Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

7,200 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

4,500 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$1.1 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$286.1 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

152 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

30 million kWh (1996) note: imports some electricity from Democratic Republic of the Congo

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

122 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 1.64% hydro: 98.36% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1--508 (January 1999), 477.77 (1998), 352.35 (1997), 302.75 (1996), 249.76 (1995), 252.66 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$49 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

coffee, tea, cotton, hides

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

UK, Germany, Benelux, Switzerland (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$740 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

4.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$102 million f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

Benelux, France, Germany, Japan (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

17% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.9 million

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

36.2% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed

Irrigated land [time series]

140 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

flooding, landslides

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Bujumbura

Constitution [time series]

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 [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republika y'u Burundi local short form: Burundi

Data code [time series]

BY

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

International organization participation [time series]

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 [time series]

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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]

Suffrage [time series]

NA years of age; universal adult

Background [time series]

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.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$25 million (1993)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

2.6% (1993)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,260,909 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 658,115 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower--military age) [time series]

16 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower--reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 73,271 (1999 est.)

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

41.27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

17.23 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 45.44 years male: 43.54 years female: 47.41 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundi

Net migration rate [time series]

11.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

5,735,937 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.54% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.33 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

4 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bujumbura

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

Lake Tanganyika