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. Burundi 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 toward holding national elections in three years. While the Government of Burundi signed a cease-fire agreement in December 2002 with three of Burundi's four Hutu rebel groups implementation of the agreement has been problematic and one rebel group refuses to sign on clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

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.)

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

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 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 2.18% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: 70% (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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 46.7% (male 1,438,759; female 1,409,567)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 1,516,833; female 1,564,513)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 66,355; female 100,129) (2003 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.3 years
Male: 15.9 years
Female: 16.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 2.18% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 39.72 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 17.8 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.12 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

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

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: 0.66 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 71.54 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 64.42 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 78.45 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 43.2 years
Male: 42.54 years
Female: 43.88 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 390,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 40,000 (2001 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 51.6%
Male: 58.5%
Female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

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

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

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 Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April 2003); note - from the Tutsi minority
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 Alphonse KADEGE (since 30 April 2003); note - from the Tutsi minority
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

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 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 NZEYIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [Mathias HITIMANA]

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

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 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)

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 the death of over 200,000 persons sent 800,000 refugees into Tanzania and displaced 525,000 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 growth rate: 4.5% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 50%
Industry: 19%
Services: 31% (2002 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: 3.7 million (2000)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 12% (2002 est.)

Exports: $26 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: coffee tea sugar cotton hides
Partners: Switzerland 28.8% Germany 20.2% Belgium 9.4% Kenya 7.8% Rwanda 6.5% Netherlands 4.6% (2002)

Imports: $135 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: capital goods petroleum products foodstuffs
Partners: Belgium 12.4% Saudi Arabia 12.3% Tanzania 9.3% Kenya 7.7% France 7.4% India 4.5% (2002)

Debt external: $1.14 billion (2001)

Exchange rates: Burundi francs per US dollar - NA (2002) 830.35 (2001) 720.67 (2000) 563.56 (1999) 447.77 (1998)

Electricity
Production: 155.4 million kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 0.6%
Production by source hydro: 99.4%
Production by source other: 0% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 177.5 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 33 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2001)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 18,000 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 30,000 (2002)

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)

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

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $42.13 million (FY02)
Percent of gdp: 5.3% (FY02)

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

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika

Disputes international: Tutsi Hutu and 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 to gain control over populated and natural resource areas; government heads pledge to end conflict but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts