Burundi

Republic of BurundiRepublika y'u Burundi

republicIndependence 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian

Burundi as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 96 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBujumbura

Position3 30 S, 30 00 E

Area27,830 sq km

LocationCentral Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Populationas each edition published it

6.05 million July 1997 est. · 5.65m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.11% 1997 est. · 2.34% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

49 years 1997 est. · 40.75 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.48 children per woman 1997 est. · 7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

100.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 111 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$600 1995 est. · $205 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-3.7% 1995 est. · 5% in 1993

Geography

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

18 fields

Land useshare of 27,830 sq km

arable land 44%permanent crops 9%permanent pastures 36%forests and woodland 3%other 8% (1993 est.)irrigated 140 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

27,830sq km

land: 25,650 sq kmwater: 2,180 sq kmslightly smaller than Maryland

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

2,760m

Mount Hehalowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

Land boundaries

974km

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

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Climate

equatorial;
high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,760 m);
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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

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:: Endangered Species
signed, but not ratified :: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

People

15 fields

Population

6,052,614

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2.11% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

42.33Death

15.12Net migration

-6.12

Religions

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%)indigenous beliefs 32%Muslim 1%

Literacy

35.3%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 49.3%female: 22.5% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 47% (male 1,425,071; female 1,418,957) 15-64 years : 50% (male 1,490,426; female 1,558,362)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 63,225; female 96,573) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

100.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 49 years
male:: 47.91 years
female :: 50.12 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Burundian(s)
adjective:: Burundi

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996) note - former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown in a coup on 25 July 1996 and has taken refuge in the US ambassador's residence in Bujumbura; Prime Minister Pascal-Firmin NDIMIRA (since 31 July 1996)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

71%

FRODEBU 71%UPRONA 21.4%last held 29 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)

Legislature, elected 29 June 1993percent of vote

FRODEBU 71%UPRONA 21.4%

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form:: Burundi
local long form:: Republika y'u Burundi
local short form :: Burundi

Data code

Government type

republic

National 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

Legal system

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996) note - former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown in a coup on 25 July 1996 and has taken refuge in the US ambassador's residence in Bujumbura;
former Major (retired) Pierre BUYOYA has not been recognized as president of Burundi by the US or most other governments
head of government:: Prime Minister Pascal-Firmin NDIMIRA (since 31 July 1996)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by prime minister
elections :: NA

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (81 seats; members are popularly elected on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 29 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
election results:: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71%, UPRONA 21.4%;
seats by party - (81 total) FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16;
other parties won too small shares of the vote to win seats in the assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders

Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Charles MUKASI, president];
Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president];
Organization of the People of Burundi or RPB [Sylvestre SINDAYIGAYA];
Socialist Party of Burundi or PSB;
People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [Mathias HITIMANA, leader];
opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA, Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Cyrille SIGEJEJE, chairman], and Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA, leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Morris N. HUGHES, Jr. (27 June l996)
embassy :: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address:: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone :: [257] (2) 23454

FAX

[257] (2) 22926

Flag description

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

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country in | an early stage of economic development.

22 fields

Real growth rate

-3.7%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

40%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

1.9million

by occupation: agriculture 93.0%, government 4.0%, industry and commerce 1.5%, services 1.5% (1983 est.)

Debt - external

$1.1billion

(1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 56%industry 18%services 26% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$222 millionExpenditures

$258 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $92 million

Economy - overview

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country in an early stage of economic development. The economy is predominately agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings.

The ability to pay for imports therefore rests 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, attract foreign investment in industry, and modernize government budgetary practices.

Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of perhaps 100,000 persons and the displacement of a million others. Production continued to fall in 1996; foods, medicines, and electricity are in extremely short supply. An impoverished and disorganized government can hardly implement the needed reform programs.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $600 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

55,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production

105 million kWh (1991) note: imports some electricity from Democratic Republic of the Congo

Electricity - consumption per capita

18 kWh (1991 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $117 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: coffee 81%, tea, cotton, hides
partners :: EU 60%, US 7%, Asia 1%

Imports

total value:: $234 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities:: capital goods 26%, petroleum products, foodstuffs, consumer goods
partners:: EU 47%, Asia 25%, US 6%

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

7,200

(1987 est.)

Telephone system

primitive system

domestic:: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international :: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

total

1over 3,047 m

Networkskm

Highways

14,480Railways

Highways: paved : 1,028 km · unpaved: 13,452 km (1995 est.)

Highways

total:: 14,480 km
paved :: 1,028 km
unpaved:: 13,452 km (1995 est.)

Military

Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary | Gendarmerie

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.6%

(1993)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

none CAMBODIA

Central Intelligence Agency. “Burundi.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/burundi/1997.

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