Burundi

Established in the 1600s, the Burundi Kingdom has had borders similar to those of modern Burundi since the 1800s. Burundi’s two major ethnic groups, the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi, share a common language and culture and largely lived in peaceful cohabitation under Tutsi monarchs in pre-colonial Burundi. Regional, class, and clan distinctions contributed to social status in the Burundi Kingdom, yielding a complex class structure. German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and Belgian rule after World War I preserved Burundi’s monarchy. Seeking to simplify administration, Belgian colonial officials reduced the number of chiefdoms and eliminated most Hutu chiefs from positions of power. In 1961, the Burundian Tutsi king’s oldest son, Louis RWAGASORE, was murdered by a competing political faction shortly before he was set to become prime minister, triggering increased political competition that contributed to later instability. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi. Revolution in neighboring Rwanda stoked ethnic polarization as the Tutsi increasingly feared violence and loss of political power. A failed Hutu-led coup in 1965 triggered a purge of Hutu officials and set the stage for Tutsi officers to overthrow the monarchy in 1966 and establish a Tutsi-dominated republic. A Hutu rebellion in 1972 resulted in the deaths of several thousand Tutsi civilians and sparked brutal Tutsi-led military reprisals against Hutu civilians which ultimately killed 100,000-200,000 people. International pressure led to a new constitution in 1992 and democratic elections in 1993. Tutsi military officers feared Hutu domination and assassinated Burundi's first democratically elected president, Hutu Melchior NDADAYE, in 1993 after only 100 days in office, sparking a civil war. In 1994, his successor, Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, died when the Rwandan president’s plane he was traveling on was shot down, which triggered the Rwandan genocide and further entrenched ethnic conflict in Burundi. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent cease-fire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005, resulting in the election of Pierre NKURUNZIZA as president. He was reelected in 2010 and again in 2015 after a controversial court decision allowed him to circumvent a term limit. President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE -- from NKURUNZIZA’s ruling party -- was elected in 2020.

land

25,680 sq km

total

27,830 sq km

water

2,150 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland

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 Celsius but is generally moderate; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

0 km (landlocked)

highest point

unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m

lowest point

Lake Tanganyika 772 m

mean elevation

1,504 m

3 30 S, 30 00 E

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

230 sq km (2012)

border countries

Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km; Rwanda 315 km; Tanzania 589 km

total

1,140 km

agricultural land

73.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

6.6% (2018 est.)

other

20.1% (2018 est.)

Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Africa

none (landlocked)

flooding; landslides; drought

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

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil as shown in this population distribution map

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

0-14 years

42.3% (male 2,895,275/female 2,848,286)

15-64 years

54.4% (male 3,662,688/female 3,727,022)

65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 197,493/female 259,338)

beer

1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

34.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

1.4% (2017 est.)

women married by age 15

2.8%

women married by age 18

19%

27.6% (2022)

28.5% (2016/17)

6.5% of GDP (2020)

54.1% (2023 est.)

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Burundi is a densely populated country with a high population growth rate, factors that combined with land scarcity and poverty place a large share of its population at risk of food insecurity. About 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Subdivision of land to sons, and redistribution to returning refugees, results in smaller, overworked, and less-productive plots. Food shortages, poverty, and a lack of clean water contribute to a 60% chronic malnutrition rate among children. A lack of reproductive health services has prevented a significant reduction in Burundi’s maternal mortality and fertility rates, which are both among the world’s highest. With almost two-thirds of its population under the age of 25 and a birth rate of about 5 children per woman as of 2022, Burundi’s population will continue to expand rapidly for decades to come, putting additional strain on a poor country. Historically, migration flows into and out of Burundi have consisted overwhelmingly of refugees from violent conflicts. In the last decade, more than a half million Burundian refugees returned home from neighboring countries, mainly Tanzania. Reintegrating the returnees has been problematic due to their prolonged time in exile, land scarcity, poor infrastructure, poverty, and unemployment. Repatriates and existing residents (including internally displaced persons) compete for limited land and other resources. To further complicate matters, international aid organizations reduced their assistance because they no longer classified Burundi as a post-conflict country. Conditions deteriorated when renewed violence erupted in April 2015, causing another outpouring of refugees. In addition to refugee out-migration, Burundi has hosted thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lesser numbers from Rwanda.

elderly dependency ratio

4.8

potential support ratio

20.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

95.2

youth dependency ratio

90.4

improved: rural

rural: 78.9% of population

improved: total

total: 81.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 21.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 18.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.3% of population

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian

2.41 (2024 est.)

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

female

31.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

39.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least spoken), Swahili (2008 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Igitabo Mpuzamakungu c'ibimenyetso bifatika, isoko ntabanduka ku nkuru z'urufatiro. (Kirundi)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal

female

70.3 years

male

66 years

total population

68.1 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

68.4% (2021)

male

81.3%

total population

74.7%

1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)

494 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

18.7 years

male

18 years

total

18.4 years (2024 est.)

21.5 years (2016/17 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

adjective

Burundian

noun

Burundian(s)

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

5.4% (2016)

0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

6,834,646 (2024 est.)

male

6,755,456

total

13,590,102

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil as shown in this population distribution map

2.81% (2024 est.)

