an official language?

Yes — both share French as an official language.

Do Rwanda and Burundi share a border?

Yes — Rwanda and Burundi share a land border.

Which is more densely populated, Rwanda or Burundi?

Rwanda is more densely populated at roughly 536 people per km², compared to 443 for Burundi.

How far is Rwanda from Burundi?

The distance between the geographic centres of Rwanda and Burundi is roughly 170 km (110 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.

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