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 one hundred days 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. Burundi troops seeking to secure their borders briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government inaugurated on 1 November 2001 signed a power-sharing agreement with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the agreement has been problematic however as one remaining rebel group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed clouding 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
Land: 25,650 km²
Water: 2,180 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: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources: nickel uranium rare earth oxides peat cobalt copper platinum vanadium arable land: hydropower niobium tantalum gold tin tungsten kaolin limestone

Land use
Arable land: 35.05%
Permanent crops: 14.02%
Other: 50.93% (2001)

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 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 2.22% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: 68% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Burundian
Adjective: Burundian

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% (male 1,479,941/female 1,450,808)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 1,617,864/female 1,653,331)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 66,199/female 102,466) (2005 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 16.6 years
Male: 16.27 years
Female: 16.95 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 39.66 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 17.43 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2005 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 69.29 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 75.87 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 62.5 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.29 years
Male: 49.61 years
Female: 50.99 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 6% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 250,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 25,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

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: 51.6%
Male: 58.5%
Female: 45.2% (2003 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 long form: Republika y'u Burundi
Local short form: 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 20 October 2004 by a provisional constitution approved by the parliament which extended the transition; a 28 February 2005 popular referendum ratified the new constitution which set ethnic quotas for government positions and tentatively scheduled general elections for April 2005

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 Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April 2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11 November 2004)
Head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April 2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11 November 2004)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
Elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha Accord; note - next presidential election is scheduled for 22 April 2005

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections are currently planned to be held by April 2005)
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: National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB AU CEPGL FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (subscriber) ITU MIGA NAM OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
In the us chancery: Suite 212, 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 342-2,574
In the us fax: [1] (202) 342-2,578
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. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority 14% of the population dominates the government and the coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority 85% of the population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in more than 200,000 deaths forced 450,000 refugees into Tanzania and displaced 140,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects for sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in two children go to school and approximately one in ten adults has HIV/AIDS. Food medicine and electricity remain in short supply.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.001 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 48.1%
Industry: 19%
Services: 32.9% (2004 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: 18% (2001)

Labor force: 2.99 million (2002)
By occupation agriculture: 93.6%
By occupation industry: 2.3%
By occupation services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 68% (2002 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.8%
Highest 10: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index: 42.5 (1998)

Budget
Revenues: $152.5 million
Expenditures: $187.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.5% (2004 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: $-59.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $31.84 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: coffee tea sugar cotton hides
Partners: Germany 19.6% Belgium 8.2% Pakistan 6.7% US 5.6% Rwanda 5.6% Thailand 5.4% (2004)

Imports: $138.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: capital goods petroleum products foodstuffs
Partners: Kenya 13.7% Tanzania 11.2% US 8.9% Belgium 8.5% France 8.4% Italy 6% Uganda 5.6% Japan 4.6% Germany 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $76.89 million (2004 est.)

Debt external: $1.133 billion (2002)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Burundi francs per US dollar - 1100.91 (2004) 1082.62 (2003) 930.75 (2002) 830.35 (2001) 720.67 (2000)


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Electricity
Production: 132 million kWh (2002)
Consumption: 137.8 million kWh (2002)
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 15 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2002)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 23,900 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 64,000 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: primitive system
Domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay
International: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bi
Hosts: 22 (2003)
Users: 14,000 (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $38.7 million (2004)
Percent of gdp: 6% (2004)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 8 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Tutsi Hutu other conflicting ethnic groups associated political rebels armed gangs and various government forces continue fighting in the Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Rwanda and Uganda in an effort to gain control over populated and natural resource areas; government heads pledge to end conflict but localized violence continues despite the presence of about 6,000 peacekeepers from the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004; although some 150,000 Burundian refugees have been repatriated as of February 2005 Burundian refugees still reside in camps in western Tanzania as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 60,288 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Idps: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)

Illicit drugs