2008 Edition

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.

Area

total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

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 1,700 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)

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Heha 2,670 m

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%) per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

3 30 S, 30 00 E

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

Irrigated land

210 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Land use

arable land: 35.57% permanent crops: 13.12% other: 51.31% (2005)

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding, landslides, drought

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

3.6 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,021,320/female 1,998,502) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 2,210,157/female 2,240,921) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 87,600/female 132,505) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

41.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

25,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

250,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 60.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 67.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.71 years male: 50.86 years female: 52.6 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)

Median age

total: 16.7 years male: 16.4 years female: 17 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian

Net migration rate

5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

8,691,005 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 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

3.443% (2008 est.)

Religions

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 7 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/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 (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Capital

name: Bujumbura geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] 223454

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

Executive branch

chief of state: 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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 342-2578

[257] 222926

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)

Government type

republic

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of 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) and 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) elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: 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; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group) other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal (adult)

Agriculture - products

coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Budget

revenues: $264.2 million expenditures: $335.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

10.12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

16.84% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code

BIF

Current account balance

-$101 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.2 billion (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

42.4 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$365 million (2005)

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, 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. 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 5% annually in 2006-07. 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.

Electricity - consumption

120.9 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

87 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003)

Exports

$44 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners

Germany 31.3%, Pakistan 6.8%, Belgium 5.8%, Sweden 4.3%, Rwanda 4.3%, France 4.2%, Sudan 4% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 33.7% industry: 20.9% services: 45.4% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$300 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.001 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.907 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Imports

$272 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Saudi Arabia 17%, Kenya 11.4%, Belgium 8.7%, France 6.1%, Uganda 5.4%, Germany 5.4%, India 4.8%, Pakistan 4.2% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

6.4% (2007 est.)

Industries

light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.3% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.99 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,956 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

2,635 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

68% (2002 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$342 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$208.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$141 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet country code

.bi

Internet hosts

162 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

60,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

440,000 (2001)

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 3 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) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

35,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

250,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Televisions

25,000 (1997)

Airports

8 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Ports and terminals

Bujumbura

Roadways

total: 12,322 km paved: 1,286 km unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways

mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2005)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,878,544 females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,083,899 females age 16-49: 1,062,488 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 98,105 female: 98,533 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; children as young as 10 years of age have been conscripted into the armed forces; the enrollment of children is still not prohibited (2007)

National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN)

Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2008)

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

IDPs

100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate protective services to children accused of association with armed groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008