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 100 days in office triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force established a new constitution in 2005 and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.


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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
Rank: 146
Land: 25,680 km²
Water: 2,150 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; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (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: 35.57%
Permanent crops: 13.12%
Other: 51.31% (2005)

Irrigated land: 210 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 3.6 km³ (1987)

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: 8,988,091
Rank: 89
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 higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Growth rate: 3.279% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 7
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: 46.2%
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 16.7 years
Male: 16.5 years
Female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.279% (2009 est.)
Rank: 7

Birth rate: 41.42 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 14

Death rate: 12.67 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 34

Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 26

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 10% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 6.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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 Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 59.64 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 38
Male: 66.32 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 52.76 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.09 years
Rank: 202
Male: 51.2 years
Female: 53.01 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 6

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 2% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 32
People living with hivaids: 110,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 44
Deaths: 11,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 31

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2005)
Rank: 69

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 59.3%
Male: 67.3%
Female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 7 years
Male: 8 years
Female: 7 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
Conventional short form: Burundi
Local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
Local short form: Burundi
Former: Urundi

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Bujumbura
Geographic coordinates: 3 22 S 29 21 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 17 provinces; Bubanza Bujumbura Mairie Bujumbura Rurale 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: ratified by popular referendum 28 February 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: 18 years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA ; First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
Elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; next elections to be held in August 2010; vice presidents nominated by the president endorsed by parliament
Election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010); National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30 FRODEBU 3 CNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6% FRODEBU 21.7% UPRONA 7.2% CNDD 4.1% MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1% others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59 FRODEBU 25 UPRONA 10 CNDD 4 MRC-Rurenzangemero 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court)

Political parties and leaders
Governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA]
Note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998 included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; 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 COMESA EAC FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (subscriber) ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OIF OPCW UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO
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 Patricia Newton MOLLER
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 fly 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 more than 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 rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority 14% of the population dominates the coffee trade. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food medicine and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-08. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate poor education rates a weak legal system and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 173
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 96

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 227
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 33.4%
Industry: 21%
Services: 45.6% (2008 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: 5% (2008 est.)
Rank: 46

Labor force: 4.245 million (2007)
Rank: 84
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: 4.1%
Highest 10: 28% (2006)

Distribution of family income gini index: 42.4 (1998)
Rank: 54

Budget
Revenues: $295.2 million
Expenditures: $355 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.3% (2007 est.)
Rank: 210

Central bank discount rate: 10.12% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 36

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 16.84% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 32

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $342 million (31 December 2007)
Rank: 118

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$116.8 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 86

Exports: $52.9 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 198
Commodities: coffee tea sugar cotton hides
Partners: Switzerland 27.9% UK 11% Pakistan 9.5% Belgium 5.1% Rwanda 5% Egypt 4.7% (2008)

Imports: $257.6 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 188
Commodities: capital goods petroleum products foodstuffs
Partners: Saudi Arabia 20.7% Belgium 12.6% Uganda 8.4% Kenya 7.4% China 5.9% France 5.4% Germany 4.9% India 4.1% Tanzania 4.1% Japan 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 141

Debt external: $1.2 billion (2003)
Rank: 151

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1198 (2008 est.) 1065 (2007) 1030 (2006) 1138 (2005) 1100.91 (2004)


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Electricity
Production: 92 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 125.6 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 185
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 202
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 115
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 197
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 198
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 199

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 30,400 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 178
Mobile cellular: 480,600 (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 156

Telephone system
General assessment: primitive system; telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 5 per 100 persons
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) (2008)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bi
Hosts: 191 (2009)
Hosts rank: 189
Users: 65,000 (2008)
Users rank: 167

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 11

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment but the government had previously specified that each recruit would need to have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 8 (2009)
Rank: 161
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports: 1 (2009)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 12,322 km
Rank: 131
Paved: 1286 km
Unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways: mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2008)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Bujumbura


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Disputes international: Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers which have changed course since the 1960s when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi Hutu other ethnic groups associated political rebels armed gangs and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Idps: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)

Illicit drugs