Burundi

• 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;
• two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

• landlocked;
• straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed;
• the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.67 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

degree of risk:

very high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease:

malaria (2005)

noun:

Burundian(s)

adjective:

Burundian

conventional long form:

Republic of Burundi

conventional short form:

Burundi

local long form:

Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

local short form:

Burundi

former:

Urundi

name:

Bujumbura

geographic coordinates:

3 23 S, 29 22 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

chief of state:

• President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005);
• First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2005);
• Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8 September 2006)

head of government:

• President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005);
• First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2005);
• Second Vice President Marina BARAMPAMA - Hutu (since 8 September 2006)

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

• 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)

• the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA, president];
• National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Hussein RADJABU, president];
• Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA, president]

note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO

chancery:

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

telephone:

[1] (202) 342-2574

FAX:

[1] (202) 342-2578

chief of mission:

Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy:

Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address:

B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

telephone:

[257] 223454

FAX:

[257] 222926

agriculture:

93.6%

industry:

2.3%

services:

4.1% (2002 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.8%

highest 10%:

32.9% (1998)

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

general assessment:

primitive system

domestic:

sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay

international:

country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

total:

14,480 km

paved:

1,028 km

unpaved:

13,452 km (1999)

males age 16-49:

1,676,855

females age 16-49:

1,656,366 (2005 est.)

males age 16-49:

955,616

females age 16-49:

932,767 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

91,331

females age 16-49:

90,685 (2005 est.)

• Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda in an effort to gain control over populated and natural resource areas;
• government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite the presence of about 6,000 peacekeepers from the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004;
• although some 150,000 Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as of February 2005, Burundian refugees still reside in camps in western Tanzania as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

refugees (country of origin):

48,424 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

IDPs:

145,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2005)