2023 Edition

Background

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 that resulted in the death of several thousand Tutsi civilians sparked a brutal crackdown on Hutu civilians by the Tutsi-led military, which ultimately killed 100,000-200,000 people. International pressure led to a new constitution in 1992 and democratic elections in June 1993. Burundi's first democratically elected president, Hutu Melchior NDADAYE, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office by Tutsi military officers fearing Hutu domination, sparking a civil war. His successor, Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, died when the Rwandan president’s plane he was traveling on was shot down in April 1994, 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.

Area

land

25,680 sq km

total

27,830 sq km

water

2,150 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 Celsius 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

highest point

unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m

lowest point

Lake Tanganyika 772 m

mean elevation

1,504 m

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

230 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

1,140 km

Land use

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.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

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

Population distribution

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

42.67% (male 2,830,996/female 2,786,154)

15-64 years

54.03% (male 3,523,380/female 3,588,511)

65 years and over

3.3% (2023 est.) (male 187,176/female 246,735)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

34.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.4% (2017 est.)

women married by age 15

2.8%

women married by age 18

19%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

27.6% (2022)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

28.5% (2016/17)

Current health expenditure

6.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.8

potential support ratio

20.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

95.2

youth dependency ratio

90.4

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, Phuthi, South Asian

Gross reproduction rate

2.45 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

32.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

40.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

36.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

70 years

male

65.7 years

total population

67.8 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

68.4% (2021)

male

81.3%

total population

74.7%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note

note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Burundi is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

18.5 years

male

17.9 years

total

18.2 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.5 years (2016/17 est.)

note

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

Nationality

adjective

Burundian

noun

Burundian(s)

Net migration rate

6.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

13,162,952 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

3.59% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2018)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6.1% (2020 est.)

male

17.4% (2020 est.)

total

11.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.96 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

14.8% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2.5%

male

4.6%

total

3.4% (2021 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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 - 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 2022, the government's move to Gitega remains incomplete

time difference

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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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

Country name

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

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

local short form

Burundi

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Keith GILGES (since June 2022) 

email address and website

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

embassy

B.P. 1720, Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

FAX

[257] 22-222-926

mailing address

2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC  20521-2100

telephone

[257] 22-207-000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Préféré NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 March 2023)

email address and website

burundiembusadc@gmail.comhttps://burundiembassy-usa.com/index.php

FAX

[1] (202) 342-2578

telephone

[1] (202) 342-2574

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by president

chief of state

President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

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

President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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 independent 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; Court Against Corruption; Commercial Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

Legislative branch

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; 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; 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; 60% of seats allocated to Hutu and 40% to Tutsi; 3 seats reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats reserved for women; 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, percent of 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, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of 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)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO

name

"Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi)

note

note: adopted 1962

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, green

Political parties and leaders

Front for Democracy in Burundi-Nyakuri or FRODEBU-Nyakuri [Keffa NIBIZI]Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Pierre Claver NAHIMANA]National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA]National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE]National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGITIMANA]Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Abel GASHATSI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, plantains, beans, vegetables, potatoes, cashew nuts, maize, taro

Budget

expenditures

$1.111 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$747 million (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

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.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$622.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$610.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1,729.055 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1,782.877 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1,845.623 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1,915.046 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,975.951 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$315 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$285.105 million (2018 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

gold, coffee, tea, raw earth metal ores, beer (2021)

note

note: rare earth metal ores include zirconium, vanadium, tantalum, and niobium

Exports - partners

United Arab Emirates 50%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

5.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

20.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

83% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-25.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

39.5% (2017 est.)

industry

16.4% (2017 est.)

services

44.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.027 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2013

38.6 (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28% (2006)

lowest 10%

4.1%

Imports

Imports 2017

$1.295 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$905.294 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, packaged medicines, cement, raw sugar, cars (2019)

Imports - partners

China 14%, Saudi Arabia 14%, India 9%, Kenya 7%, United Arab Emirates 7%, Tanzania 5%, Zambia 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-0.69% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

7.32% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

8.4% (2021 est.)

Labor force

5.271 million (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

93.6%

industry

2.3%

services

4.1% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

64.6% (2014 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

51.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$8.665 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$8.693 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$8.849 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.81% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

0.33% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$700 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$700 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$700 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$111.374 million (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$90.319 million (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$266.164 million (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

NA

Unemployment rate 2019

1.59% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

1.71% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

1.79% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2.5%

male

4.6%

total

3.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

715,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

715,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

440.774 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

100 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

100,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

15.96 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

1.6% (2021)

electrification - total population

10.2% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

62.8% (2021)

population without electricity

11 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

33.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

62.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

1.087 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

5,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,374 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.04 (2020 est.)

total

4,230 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.bi

Internet users

percent of population

5.8% (2021 est.)

total

754,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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, 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)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

15,976 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

62 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7,740,494 (2021 est.)

Airports

7 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

6

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9U

Heliports

1 (2021)

Ports and terminals

lake port(s)

Bujumbura (Lake Tanganyika)

Roadways

paved

1,500 km (2016)

total

12,322 km (2016)

unpaved

10,822 km (2016)

Waterways

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)

Military - note

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, 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 Democratic Republic of the Congo (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 Land Force’s primary units are 4 regionally based divisions which are comprised mostly of light infantry complemented by a few battalions of artillery, light armored forces, and commandos; the FDNB also has a separate special security brigade for protecting key facilities; the Air Force is lightly equipped with a handful of combat helicopters, while the Naval Force has a few patrol boats for monitoring Burundi’s 175-km shoreline on Lake Tanganyikathe Arusha Agreement that ended the 1993-2005 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

National Defense Force of Burundi (Force de Defense Nationale du Burundi or FDNB): Land Force (Force Terrestre), the Navy Force (Force Marine), the Air Force (Force Aerienne) and Specialized Units (Unites Specialisees) (2023)

note

note 1: the Specialized Units include a special security brigade for the protection of institutions (aka BSPI) 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 partnershipsnote 3: the Burundi National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi) are under the Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25-30,000 active-duty troops, the majority of which are ground forces (2023)

Military deployments

750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); more than 3,000 in Somalia (ATMIS; note - foreign troop contingents under ATMIS are drawing down towards a final exit in December 2024) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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 (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

2.3% of GDP (2018 est.)

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

2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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

Disputes - international

cross-border conflicts persist among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in the Great Lakes regionBurundi-Rwanda: Burundi's Ngozi province and Rwanda's Butare province dispute the two-kilometer-square hilly farmed area of Sabanerwa in the Rukurazi Valley where the Akanyaru/Kanyaru River shifted its course southward after heavy rains in 1965 around Kibinga Hill in Rwanda's Butare Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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)

86,799 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)

stateless persons

767 (mid-year 2021)

Air pollutants

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.)

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 Celsius 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)

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, 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

Food insecurity

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)

Land use

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.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

10.31% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

12.54 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

14.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,872,016 tons (2002 est.)