Map of Burundi | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since then some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in neighboring countries. Burundian troops seeking to secure their borders intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998. More recently many of these troops have been redeployed back to Burundi to deal with periodic upsurges in rebel activity. A new transitional government inaugurated on 1 November 2001 was to be the first step towards holding national elections in three years. However the unwillingness of the Hutu rebels to enact a cease fire with Bujumbura continues to obstruct prospects for a sustainable peace.


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Location: Central Africa east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 27,830 km²
Water: 2,180 km²
Land: 25,650 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 974 km
Border countries: (3) Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km; , Rwanda 290 km; , Tanzania 451 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November and dry seasons from June to August and December to January

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 2,670 m

Natural resources: nickel uranium rare earth oxides peat cobalt copper platinum (not yet exploited) vanadium arable land: hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 29.98%
Permanent crops: 12.85%
Other: 57.17% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 740 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding landslides drought

Geography
Note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera which drains into Lake Victoria is the most remote headstream of the White Nile


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Population
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 2.36% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Burundian
Adjective: Burundi

Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85% Tutsi (Hamitic) 14% Twa (Pygmy) 1% Europeans 3,000 South Asians 2000

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

Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62% Protestant 5%) indigenous beliefs 23% Muslim 10%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,497,865; female 1,466,455)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,592,253; female 1,640,254)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 71,915; female 104,260) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.36% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.87 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.3 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 69.97 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 45.94 years
Female: 46.83 years (2002 est.)
Male: 45.08 years

Total fertility rate: 6.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 11.32% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 360,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 39,000 (1999 est.)

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 can read and write
Total population: 35.3%
Male: 49.3%
Female: 22.5% (1995 est.)

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 short form: Burundi
Local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
Former: Urundi

Government type: republic

Capital: Bujumbura

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces; Bubanza Bujumbura Bururi Cankuzo Cibitoke Gitega Karuzi Kayanza Kirundo Makamba Muramvya Muyinga Mwaro 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; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Pierre BUYOYA (a Tutsi, was sworn in as president of a transition government on 1 November 2001; he is scheduled to hold office for 18 months before transferring power to his vice president, a Hutu); Vice President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 1 November 2001)
Head of government: President Pierre BUYOYA (a Tutsi, was sworn in as president of a transition government on 1 November 2001; he is scheduled to hold office for 18 months before transferring power to his vice president, a Hutu); Vice President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 1 November 2001)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
Elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25 July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but were suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional government)
Election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA 21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, civilians 27, other parties 13

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders
Note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Joseph NZENZIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [Mathias HITIMANA]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA
In the us chancery: Suite 212, 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us fax: [1] (202) 342-2,578
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 342-2,574
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
From the us embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
From the us mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
From the us telephone: [257] 223,454
From the us fax: [257] 222,926

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 with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly 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. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of more than 200,000 persons and the displacement of about 800,000 others. Only one in four children go to school and more than one in ten adults has HIV/AIDS. Foods medicines and electricity remain in short supply. Doubts regarding the sustainability of peace continue to impede development. A Geneva donors' conference in November 2001 brought $800 million in pledges and an IMF-staff-monitored program could lead to a further agreement in 2002.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 50%
Industry: 18%
Services: 32% (2001 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee cotton tea corn sorghum sweet potatoes bananas manioc (tapioca); beef milk hides

Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets shoes soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 1.9 million
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3%
Highest 10: 27% (1992) (1992)

Distribution of family income gini index: 33 (1992)

Budget
Revenues: $125 million
Expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 14% (2001 est.)

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: $24 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: coffee tea sugar cotton hides
Partners: EU 52.5% US 11.5% Kenya 11.5% Switzerland 4.9% (2000 est.)

Imports: $125 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: capital goods petroleum products foodstuffs
Partners: EU 37.6% Tanzania 10.3% Zambia 4.3% India 3.4% China 3.4% (2000 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.12 billion (2001 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Burundi francs per US dollar - 865.14 (January 2002) 830.35 (2001) 720.67 (2000) 563.56 (1999) 477.77 (1998) 352.35 (1997)


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Electricity
Production: 148 million kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 1%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source hydro: 99%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 166.64 million kWh (2000)
Exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Imports note: supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 20,000 (2000)
Mobile cellular: 16,300 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: primitive system
Domestic: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bi
Service providers isps: 1 (2000)
Users: 6,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $36.9 million (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 5.3% (FY01)

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: 7 (2001)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 6 6
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Tutsi Hutu and other conflicting ethnic groups political rebels and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Rwanda and Uganda

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs