Burundi

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,935 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)

Broadcast media

state-controlled Radio Television Nationale de Burundi (RTNB) operates a TV station and a national radio network; 3 private TV stations and about 10 privately owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Bujumbura (2019)

Internet country code

.bi

Internet users

total: 298,684 | percent of population: 2.66% (July 2018 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: with the great population density Burundi remains one of the most alluring telecom markets in Africa for investors; the government in early 2018 began the Burundi Broadband project, which plans to deliver nationwide connectivity by 2025; mobile operators have launched 3G and LTE mobile services to capitalize on the expanding demand for Internet access; mobile penetration is at 52%, and remains low by regional standards; future plans to privatize the national telecoms (2020) | domestic: telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is 58 per 100 persons (2019) | international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); the government, supported by the Word Bank, has backed a joint venture with a number of prominent telecoms to build a national fiber backbone network, offering onward connectivity to submarine cable infrastructure landings in Kenya and Tanzania (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 20,758 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6,644,833 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57.62 (2019 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: 536.7 million (2017 est.) | expenditures: 729.6 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

-$418 million (2017 est.) | -$411 million (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$610.9 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $622.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Ease of Doing Business Index scores

46.8 (2020)

Economic overview

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. Agriculture accounts for over 40% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for more than half of foreign exchange earnings, but these earnings are subject to fluctuations in weather and international coffee and tea prices, Burundi is heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as foreign exchange earnings from participation in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Foreign aid represented 48% of Burundi's national income in 2015, one of the highest percentages in Sub-Saharan Africa, but this figure decreased to 33.5% in 2016 due to political turmoil surrounding President NKURUNZIZA’s bid for a third term. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009. Burundi faces several underlying weaknesses – low governmental capacity, corruption, a high poverty rate, poor educational levels, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, and overburdened utilities – that have prevented the implementation of planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept pace with inflation, which reached approximately 18% in 2017. Real GDP growth dropped precipitously following political events in 2015 and has yet to recover to pre-conflict levels. Continued resistance by donors and the international community will restrict Burundi’s economic growth as the country deals with a large current account deficit.

Exchange rates

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - | 1,945 (2020 est.) | 1,876.25 (2019 est.) | 1,800.495 (2018 est.) | 1,571.9 (2014 est.) | 1,546.7 (2013 est.)

Exports

$279 million (2019 est.) | $283 million (2018 est.) | $315 million (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners

Democratic Republic of the Congo 25.5%, Switzerland 18.4%, UAE 14.9%, Belgium 6% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.027 billion (2019 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity) - real

$6.792 billion (2019 est.) | $6.669 billion (2018 est.) | $6.563 billion (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 83% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 20.8% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 5.5% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -25.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 39.5% (2017 est.) | industry: 16.4% (2017 est.) | services: 44.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$208 (2019 est.) | $211 (2018 est.) | $214 (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars

GDP real growth rate

0% (2017 est.) | -1% (2016 est.) | -4% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

-5.3% of GDP (2017 est.) | -4.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | -6.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.1% | highest 10%: 28% (2006)

Imports

$1.04 billion (2019 est.) | $927 million (2018 est.) | $1.295 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

India 18.5%, China 13%, Kenya 7.9%, UAE 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Uganda 6%, Tanzania 5.4%, Zambia 4.6% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (2017 est.)

Industries

light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.6% (2019 est.) | -2.5% (2018 est.) | 15.9% (2017 est.)

Labor force

5.012 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 93.6% | industry: 2.3% | services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

64.6% (2014 est.)

Public debt

51.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$97.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $95.17 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

217,000 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

382.7 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

14% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

73% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

100 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

68,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

304 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

population without electricity: 10 million (2019) | electrification - total population: 11% (2019) | electrification - urban areas: 66% (2019) | electrification - rural areas: 2% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,374 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 27,830 sq km | land: 25,680 sq km | water: 2,150 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Burundi Print Image Description slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

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 Celsius 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)

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 1,504 m | lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m | highest point: Heha 2,670 m

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

230 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,140 km | border countries (3): Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km, Rwanda 315 km, Tanzania 589 km

Land use

agricultural land: 73.3% (2011 est.) | arable land: 38.9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 15.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 18.8% (2011 est.) | forest: 6.6% (2011 est.) | other: 20.1% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding; landslides; drought

