Burundi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

440,000 (1997)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

17,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

343 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1999)

Televisions

25,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $125 million expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Currency

1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$1.247 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.344 billion (1999 est.)

Economy - overview

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantely 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.

Electricity - consumption

153 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

35 million kWh note: imports some electricity from Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998)

Electricity - production

127 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 1.57% hydro: 98.43% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1 - 626.79 (January 2000), 563.56 (1999), 477.77 (1998), 352.35 (1997), 302.75 (1996), 249.76 (1995)

Exports

$56 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners

UK, Germany, Benelux, Switzerland (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 46% industry: 17% services: 37% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $730 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$108 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Benelux, France, Zambia, Germany, Kenya, Japan (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

26% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.9 million

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

36.2% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Mount 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

Irrigated land

140 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Land use

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

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding, landslides

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

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

Capital

Bujumbura

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

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

BY

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Catlin YATES embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] (2) 223454 FAX: [257] (2) 222926

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Executive branch

chief of state: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25 July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown

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)

Government type

republic

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (121 seats; note - new Transitional Constitution expanded the number of seats from 81 to 121 in 1998; 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 71.04%, UPRONA 21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, various other parties 40

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Loosely organized Tutsi militias

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Background

Between 1993 and 1999, ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi created hundreds of thousands of refugees and left at least 250,000 dead. Although many refugees have returned from neighboring countries, continued ethnic strife has forced others to flee. Burundian troops, seeking to secure their borders, have intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Military branches

Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$25 million (FY93)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.6% (FY93)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,344,177 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 701,367 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

16 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 76,866 (2000 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 1,442,585; female 1,411,908) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,485,177; female 1,541,754) 65 years and over: 3% (male 71,998; female 101,292) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

40.46 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

16.44 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

71.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 46.18 years male: 45.23 years female: 47.16 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.3% male: 49.3% female: 22.5% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundi

Net migration rate

7.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

6,054,714 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.15% (2000 est.)

Religions

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bujumbura

Railways

0 km

Waterways

Lake Tanganyika