Burundi

Republic of BurundiRepublika y'u Burundi

republicIndependence 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian

Burundi as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 104 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

5.74 million July 1999 est. · 5.65m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.54% 1999 est. · 2.34% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

45.44 years 1999 est. · 40.75 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.33 children per woman 1999 est. · 7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

99.36 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 111 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$740 1998 est. · $205 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.5% 1998 est. · 5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Since the end of the Belgian trusteeship in 1962, Burundi has suffered from ethnic uprisings, coups, and other societal dislocations. In a series of waves since October 1993, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the ethnic violence between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi and have crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC). Since October 1996, an estimated 120,000 Burundian Hutu refugees from the DROC have been compelled to return to Burundi because of insecurity in the region.

Continuing ethnic violence with the Tutsi has caused additional Hutu to flee to Tanzania, thus raising their numbers in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps in that country to about 260,000. Burundian troops have joined armies from Rwanda and Uganda and Congolese Tutsi in trying to overthrow DROC President KABILA and restore security to their borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Geography

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

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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

2,670m

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

Geographic coordinates

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

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

Natural hazards

flooding, landslides

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography--note

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

People

15 fields

Population

5,735,937

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.54% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

41.27Death

17.23Net migration

11.33

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)45.44

43.54 · 47.41

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)35.3%

49.3% · 22.5%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 47% (male 1,349,995; female 1,345,201)
15-64 years:: 50% (male 1,392,880; female 1,479,835)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 69,748; female 98,278) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

99.36 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.33 children born/woman (1999 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 is both chief of state and head of government

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

71%

-FRODEBU 71%UPRONA 21.4%last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but suspended by presidential decree in 1996)

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

Capital

Bujumbura

Administrative divisions

15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi note: there may be a new province named Mwaro

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution

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

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 and officially sworn in on 11 June 1998) is chief of state and head of government and is assisted by First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA) and Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA);
note--former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown in a coup on 25 July 1996
head of government:: President Pierre BUYOYA is both chief of state and head of government;
assisted by First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA) and Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections:: NA

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (81 seats; note--new Transitional Constitution calls for 121 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but suspended by presidential decree in 1996)
election results:: percent of vote by party--FRODEBU 71%, UPRONA 21.4%;
seats by party--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 note: opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA; Rally for Democracy and BAGAZA]

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, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA
chancery:: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Morris N. HUGHES, Jr.
embassy:: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address:: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

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 | with a poorly developed manufacturing sector.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$740

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.5%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

17%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

36.2%

(1990 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 58%industry 18%services 24% (1997 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 1.64%hydro 98.36%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

122 million (1996)Electricity consumption

152 million (1996)Electricity imports

30 million (1996)

Economy--overview

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with a poorly developed manufacturing sector. 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. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of perhaps 250,000 persons and the displacement of about 800,000 others. Foods, medicines, and electricity remain in short supply.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$4.1 billion (1998 est.)

Labor force

1.9 million

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 93%, government 4%, industry and commerce 1.5%, services 1.5% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $165 million, including capital expenditures of $42.6 million (1998 est.)

Industries

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

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)