Christian 93.9% (Roman Catholic 58.6%, Protestant 35.3% [includes Adventist 2.7% and other Protestant religions 32.6%]), Muslim 3.4%, other 1.3%, none 1.3% (2016-17 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 53.7% of population

improved: total

total: 58.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 87.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 46.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 41.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 12.6% of population

female

11 years (2018)

male

11 years

total

11 years

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

6.1% (2020 est.)

male

17.4% (2020 est.)

total

11.8% (2020 est.)

4.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

14.8% of total population (2023)

18 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi; note- a law was passed in March 2023 reducing the number of provinces to five: Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera, Gitega, with full implementation by 2025.

etymology

the naming origins for both Gitega and Bujumbura are obscure; Bujumbura's name prior to independence in 1962 was Usumbura

geographic coordinates

3 25 S, 29 55 E

name

Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital)

note

note: in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; as of 2023, the government's move to Gitega remains incomplete

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Burundi

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic after consultation with the government or by absolute majority support of the membership in both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership and at least four-fifths majority vote by the National Assembly; the president can opt to submit amendment bills to a referendum; constitutional articles including those on national unity, the secularity of Burundi, its democratic form of government, and its sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 2018 (amendments extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, reintroduced the position of prime minister, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1)

history

several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005

conventional long form

Republic of Burundi

conventional short form

Burundi

etymology

name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)

former

Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi

local long form

République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)

local short form

Burundi

chief of mission

Ambassador Lisa PETERSON (since 27 June 2024)

email address and website

BujumburaC@state.govhttps://bi.usembassy.gov/

embassy

No 50 Avenue Des Etats-Unis, 110-01-02, Bujumbura

FAX

[257] 22-222-926

mailing address

2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC  20521-2100

telephone

[257] 22-207-000

chancery

2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 27 February 2024)

email address and website

burundiembusadc@gmail.comBurundi Embassy Washington D.C. (burundiembassy-usa.com)

FAX

[1] (202) 342-2578

telephone

[1] (202) 342-2574

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by president

chief of state

President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020)

election results

2020: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, other 1.6%2015: Pierre NKURUNZIZA reelected president; percent of vote - Pierre NKURUNZIZA (CNDD-FDD) 69.4%, Agathon RWASA (Hope of Burundians - Amizerio y'ABARUNDI) 19%, other 11.6%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in May 2027); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum, effective for the 2020 election, increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit, reinstated the position of the prime minister position, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1

head of government

Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)

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

presidential republic

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, CICA, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICGLR, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, a 15-member body of judicial and legal profession officials), appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and serve 6-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Commercial Court

mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (39 seats in the July 2020 election); 36 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of provincial councils using a three-round voting system, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the first two rounds and simple majority vote for the two leading candidates in the final round; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (123 seats in the May 2020 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 23 co-opted members; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, Twa 3, CNL 1, UPRONA 1; composition - men 23, women 16, percentage women 37.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, Twa 3, UPRONA 2; composition - men 76, women 47, percentage women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percentage women 38%

elections

Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025)National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

lyrics/music

Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO

name

"Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi)

note

note: adopted 1962

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

lion; national colors: red, white, green

Council for Democracy and the Sustainable Development of Burundi or CODEBU Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD National Congress for Liberty or CNL National Liberation Forces or FNL Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA 

18 years of age; universal

cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, vegetables, beans, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, fruits, rice (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$506.147 million (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$713.694 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2016

-$339.695 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$373.389 million (2017 est.)

Current account balance 2018

-$362.645 million (2018 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$444.292 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

highly agrarian, low-income Sub-Saharan economy; declining foreign assistance; increasing fiscal insolvencies; dense and still growing population; COVID-19 weakened economic recovery and flipped two years of deflation

Currency

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

1,845.623 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1,915.046 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,975.951 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2,034.307 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2,574.052 (2023 est.)

Exports 2017

$270.686 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$285.105 million (2018 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, coffee, tea, rare earth ores, tobacco (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 32%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 14%, China 5%, Sudan 5%, Germany 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

5.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption

30.5% (2023 est.)

household consumption

75.6% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-24.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

25.2% (2023 est.)

industry

9.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

48.8% (2023 est.)

$2.642 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

37.5 (2020 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

29.9% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2020 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2017

$1.295 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$905.294 million (2018 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, fertilizers, packaged medicine, cement, plastic products (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 15%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 13%, Tanzania 12%, India 7% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

2.75% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

8.4% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

18.8% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

26.94% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

5.722 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt 2017

51.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$10.848 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$11.048 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$11.347 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.1% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.85% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$900 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

1.74% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.45% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.83% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$266.164 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$158.53 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$90.35 million (2023 est.)

