World Facts Index
 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.
Geography of Burundi
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Location:
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Central Africa, east of
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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Coordinates:
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3 30 S, 30 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 27,830 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly smaller than
Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
290 km, Tanzania 451 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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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; wet seasons from
February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to
August and December to January |
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Terrain:
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hilly and mountainous,
dropping to a plateau in east, some plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lake
Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m |
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Natural resources:
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nickel, uranium, rare earth
oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium,
arable land, hydropower |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding, landslides,
drought |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; straddles crest
of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake
Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile
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Population of Burundi
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Population:
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8,691,005 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 46.3% (male 1,884,825/female 1,863,200)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,051,451/female 2,082,017)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 83,432/female 125,143) |
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Median age:
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16.6 years |
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Growth rate:
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3.7% |
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Infant mortality:
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63.13 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 50.81 years
male: 50.07 years
female: 51.58 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.55 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa
(Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000 |
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Religions:
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Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%,
Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10% |
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Languages:
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Kirundi (official), French (official),
Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 51.6%
male: 58.5%
female: 45.2%
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Government
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Country name:
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long form: Republic of
Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
former: Urundi |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Bujumbura |
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Administrative divisions:
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16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi |
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Independence:
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1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under
Belgian administration) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 1 July (1962) |
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Constitution:
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13 March 1992; provided for establishment
of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution
which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents |
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Legal system:
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based on German and Belgian civil codes and
customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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NA years of age; universal adult |
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Executive branch:
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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
government
head of government: 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)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005
permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of
the parliament; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by
parliament
election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a
vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the
post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the
legislature |
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Legislative branch:
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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 by indirect vote to serve five year terms, with
remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals
of First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals) |
Economy
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.
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GDP:
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$2.907 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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1.1% |
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GDP per capita:
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$700 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 46.3%
industry: 20.3%
services: 33.4% |
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Inflation rate:
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16% |
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Labor force:
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2.99 million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services
4.1% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $215.4 million
expenditures: $278 million |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0.6%
hydro: 99.4%
other: 0% |
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Industries:
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light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap;
assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing |
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Agriculture:
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coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet
potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides |
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Exports:
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coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides |
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Export partners:
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Germany 26.2%, Belgium 11.4%, Netherlands 8.7%, US 4.9%,
Pakistan 4.5% |
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Imports:
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capital goods, petroleum products,
foodstuffs |
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Import partners:
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Kenya 13.5%, Tanzania 11%, Belgium 10.4%, Italy 8.8%,
Uganda 5.5%, France 5.4%, China 5%, Germany 4.6% |
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Currency:
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Burundi franc (BIF) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |