Buta is a town and seat of Buta Territory

Buta Territory

Buta Territory is a territory in Bas-Uele District, Orientale Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The administrative capital is located at Buta.-Geography:...

 in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo, lying on the Rubi River, a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the Itimbiri River. It is headquarters of the Bas-Uele District

Bas-Uele District

Bas-Uele District is a district located in Orientale Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.It includes the Aleti, Ango, Bambesa, Bondo, Buta and Poko territories. The principal town is Buta....

, Orientale Province. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 50,130.

It is home to an airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 and lies on the defunct narrow gauge railway from Bumba

Bumba, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bumba is a town and river port in Mongala District, in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying on the River Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 107,626.- Transport :...

 to Isiro

Isiro

Isiro is the capital of Haut-Uele District in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies between the equatorial forest and the savannah and its main resource is coffee. Isiro's population is estimated at approximately 150,000...

.

In early 2005 the town was the centre of an outbreak of pulmonary plague.