Natural resources

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Population distribution

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

18 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi

Capital

name: Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital); note - in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; all branches of the government are expected to have moved from Bujumbura to Gitega by 2021 | geographic coordinates: 3 25 S, 29 55 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | etymology: the naming origins for both Gitega and Bujumbura are obscure; Bujumbura's name prior to independence in 1962 was Usumbura

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Burundi | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest ratified by referendum 28 February 2005 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic after consultation with the government or by absolute majority support of the membership in both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership and at least four-fifths majority vote by the National Assembly; the president can opt to submit amendment bills to a referendum; constitutional articles including those on national unity, the secularity of Burundi, its democratic form of government, and its sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 2018 (amendments extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, reintroduced the position of prime minister, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1)

Country name

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, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi | etymology: name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Eunice S. REDDICK (since May 2019) | telephone: [257] 22-207-000 | embassy: Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura, BP1720 | mailing address: B.P. 1720, Bujumbura | FAX: [257] 22-222-926

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador S.E. Gandence SINDAYIGAYA (since 20 September 2019) | chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 408, Washington, DC 20007 | telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 | FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Executive branch

chief of state: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume BUNYONI (since 24 June 2020) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum effective for the 2020 election, increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit, reinstated the position of the prime minister position, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1 | election results: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, OTHER 1.6%

Flag description

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly 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); green symbolizes hope and optimism, white purity and peace, and red the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the three major ethnic groups: Hutu, Twa, Tutsi, as well as the three elements in the national motto: unity, work, progress

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, CICA, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, a 15-member independent body of judicial and legal profession officials), appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and serve 6-year nonrenewable terms | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Court Against Corruption; Commercial Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (39 seats in the July 2020 election); 36 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of provincial councils using a three-round voting system, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the first two rounds and simple majority vote for the two leading candidates in the final round; 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (123 seats in the May 2020 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 23 co-opted members; 60% of seats allocated to Hutu and 40% to Tutsi; 3 seats reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025) National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%

National anthem

name: "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi) | lyrics/music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO | note: adopted 1962

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, green

Political parties and leaders

Front for Democracy in Burundi-Nyakuri or FRODEBU-Nyakuri [Keffa NIBIZI] Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Pierre Claver NAHIMANA] National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA] National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE] National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGITIMANA] Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Abel GASHATSI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Burundi is a small country in Central-East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Created in the 17th century, a Burundi Kingdom was preserved under German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th century, and then by Belgium after World War I. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi, but the monarchy was overthrown in 1966 and a republic established. Political violence and non-democratic transfers of power have marked much of its history; Burundi's first democratically elected president, a Hutu, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent ceasefire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005. Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president in 2005 and 2010, and again in a controversial election in 2015. Burundi continues to face many economic and political challenges.

Military - note

in addition to its foreign deployments, the FDN is focused on internal security missions, particularly against rebel groups opposed to the regime such as National Forces of Liberation (FNL), the Resistance for the Rule of Law-Tabara (aka RED Tabara), and Popular Forces of Burundi (FPB or FOREBU); the groups are based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi (2020)

Military and security forces

National Defense Forces (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN): Army (includes maritime wing, air wing), National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi) (2019)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the National Defense Forces (FDN) have approximately 25,000 active duty Army troops (includes small air and maritime wings) (2019 est.)

Military deployments

750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 5,400 Somalia (AMISOM) (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FDN is armed mostly with weapons from Russia and the former Soviet Union, with some Western equipment, largely from France; since 2010, the FDN has received small amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from China, South Africa, and the US (2019 )

Military expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2019) | 1.9% of GDP (2018) | 1.8% of GDP (2017) | 2.2% of GDP (2016) | 2.1% of GDP (2015)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government claimed that no one younger than 18 was being recruited; mandatory retirement ages: 45 (enlisted), 50 (NCOs), 55 (officers), and 60 (officers with the rank of general) (2017)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.83% (male 2,618,868/female 2,581,597) | 15-24 years: 19.76% (male 1,172,858/female 1,171,966) | 25-54 years: 29.18% (male 1,713,985/female 1,748,167) | 55-64 years: 4.17% (male 231,088/female 264,131) | 65 years and over: 3.06% (male 155,262/female 207,899) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Burundi Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Burundi. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

36.5 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

27.2% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

28.5% (2016/17)

Current Health Expenditure

7.5% (2017)

Death rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Burundi is a densely populated country with a high population growth rate, factors that combined with land scarcity and poverty place a large share of its population at risk of food insecurity. About 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Subdivision of land to sons, and redistribution to returning refugees, results in smaller, overworked, and less productive plots. Food shortages, poverty, and a lack of clean water contribute to a 60% chronic malnutrition rate among children. A lack of reproductive health services has prevented a significant reduction in Burundi’s maternal mortality and fertility rates, which are both among the world’s highest. With two-thirds of its population under the age of 25 and a birth rate of about 6 children per woman, Burundi’s population will continue to expand rapidly for decades to come, putting additional strain on a poor country. Historically, migration flows into and out of Burundi have consisted overwhelmingly of refugees from violent conflicts. In the last decade, more than a half million Burundian refugees returned home from neighboring countries, mainly Tanzania. Reintegrating the returnees has been problematic due to their prolonged time in exile, land scarcity, poor infrastructure, poverty, and unemployment. Repatriates and existing residents (including internally displaced persons) compete for limited land and other resources. To further complicate matters, international aid organizations reduced their assistance because they no longer classified Burundi as a post-conflict country. Conditions have deteriorated since renewed violence erupted in April 2015, causing another outpouring of refugees. In addition to refugee out-migration, Burundi has hosted thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lesser numbers from Rwanda.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 91 | youth dependency ratio: 86.4 | elderly dependency ratio: 4.5 | potential support ratio: 22 (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 97.6% of population | rural: 77.8% of population | total: 80.3% of population | unimproved: urban: -1.1% of population | rural: 22.2% of population | total: 19.7% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic groups

Hutu, Tutsi, Twa (Pygmy)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.2% (2019 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,800 (2019 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

85,000 (2019 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

total: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 44.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages

Kirundi only 29.7% (official); French only .3% (official); Swahili only .2%; English only .1% (official); Kirundi and French 8.4%; Kirundi, French, and English 2.4%, other language combinations 2%, unspecified 56.9% (2008 est.) | note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.7 years | male: 64.6 years | female: 68.8 years (2020 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 68.4% | male: 76.3% | female: 61.2% (2017)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2020) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis | animal contact diseases: rabies

Major urban areas - population

1,013,000 BUJUMBURA (capital) (2020)

Maternal mortality rate

548 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 17.7 years | male: 17.4 years | female: 18 years (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.3 years (2010 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Burundian(s) | adjective: Burundian

Net migration rate

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

11,865,821 (July 2020 est.) | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.85% (2020 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 62.1%, Protestant 23.9% (includes Adventist 2.3% and other Protestant 21.6%), Muslim 2.5%, other 3.6%, unspecified 7.9% (2008 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 85.2% of population | rural: 53.4% of population | total: 57.4% of population | unimproved: urban: 14.8% of population | rural: 46.6% of population | total: 42.6% of population (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.28 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 2.9% | male: 4.4% | female: 2% (2014 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 13.7% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 5.68% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Disputes - international

Burundi and Rwanda dispute two sq km (0.8 sq mi) of Sabanerwa, a farmed area in the Rukurazi Valley where the Akanyaru/Kanyaru River shifted its course southward after heavy rains in 1965; cross-border conflicts persist among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in the Great Lakes region

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 77,757 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2020) | IDPs: 135,058 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1,993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2020) | stateless persons: 974 (2019)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Burundi is a source country for children and possibly women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; business people recruit Burundian girls for prostitution domestically, as well as in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and the Middle East, and recruit boys and girls for forced labor in Burundi and Tanzania; children and young adults are coerced into forced labor in farming, mining, informal commerce, fishing, or collecting river stones for construction; sometimes family, friends, and neighbors are complicit in exploiting children, at times luring them in with offers of educational or job opportunities | tier rating: Tier 3 – Burundi does not comply fully with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; corruption, a lack of political will, and limited resources continue to hamper efforts to combat human trafficking; in 2014, the government did not inform judicial and law enforcement officials of the enactment of an anti-trafficking law or how to implement it and approved – but did not fund – its national anti-trafficking action plan; authorities again failed to identify trafficking victims or to provide them with adequate protective services; the government has focused on transnational child trafficking but gave little attention to its domestic child trafficking problem and adult trafficking victims (2015)

Airports

7 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 (2019) | over 3,047 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) | under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9U (2016)

Heliports

1 (2012)

Ports and terminals

lake port(s): Bujumbura (Lake Tanganyika)

Roadways

total: 12,322 km (2016) | paved: 1,500 km (2016) | unpaved: 10,822 km (2016)

Waterways

(mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2011)