{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

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.

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "3 30 S, 30 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "27,830 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "25,680 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "2,150 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly smaller than Maryland" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1,140 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km; Rwanda 315 km; Tanzania 589 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "0 km (landlocked)" }, "Maritime claims": { "text": "none (landlocked)" }, "Climate": { "text": "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)" }, "Terrain": { "text": "hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Lake Tanganyika 772 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "1,504 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "73.3% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 38.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 15.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "6.6% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "20.1% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "230 sq km (2012)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km" } }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "flooding; landslides; drought" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "13,590,102" }, "male": { "text": "6,755,456" }, "female": { "text": "6,834,646 (2024 est.)" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Burundian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Burundian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least spoken), Swahili (2008 est.)" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "
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" }, "Religions": { "text": "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.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "

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.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "42.3% (male 2,895,275/female 2,848,286)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "54.4% (male 3,662,688/female 3,727,022)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "3.4% (2024 est.) (male 197,493/female 259,338)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "95.2" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "90.4" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "4.8" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "20.7 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "18.4 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "18 years" }, "female": { "text": "18.7 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "2.81% (2024 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "34.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "14.8% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.02 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.98 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.76 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "21.5 years (2016/17 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "494 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "39.7 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "31.5 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "68.1 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "66 years" }, "female": { "text": "70.3 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "4.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "2.41 (2024 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "28.5% (2016/17)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 98.7% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 78.9% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 81.6% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 1.3% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 21.1% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 18.4% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "6.5% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physician density": { "text": "0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2020)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 87.4% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 53.7% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 58.4% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 12.6% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 46.3% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 41.6% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "5.4% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "11.8% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "17.4% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "6.1% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "27.6% (2022)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "54.1% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "2.8%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "19%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "1.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "5% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "74.7%" }, "male": { "text": "81.3%" }, "female": { "text": "68.4% (2021)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "11 years" }, "male": { "text": "11 years" }, "female": { "text": "11 years (2018)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban" } }, "Climate": { "text": "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)" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "73.3% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 38.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 15.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "6.6% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "20.1% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "14.8% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { "text": "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)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "10.31% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "0.5 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "1.42 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "1,872,016 tons (2002 est.)" } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km" } }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)" }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "12.54 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of Burundi" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Burundi" }, "local long form": { "text": "République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)" }, "local short form": { "text": "Burundi" }, "former": { "text": "Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi" }, "etymology": { "text": "name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital)" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "3 25 S, 29 55 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "the origin of the name Bujumbura is unclear, but \"bu-\" is a Bantu prefix meaning \"place\"" }, "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" }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "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." }, "Independence": { "text": "1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 1 July (1962)" }, "Legal system": { "text": "mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005" }, "amendments": { "text": "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)" } }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "the father must be a citizen of Burundi" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "10 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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" }, "election results": { "text": "
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%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "legislature name": { "text": "Parliament (Parlement)" }, "legislative structure": { "text": "bicameral" } }, "Legislative branch - lower chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "National Assembly (Inama Nshingamateka)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "123 (all directly elected)" }, "electoral system": { "text": "proportional representation" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "5/20/2020" }, "parties elected and seats per party": { "text": "National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (86); National Congress for Liberty (CNL) (32); Other (5)" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "38.2%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "May 2025" }, "note": "note: 60% of seats in the National Assembly are allocated to Hutus and 40% to Tutsis; 3 seats are reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats are reserved for women" }, "Legislative branch - upper chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "Senate (Inama Nkenguzamateka)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "39 (all indirectly elected)" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "7/20/2020" }, "parties elected and seats per party": { "text": "National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (34); Other (2)" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "41%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "July 2025" }, "note": "note: 3 seats in the Senate are reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes are reserved for women" }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Commercial Court" } }, "Political parties": { "text": "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 " }, "International organization participation": { "text": "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" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 27 February 2024)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 342-2574" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 342-2578" }, "email address and website": { "text": "burundiembusadc@gmail.com

Burundi Embassy Washington D.C. (burundiembassy-usa.com)" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Lisa PETERSON (since 27 June 2024)" }, "embassy": { "text": "No 50 Avenue Des Etats-Unis, 110-01-02, Bujumbura" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC  20521-2100" }, "telephone": { "text": "[257] 22-207-000" }, "FAX": { "text": "[257] 22-222-926" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
BujumburaC@state.gov

https://bi.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below); green symbolizes hope and optimism, white purity and peace, and red the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the three major ethnic groups: Hutu, Twa, Tutsi, as well as the three elements in the national motto: unity, work, progress" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "lion; national colors: red, white, green" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Burundi Bwacu\" (Our Beloved Burundi)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO" }, "note": "note: adopted 1962" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$11.347 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$11.048 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$10.848 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "2.7% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "1.85% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "3.1% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$800 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$800 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$800 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$2.642 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "26.94% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "18.8% (2022 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "8.4% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "25.2% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "9.6% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "48.8% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "75.6% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "30.5% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "13% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "5.3% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-24.3% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, vegetables, beans, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, fruits, rice (2022)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "2.75% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "5.894 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "0.93% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "0.92% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "1.11% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "1.7% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "2.2% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "1.3% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020": { "text": "37.5 (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "2.9% (2020 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "29.9% (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "7.49% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "4.89% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "6.05% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$713.694 million (2021 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$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" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "51.7% of GDP (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "15.64% (of GDP) (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$625.597 million (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$621.969 million (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$393.88 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$378.229 million (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$333.637 million (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$302.752 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "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 - commodities": { "text": "gold, coffee, tea, rare earth ores, tobacco (2022)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$1.433 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$1.42 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$1.166 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 15%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 13%, Tanzania 12%, India 7% (2022)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, fertilizers, packaged medicine, cement, plastic products (2022)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": { "text": "$90.35 million (2023 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": { "text": "$158.53 million (2022 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021": { "text": "$266.164 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$858.402 million (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "2,574.052 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "2,034.307 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "1,975.951 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "1,915.046 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "1,845.623 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "10.3% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "64%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "1.7%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "114,000 kW (2022 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "415.198 million kWh (2022 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "101 million kWh (2022 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "40 million kWh (2022 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "33.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "2.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "62.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "1.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "imports": { "text": "9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "800,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "5,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "795,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2022": { "text": "961,000 Btu/person (2022 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "14,000 (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2023 est.) less than 1" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "8.65 million (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "58 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "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)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is about 62 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "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)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "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": { "text": ".bi" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "11% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "3,000 (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2023 est.) less than 1" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "9U" }, "Airports": { "text": "6 (2024)" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "12,000 km" }, "paved": { "text": "1,500 km (2020)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "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 and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "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 police

note 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" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2023": { "text": "3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "2% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "3% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 30,000 active-duty troops (2024)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "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 service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2023)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "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" }, "Military - note": { "text": "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)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "87,157 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "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)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "767 (mid-year 2021)" } } } }