15.64% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

1.11% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

0.92% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

0.93% (2023 est.)

female

1.3% (2023 est.)

male

2.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

1.7% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

5,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

795,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

800,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

imports

9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

415.198 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

101 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

114,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

40 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

1.7%

electrification - total population

10.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

64%

biomass and waste

1.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

33.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

62.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

2.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

961,000 Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.04 (2020 est.)

total

4,230 (2020 est.)

state-controlled Radio Television Nationale de Burundi (RTNB) operates a TV station and a national radio network; 3 private TV stations and about 10 privately owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Bujumbura (2019)

.bi

percent of population

5.8% (2021 est.)

total

754,000 (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is about 62 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Burundi provides an attractive telecom market given its high population density and existing low subscription rates for all services; one downside for investors is that the country has a very low economic output,and an unconducive business environment;  disposable income is also very low, and fixed-line infrastructure is poor outside the main urban areas; this is a greater motivation for investors to focus on improving mobile networks than in expanding fixed-line infrastructure; to overcome difficulties associated with the poor telecom infrastructure, the government has supported a number of prominent telcos building a national fiber backbone network; this network offers onward connectivity to submarine cable infrastructure landings in Kenya and Tanzania; the first sections of this network were switched on in early 2014, and additional provinces have since been connected; in addition, the government in early 2018 kick-started the Burundi Broadband project, which aims to deliver national connectivity by 2025; based on this improved infrastructure the government and ITU have developed an ICT strategy to make use of telecoms to promote the country’s socio-economic development through to 2028; progress made by Tanzania with its own national backbone network has benefited Burundi, which has been provided with onward connectivity to most countries in the region; International bandwidth capacity has continued to increase in recent years, including a 38% increase in the nine months to September 2021, resulting in lower retail prices for consumers; two of the mobile operators have launched 3G and LTE services to capitalize on the growing demand for internet access; the number of mobile subscribers increased 7% in the third quarter of 2021, quarter-on-quarter; similar growth is expected for the next two years at least, which will help bring the mobile level closer to the average for the region (2022); Burundi’s Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (ARCT) has recently published its roadmap for the deployment of 5G services in the country, setting out a target of July 2024 for the introduction of commercial services.   (2022)

international

country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); the government, supported by the World Bank, has backed a joint venture with a number of prominent telecoms to build a national fiber backbone network, offering onward connectivity to submarine cable infrastructure landings in Kenya and Tanzania (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

15,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

58 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

7.471 million (2022 est.)

6 (2024)

9U

paved

1,500 km (2020)

total

12,000 km

673 km (2022) (mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo)

the FDNB is responsible for defending Burundi’s territorial integrity and protecting its sovereignty; it has an internal security role, including maintaining and restoring public order if required; the FDNB also participates in providing humanitarian/disaster assistance, countering terrorism, narcotics trafficking, piracy, and illegal arms trade, and protecting the country’s environment; the FDNB conducts limited training with foreign partners such as Russia and participates in regional peacekeeping missions, most recently in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia; these missions have provided the force some operational experience and funding; in recent years the FDNB has conducted operations against anti-government rebel groups based in the neighboring DRC that have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi, such as the such as National Forces of Liberation (FNL), the Resistance for the Rule of Law-Tabara (aka RED Tabara), and Popular Forces of Burundi (FPB or FOREBU)the Arusha Accords that ended the 1993-2005 civil war created a unified military by balancing the predominantly Tutsi ex-Burundi Armed Forces (ex-FAB) and the largely Hutu dominated armed movements and requiring the military to have a 50/50 ethnic mix of Tutsis and Hutus (2024)

Burundi National Defense Force (BNDF; Force de Defense Nationale du Burundi or FDNB) : Land Force (la Force Terrestre), the Navy Force (la Force de la Marine), the Air Force (la Force Aérienne) and Specialized Units (des Unités Spécialisées)Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security: Burundi National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi) (2024)

note

note 1: the Naval Force is responsible for monitoring Burundi’s 175-km shoreline on Lake Tanganyika; the Specialized Units include a special security brigade for the protection of institutions (aka BSPI), commandos, special forces, and military policenote 2: in 2022, Burundi created a new reserve force (Force de réserve et d’appui au développement, FRAD); the FRAD's duties include organizing paramilitary trainings, supporting other components in protecting the integrity of the national territory, conceiving and implementing development projects, and operationalizing national and international partnerships

approximately 30,000 active-duty troops (2024)

760 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); up to 3,000 in Somalia (ATMIS; note - foreign troop contingents under ATMIS are drawing down towards a final exit in December 2024) (2024)

note

note: Burundi deployed military troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2022 as part of an East African regional force; as of 2024, as many as 1,000 troops reportedly remained in the DRC

the military has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern secondhand equipment from such countries as China, South Africa, and the US (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2023)

IDPs

76,987 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2023)

refugees (country of origin)

87,157 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

stateless persons

767 (mid-year 2021)

carbon dioxide emissions

0.5 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.42 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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 Celsius but is generally moderate; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

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

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

widespread lack of access

due to the effects of weather - according to the latest estimates, about 1.2 million people are estimated to be facing Crisis levels of acute food insecurity between June and September 2023, unchanged year on year; the main drivers are the lingering impact of floods in northern areas in late 2022 and high food prices due, in part, to the depreciation of the local currency (2023)

agricultural land

73.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

6.6% (2018 est.)

other

20.1% (2018 est.)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

10.31% of GDP (2018 est.)

12.54 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

14.8% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,872,016 tons (2002 est.)