Map of Burundi | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: in a number of waves since October 1993, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the ethnic violence between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi and crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zaire; since October 1996, an estimated 92,000 Burundi Hutus who fled to Zaire have been forced to return to Burundi by Tutsi rebel forces in Zaire, leaving an estimated 35,000 still dispersed there; in Burundi, the ethnic violence between the Hutus and the Tutsis continued in 1996, causing an estimated additional 150,000 Burundi Hutus to flee to Tanzania, thus raising their numbers in that country to about 250,000


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Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic Congo

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 27,830 km²
Land: 25,650 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: Total 974 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km, Democratic Republic Congo 233 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: None; landlocked

Climate: Temperate; warm; occasional frost in uplands; dry season from June to September

Terrain: Hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Heha 2,760 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 43%
Permanent crops: 8%
Permanent pastures: 35%
Forests and woodland: 2%
Other: 12%

Irrigated land: 720 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Burundian(s)
Adjective: Burundi

Ethnic groups
Africans: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%
NonAfricans: Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: -12.47 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: In a number of waves since October 1993, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the civil strife between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi and crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and Democratic Republic Congo; the refugee flows were continuing in 1996 as the ethnic violence persisted

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Current issues Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements note: Landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 49.33 years (1996 est.), 39.86 years (1995 est.)
Male: 48.28 years (1996 est.), 37.84 years (1995 est.)
Female: 50.42 years (1996 est.), 41.95 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 35.5%
Male: 49.3%
Female: 22.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
Conventional short form: Burundi
Local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
Local short form: Burundi

Government type: Republic

Capital: Bujumbura

Administrative divisions: 15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution: 13 March 1992; provides for establishment of a plural political system

Legal system: Based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: Universal adult at age NA

Executive branch: chief of state:President Sylvestre NTIBANTUNGANYA (acting president from 8 April 1994 to 30 September 1994, president since 1 October 1994); note_NTIBANTUNGANYA, in his capacity as President of the National Assembly, became acting president upon the death of President Cyprien NTARYAMIRE in an airplane crash on 6 April 1994; NTIBANTUNGANYA was sworn in on 1 October 1994 as president by the "Convention on Government" to serve a four year transitional term
Note: President Melchior NDADAYE, Burundi's first democratically elected president, died in the military coup of 21 October 1993 and was succeeded on 5 February 1994 by President Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, who was killed in a mysterious airplane explosion on 6 April 1994
Head of government: Prime Minister Antoine NDUWAYO (since February 1995)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):Elections last held 29 June 1993 (next to be held NA); results_FRODEBU 71%, UPRONA 21.4%; seats_(81 total) FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16; other parties won too small shares of the vote to win seats in the assembly
Note: The National Unity Charter outlining the principles for constitutional government was adopted by a national referendum on 5 February 1991

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: Divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country in an early stage of economic development. The economy is predominately agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market. As part of its economic reform agenda, launched in February 1991 with IMF and World Bank support, Burundi is trying to diversify its agricultural exports, attract foreign investment in industry, and modernize government budgetary practices. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of perhaps 100,000 persons and the displacement of a million others; production has fallen sharply, and an impoverished and disorganized government can hardly implement these needed reform programs.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Accounts for 50% of GDP; cash crops_coffee, cotton, tea; food crops_corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc; livestock_meat, milk, hides and skins

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 11% (1991 est.), accounts for about 15% of GDP

Labor force: 1.9 million (1983 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 93.0%
By occupation Government: 4.0%
By occupation Industry and commerce: 1.5%
By occupation Services: 1.5%

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $318 million
Expenditures: $326 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1991 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value. $68 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$203 million (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.05 billion (1994 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1_268.13 (November 1995), 252.66 (1994), 242.78 (1993), 208.30 (1992), 181.51 (1991), 171.26 (1990), 158.67 (1989), 140.40 (1988)


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Electricity
Capacity: 55,000 kW
Production: 100 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 20 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 7,200 telephones (1987 est.); primative system
Local: NA
Intercity: sparse system of wire, radiocommunications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay links
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $25 million, 2.6% of GDP (1993)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs