Burundi

republic

Burundi as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 118 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalBujumbura
LocationCentral Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire
1994

Every edition of Burundi

Populationas each edition published it
6.12 million July 1994 est. · 5.65m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.26% 1994 est. · 2.34% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 40.75 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.69 children per woman 1994 est. · 7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
113.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 111 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$700 1993 est. · $205 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-3.8% 1991 · 5% in 1993

Geography

Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

45 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
974km
total · Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km, Zaire 233 km
Irrigated land
720sq km
(1989 est.)
Population
6,124,747
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.26% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
44.02Death
21.38Net migration
0

Religions

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%)indigenous beliefs 32%Muslim 1%
Labor force
1.9million
(1983 est.)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Location

Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

27,830 sq km

land area

25,650 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

  • temperate;
  • warm;
  • occasional frost in uplands

Terrain

mostly rolling to hilly highland; some plains

Natural resources

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxide, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium

arable land

43%

permanent crops

8%

meadows and pastures

35%

forest and woodland

2%

other

12%

current issues

  • soil exhaustion and erosion;
  • deforestation;
  • habitat loss threatening wildlife populations

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Note

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

Infant mortality rate

113.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

40.3 years

male

38.31 years

female

42.35 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.69 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Burundian(s)

adjective

Burundi

Africans

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1% (other Africans include about 70,000 refugees, mostly Rwandans and Zairians)

non-Africans

Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Languages

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

total population

50%

male

61%

female

40%

by occupation

agriculture 93.0%, government 4.0%, industry and commerce 1.5%, services 1.5%

note

52% of population of working age (1985)

Government

Republic

33 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

71%
FRODEBU 71%UPRONA 21.4%

conventional long form

Republic of Burundi

conventional short form

Burundi

local long form

Republika y'u Burundi

local short form

Burundi

Type

republic

Capital

Bujumbura

Administrative divisions

15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution

13 March 1992; provides for establishment of a plural political system

Suffrage

universal adult at age NA

chief of state

  • Interim President Sylvestre NTIBANTUNGANYA, Speaker of the National Assembly, succeeded deceased President NTARYAMIRA in early April 1994 with a mandate for at least 90 days;
  • on 11 July 1994 the mandate was extended by the Constitutional Court for three more months at the request of 12 political parties locked in negotiations on a new broad-based government;
  • elections will be held later in 1994

note

President Melchior NDADAYE died in the military coup of 21 October 1993 and was succeeded on 5 February 1994 by President Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, who was killed in a mysterious airplane explosion on 6 April 1994

head of government

Prime Minister Anatole KANYENKIKO (since 7 February 1994); chosen by the president

cabinet

Council of Ministers ; appointed by prime minister

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

  • elections last held 29 June 1993 (next to be held NA): results - FRODEBU 71%, UPRONA 21.4%;
  • seats - (81 total) FRODIBU 65, UPRONA 16;
  • other parties won too small shares of the vote to win seats in the assembly

note

The National Unity Charter outlining the principles for constitutional government was adopted by a national referendum on 5 February 1991

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

  • Unity for National Progress (UPRONA);
  • Burundi Democratic Front (FRODEBU);
  • Organization of the People of Burundi (RBP);
  • Socialist Party of Burundi (PSB);
  • People's Reconciliation Party (PRP)

Other political or pressure groups

  • opposition parties legalized in March 1992;
  • Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation (ABASA);
  • Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development (RADDES)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Jacques BACAMURWANKO, designated (January 1994)

chancery

Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone

(202) 342-2574

chief of mission

(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Leonard J. LANGE

embassy

Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address

B. P. 34, 1720, Bujumbura

telephone

[257] (223) 454

FAX

[257] (222) 926

Flag

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer 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)

Economy

A landlocked, resource-poor country in an early stage of economic | development, Burundi is predominately agricultural with only a few | basic industries.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$700
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-3.8%
(1991)industrial production growth: growth rate 11% (1991 est.); accounts for about 15% of GDP
External debt
$970million
(1991)

Overview

A landlocked, resource-poor country in an early stage of economic development, Burundi is predominately agricultural with only a few basic industries. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore continues to rest largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market.

As part of its economic reform agenda, launched in February 1991 with IMF and World Bank support, Burundi is trying to diversify its agricultural exports and attract foreign investment in industry. Several state-owned coffee companies were privatized via public auction in September 1991.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $4.4 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$318 million

expenditures

$326 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1991 est.)

Exports

$40.8 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

coffee 81%, tea, cotton, hides, and skins

partners

EC 57%, US 19%, Asia 1%

Imports

$188 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)

commodities

capital goods 31%, petroleum products 15%, foodstuffs, consumer goods

partners

EC 45%, Asia 29%, US 2%

capacity

55,000 kW

production

105 million kWh

consumption per capita

20 kWh (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 50% of GDP;
  • 90% of population dependent on subsistence farming;
  • marginally self-sufficient in food production;
  • cash crops - coffee, cotton, tea;
  • food crops - corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc;
  • livestock - meat, milk, hides and skins

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $71 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.2 billion;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $32 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $175 million

Currency

1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1 - 247.94 (November 1993), 208.30 (1992), 181.51 (1991), 171.26 (1990), 158.67 (1989), 140.40 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

12 fields

total

6,285 km

paved

1,099 km

unpaved

gravel, crushed stone 2,500 km; improved, unimproved earth 2,686 km (1990)

Inland waterways

Lake Tanganyika

Ports

Bujumbura (lake port) connects to transportation systems of Tanzania and Zaire

total

5

usable

3

with permanent-surface runways

1

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

1

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

0

Telecommunications

  • sparse system of wire, radiocommunications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay links;
  • 8,000 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
  • 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary Gendarmerie

3 fields

Branches

Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary Gendarmerie

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 1,315,660;
  • fit for military service 687,474;
  • reach military age (16) annually 67,949 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $28 million, 3.7% of GDP (1989)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Burundi.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/burundi/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →