Burundi - BI - BDI - BDI - Africa

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa PETERSON (since 27 June 2024)

embassy: No 50 Avenue Des Etats-Unis, 110-01-02, Bujumbura

mailing address: 2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC  20521-2100

telephone: [257] 22-207-000

FAX: [257] 22-222-926

email address and website:
BujumburaC@state.gov

https://bi.usembassy.gov/

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 2,895,275/female 2,848,286)

15-64 years: 54.4% (male 3,662,688/female 3,727,022)

65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 197,493/female 259,338)

3 30 S, 30 00 E

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

flooding; landslides; drought

slightly smaller than Maryland

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2023)

Established in the 1600s, the Burundi Kingdom has had borders similar to those of modern Burundi since the 1800s. Burundi’s two major ethnic groups, the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi, share a common language and culture and largely lived in peaceful cohabitation under Tutsi monarchs in pre-colonial Burundi. Regional, class, and clan distinctions contributed to social status in the Burundi Kingdom, yielding a complex class structure. German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and Belgian rule after World War I preserved Burundi’s monarchy. Seeking to simplify administration, Belgian colonial officials reduced the number of chiefdoms and eliminated most Hutu chiefs from positions of power. In 1961, the Burundian Tutsi king’s oldest son, Louis RWAGASORE, was murdered by a competing political faction shortly before he was set to become prime minister, triggering increased political competition that contributed to later instability.

Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi. Revolution in neighboring Rwanda stoked ethnic polarization as the Tutsi increasingly feared violence and loss of political power. A failed Hutu-led coup in 1965 triggered a purge of Hutu officials and set the stage for Tutsi officers to overthrow the monarchy in 1966 and establish a Tutsi-dominated republic. A Hutu rebellion in 1972 resulted in the deaths of several thousand Tutsi civilians and sparked brutal Tutsi-led military reprisals against Hutu civilians which ultimately killed 100,000-200,000 people. International pressure led to a new constitution in 1992 and democratic elections in 1993. Tutsi military officers feared Hutu domination and assassinated Burundi's first democratically elected president, Hutu Melchior NDADAYE, in 1993 after only 100 days in office, sparking a civil war. In 1994, his successor, Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, died when the Rwandan president’s plane he was traveling on was shot down, which triggered the Rwandan genocide and further entrenched ethnic conflict in Burundi. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent cease-fire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005, resulting in the election of Pierre NKURUNZIZA as president. He was reelected in 2010 and again in 2015 after a controversial court decision allowed him to circumvent a term limit. President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE -- from NKURUNZIZA’s ruling party -- was elected in 2020.

soil erosion from overgrazing and agricultural expansion; deforestation; wildlife habitat loss

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

3.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
3% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
2% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

51% (2020 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

lowest 10%: 2.9% (2020 est.)

highest 10%: 29.9% (2020 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

gold, coffee, tea, tin ores, iron bars (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 59%, Uganda 8%, China 5%, Germany 5%, USA 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

note: a law was passed in March 2023 reducing the number of provinces to five: Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera, Gitega, with full implementation by 2025

cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, maize, vegetables, potatoes, rice, sugarcane, fruits (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Burundi National Defense Force (BNDF; Force de Defense Nationale du Burundi, FDNB): Land Force (Army), Naval Force, Air Force, Specialized Units

Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security: Burundi National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi, PNB) (2024)

note: the Naval Force is responsible for monitoring Burundi’s 175-km shoreline on Lake Tanganyika; the Specialized Units include a special security brigade for the protection of institutions (aka BSPI), commandos, special forces, and military police

revenues: $713.694 million (2021 est.)

expenditures: $506.147 million (2021 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

name: Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital)

geographic coordinates: 3 25 S, 29 55 E

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

etymology: the origin of the name Bujumbura is unclear, but "bu-" is a Bantu prefix meaning "place"

note: in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; as of 2023, the government's move to Gitega remains incomplete

fertilizers, cement, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

0 km (landlocked)

history: several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005

amendment process: 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

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
2,574.052 (2023 est.)
2,034.307 (2022 est.)
1,975.951 (2021 est.)
1,915.046 (2020 est.)
1,845.623 (2019 est.)

chief of state: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020)

head of government: Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament

most recent election date: 20 May 2020

election results:
2020: 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%

2015: Pierre NKURUNZIZA reelected president; percent of vote - Pierre NKURUNZIZA (CNDD-FDD) 69.4%, Agathon RWASA (Hope of Burundians - Amizerio y'ABARUNDI) 19%, other 11.6%

expected date of next election: May 2027

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green and arranged in a triangular design; green stands for hope and optimism, white for purity and peace, and red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the major ethnic groups (Hutu, Twa, Tutsi), as well as unity, work, and progress

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

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

highest court(s): 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 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; Commercial Court

total: 1,140 km

border countries (3): Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km; Rwanda 315 km; Tanzania 589 km

agricultural land: 82.8% (2022 est.)

arable land: 50.4% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 13.6% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2022 est.)

forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)

other: 6.3% (2022 est.)

mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

legislature name: Parliament (Parlement)

legislative structure: bicameral

total population: 68% (2017 est.)

male: 76% (2017 est.)

female: 61% (2017 est.)

none (landlocked)

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

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

noun: Burundian(s)

adjective: Burundian

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

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

highly agrarian, low-income Sub-Saharan economy; declining foreign assistance; increasing fiscal insolvencies; dense and still growing population; COVID-19 weakened economic recovery and flipped two years of deflation

Council for Democracy and the Sustainable Development of Burundi or CODEBU 
Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya 
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD 
National Congress for Liberty or CNL 
National Liberation Forces or FNL 
Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA 

18 years of age; universal

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

presidential republic

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi

etymology: name dates from 1966 and is derived from the name of the local Bantu people, the Rundi or Barundi; ba- is the prefix for the people, and bu- is the prefix for the country; the former name, Urundi, is the Swahili version

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

Africa

230 sq km (2012)

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 27 February 2024)

chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

email address and website: burundiembusadc@gmail.com

Burundi Embassy Washington D.C. (burundiembassy-usa.com)

percent of population: 11% (2023 est.)

.bi

refugees (country of origin): 87,157 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

IDPs: 76,987 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2023)

stateless persons: 767 (mid-year 2021)

$2.162 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

12.54 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

total: 10 years (2018 est.)

male: 10 years (2018 est.)

female: 10 years (2018 est.)

urban population: 14.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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)

improved:

urban: 98.7% of population

rural: 78.9% of population

total: 81.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: 1.3% of population

rural: 21.1% of population

total: 18.4% of population (2020 est.)

title: "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi)

lyrics/music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO

history: adopted 1962

1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)

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

lion

21.5 years (2016/17 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

28.5% (2016/17)

household consumption: 75.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 30.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 13.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 5.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -24.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

total dependency ratio: 83.9 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 77.7 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 16.2 (2024 est.)

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

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

electrification - total population: 10.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas: 64%

electrification - rural areas: 1.7%

9U

improved:

urban: 87.4% of population

rural: 53.7% of population

total: 58.4% of population

unimproved:

urban: 12.6% of population

rural: 46.3% of population

total: 41.6% of population (2020 est.)

Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian

Christian 93.9% (Roman Catholic 58.6%, Protestant 35.3% [includes Adventist 2.7% and other Protestant religions 32.6%]), Muslim 3.4%, other 1.3%, none 1.3% (2016-17 est.)

Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least spoken), Swahili (2008 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Igitabo Mpuzamakungu c'ibimenyetso bifatika, isoko ntabanduka ku nkuru z'urufatiro. (Kirundi)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal

Tanzania 26%, China 15%, Uganda 10%, Kenya 10%, India 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

highest point: unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

mean elevation: 1,504 m

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

9.1% of GDP (2021)

4.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

limited available information; estimated 25-30,000 active-duty Defense Force troops (2025)

the military has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern secondhand equipment from such countries as China, South Africa, and the US (2024)

770 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

note: Burundi has deployed several thousand military troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since 2022 to assist the DRC Government in combating armed anti-government rebel groups; as of 2025, a contingent remained in the DRC

the National Defense Force (FDNB) is responsible for defending Burundi’s territorial integrity and protecting its sovereignty; it has an internal security role, including maintaining and restoring public order if required; the FDNB also participates in providing humanitarian/disaster assistance, countering terrorism, narcotics trafficking, piracy, and illegal arms trade, and protecting the country’s environment; the FDNB conducts limited training with foreign partners such as Russia and participates in regional peacekeeping missions, most recently in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia; in recent years the FDNB has conducted operations against anti-government rebel groups based in the neighboring DRC that have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi, such as the 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); Burundi has accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara

the Arusha Accords that ended the 1993-2005 civil war created a unified military by balancing the predominantly Tutsi ex-Burundi Armed Forces (ex-FAB) and the largely Hutu dominated armed movements and requiring the military to have a 50/50 ethnic mix of Tutsis and Hutus (2025)

municipal: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,872,016 tons (2002 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.5 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 1.42 megatons (2020 est.)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km

women married by age 15: 2.8% (2017)

women married by age 18: 19% (2017)

men married by age 18: 1.4% (2017)

consumption: 1,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 10,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

fossil fuels: 31.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 66.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

2.41 (2024 est.)

54.1% (2023 est.)

7.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
6.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

chamber name: National Assembly (Inama Nshingamateka)

number of seats: 111 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 6/5/2025

parties elected and seats per party: National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (108); Other (3)

percentage of women in chamber: 39.6%

expected date of next election: June 2030

note: 60% of seats in the National Assembly are allocated to Hutus and 40% to Tutsis; 3 seats are reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats are reserved for women

chamber name: Senate (Inama Nkenguzamateka)

number of seats: 13 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 7/20/2020

parties elected and seats per party: National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (34); Other (2)

percentage of women in chamber: 41%

expected date of next election: July 2025

note: 3 seats in the Senate are reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes are reserved for women

red, white, green

6.107 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total: 1.6% (2024 est.)

male: 2.1% (2024 est.)

female: 1.2% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total: 18.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 18 years

female: 18.7 years

$805.174 million (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

392 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

$90.35 million (2023 est.)
$158.53 million (2022 est.)
$266.164 million (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

4.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

1% (2024 est.)
1% (2023 est.)
1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 13,590,102 (2024 est.)

male: 6,755,456

female: 6,834,646

838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 32,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 806,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total : 27,830 sq km

land: 25,680 sq km

water: 2,150 sq km

15.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$11.739 billion (2024 est.)
$11.343 billion (2023 est.)
$11.048 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

6 (2025)

total: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 8.65 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (2022 est.)

37.5 (2020 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

20.2% (2024 est.)
26.9% (2023 est.)
18.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

-$625.597 million (2023 est.)
-$621.969 million (2022 est.)
-$393.88 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$800 (2024 est.)
$800 (2023 est.)
$800 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

total: 3,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

total: 9.1% (2025 est.)

male: 14% (2025 est.)

female: 4.3% (2025 est.)

5.4% (2016)

946,000 Btu/person (2023 est.)

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

34.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

installed generating capacity: 131,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 444.018 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 100 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 39.994 million kWh (2023 est.)

27.6% (2022)

$1.433 billion (2023 est.)
$1.42 billion (2022 est.)
$1.166 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$378.229 million (2023 est.)
$333.637 million (2022 est.)
$302.752 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

total subscriptions: 14,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

total: 4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total population: 68.1 years (2024 est.)

male: 66 years

female: 70.3 years

3.5% (2024 est.)
2.7% (2023 est.)
1.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

-0.2% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agriculture: 25.3% (2023 est.)

industry: 9.6% (2023 est.)

services: 49% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

4.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

20.6% national budget (2022 est.)

2.81% (2024 est.)