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 government of President Pierre NKURUNZIZA who was reelected in 2010 continues to face many political and economic 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

Area
Rank: 147
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries

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

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

Land use

Irrigated land: 230 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: 10,557,259 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 81
Growth rate: 3.104% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 7
Below poverty line: 68% (2002 est.)

Nationality

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.104% (2012 est.)
Rank: 7

Birth rate: 40.58 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 7

Death rate: 9.36 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 59

Net migration rate: -0.18 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 122

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 27

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 191

Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 5

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.03 physicians/1000 population (2004)

Hospital bed density: 0.73 beds/1000 population (2006)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.3% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 21
People living with hivaids: 180,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 28
Deaths: 15,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 19

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 38.9% (2000)
Rank: 6

Education expenditures: 8.3% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 10

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic

Capital

Administrative divisions: 17 provinces; Bubanza Bujumbura Mairie Bujumbura Rural 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: mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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)

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

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU CEPGL COMESA EAC FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OIF OPCW UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNISFA UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

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); green symbolizes hope and optimism white purity and peace and red the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the three major ethnic groups: Hutu Twa Tutsi as well as the three elements in the national motto: unity work progress

National symbols: lion

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; agriculture accounts for just over 30% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings though exports are a relatively small share of GDP. Burundi's export earnings - and its ability to pay for imports - rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. 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. Less than 2% of the population has electricity in its homes. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-12. 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 a poor transportation network overburdened utilities and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept up with inflation. Burundi will remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors - foreign aid represents 42% of Burundi's national income the second highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Burundi joined the East African Community in 2009 which should boost Burundi's regional trade ties and also in 2009 received $700 million in debt relief. Government corruption is hindering the development of a healthy private sector as companies seek to navigate an environment with ever changing rules.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 165

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 79

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 225

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2010 est.)
Rank: 40

Labor force: 4.245 million (2007)
Rank: 88

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

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

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 42.4 (1998)
Rank: 50

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -3.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 115

Taxes and other revenues: 18.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 168

Public debt: 80.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 36

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.7% (2011 est.)
Rank: 214

Central bank discount rate: 10% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 26

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13.33% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 63

Stock of narrow money: $333.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 167

Stock of broad money: $465.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 176

Stock of domestic credit: $576.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 167

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$253.4 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Exports: $90.8 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 190
Commodities: coffee tea sugar cotton hides
Partners: Germany 15.6% China 10.5% Sweden 9.5% Belgium 9% Pakistan 7.4% US 7.4% France 4.3% (2011)

Imports: $536.6 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 188
Commodities: capital goods petroleum products foodstuffs
Partners: Saudi Arabia 17.1% Belgium 8.3% China 7.6% Uganda 7.5% Kenya 6.6% Zambia 6.5% US 6.3% France 5.1% India 4.1% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $295.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 151

Debt external: $322.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 184

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 127 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 198.1 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 185
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 171
Imports: 80 million kWh (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 95
Installed generating capacity: 52,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 182
Generation sources fossil fuels: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 204
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 59
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 6
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 117

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 116
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 91
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 166
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 113

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 130
Products consumption: 2,290 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 188
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 160
Products imports: 1334 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 189

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 108
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 125
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 169
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 169
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 118

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 527,800 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 179

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 30,000 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 177
Mobile cellular: 1.915 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 141

Telephone system

Broadcast media: state-controlled La Radiodiffusion et Television Nationale de Burundi (RTNB) operates the lone TV station and the only national radio network; about 10 privately-owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Bujumbura (2007)

Internet
Country code: .bi
Hosts: 229 (2012)
Hosts rank: 199
Users: 157,800 (2009)
Users rank: 147

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 claimed that no one younger than 18 was being recruited; mandatory retirement age 45 (enlisted) 50 (NCOs) and 55 (officers) (2011)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2012)
Rank: 168

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 129

Waterways: (mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura Burundi's principal port and lake ports in Tanzania Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo) (2011)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Bujumbura


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Disputes international: Burundi and Rwanda dispute two km² (0.8 sq mi) of Sabanerwa a farmed area in the Rukurazi Valley where the Akanyaru/Kanyaru River shifted its course southward after heavy rains in 1965; cross-border conflicts persist among Tutsi Hutu other ethnic groups associated political rebels armed gangs and various government forces in the Great Lakes region

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs