Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 3,914 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
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 (2017)
Internet country code [time series]
.bi
Internet users [time series]
total: 574,236 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 5.2% (July 2016 est.)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 capitalise on the expanding demand for Internet access (2018) | 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 approaching 52 per 100 persons (2017) | 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 telcos to build a national fibre backbone network, offering onward connectivity to submarine cable infrastructure landings in Kenya and Tanzania (2017)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 23,409 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 5,920,612 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2017 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava (manioc, tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Budget [time series]
revenues: 536.7 million (2017 est.) | expenditures: 729.6 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-5.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Central bank discount rate [time series]
11.25% (31 December 2010) | 10% (31 December 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
14.8% (31 December 2017 est.) | 14.24% (31 December 2016 est.)
Current account balance [time series]
-$418 million (2017 est.) | -$411 million (2016 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$610.9 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $622.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
42.4 (1998)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 [time series]
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - | 1,731 (2017 est.) | 1,654.63 (2016 est.) | 1,654.63 (2015 est.) | 1,571.9 (2014 est.) | 1,546.7 (2013 est.)
Exports [time series]
$119 million (2017 est.) | $109.7 million (2016 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners [time series]
Democratic Republic of the Congo 25.5%, Switzerland 18.4%, UAE 14.9%, Belgium 6% (2017)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$3.396 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$8.007 billion (2017 est.) | $8.007 billion (2016 est.) | $8.091 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
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 [time series]
agriculture: 39.5% (2017 est.) | industry: 16.4% (2017 est.) | services: 44.2% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$700 (2017 est.) | $800 (2016 est.) | $800 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
0% (2017 est.) | -1% (2016 est.) | -4% (2015 est.)
Gross national saving [time series]
-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 [time series]
lowest 10%: 28% (2006) | highest 10%: 28% (2006)
Imports [time series]
$603.8 million (2017 est.) | $527.2 million (2016 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners [time series]
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 [time series]
-2% (2017 est.)
Industries [time series]
light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
16.6% (2017 est.) | 5.5% (2016 est.)
Labor force [time series]
5.012 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 93.6% | industry: 2.3% | services: 4.1% (2002 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
64.6% (2014 est.)
Public debt [time series]
51.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$97.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $95.17 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock of broad money [time series]
$540 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $476.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.03 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$540 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $476.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
15.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
217,000 Mt (2017 est.)
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption [time series]
382.7 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
14% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
73% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
100 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
68,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
304 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 9.7 million (2013) | electrification - total population: 5% (2013) | electrification - urban areas: 28% (2013) | electrification - rural areas: 2% (2013)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
1,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
1,374 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Geography
total: 27,830 sq km | land: 25,680 sq km | water: 2,150 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Maryland
Climate [time series]
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 [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 1,504 m | elevation extremes: 772 m lowest point: Lake Tanganyika | 2670 highest point: Heha
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates [time series]
3 30 S, 30 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
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 [time series]
230 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 1,140 km | border countries (3): Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km, Rwanda 315 km, Tanzania 589 km
Land use [time series]
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 [time series]
Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
flooding; landslides; drought
Natural resources [time series]
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Population distribution [time series]
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
Terrain [time series]
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
18 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi
Capital [time series]
name: Bujumbura | geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship [time series]
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 [time series]
history: several previous; latest ratified by referendum 28 February 2005 (2018) | 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 (2018)
Country name [time series]
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, Kingdom of Burundi | etymology: name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne S. CASPER (since 20 October 2016) | embassy: Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura | mailing address: B.P. 1720, Bujumbura | telephone: [257] 22-207-000 | FAX: [257] 22-222-926
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D’Affaires Benjamin MANIRAKIZA (since 7 December 2017) | chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 408, Washington, DC 20007 | telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 | FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Gaston SINDIMWO (since 20 August 2015); Second Vice President Joseph BUTORE (since 20 August 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Gaston SINDIMWO (since 20 August 2015); Second Vice President Joseph BUTORE (since 20 August 2015) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 July 2015 (next to be held in 2020); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum effective for the 2020 election, approved reinstatement of the prime minister position, reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1, and increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit | election results: 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%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
presidential republic
Independence [time series]
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017
International organization participation [time series]
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 [time series]
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; Commerce Court
Legal system [time series]
mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law
Legislative branch [time series]
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (43 seats in the July 2015 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; 4 seats reserved for former heads of state, 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (121 seats in the June 2015 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 21 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 24 July 2015 (next to be held in 2019) National Assembly - last held on 29 June 2015 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 33, FRODEBU 2, CNDD 1, former heads of state 4, Twas 3, women 8; composition - men 25, women 18, percent of women 41.9%; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 60.3%, Independents of Hope 11.2%, UPRONA 2.5%, other 26%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 77, Independents of Hope 21, UPRONA 2, women 18, Twas 3; composition - men 77, women 44, percent of women 36.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 37.8%
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi) | lyrics/music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO | note: adopted 1962
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
National symbol(s) [time series]
lion; national colors: red, white, green
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Front for Democracy in Burundi or FRODEBU [Keffa NIBIZI] Hope of Burundians (Amizero y'Abarundi) [Agathon RWASA, Charles NDITIJE] Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD [Alexis SINDUHIJE] National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA] 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 [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Burundi is a small country in Central-East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962. Much of its history has been marked by political violence and non-democratic transfers of power; 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 and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
National Defense Forces (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN): Army (includes maritime wing, air wing), National Police (Police Nationale du Burundi) (2017)
Military expenditures [time series]
2.21% of GDP (2016) | 2.14% of GDP (2015) | 2.01% of GDP (2014) | 2.24% of GDP (2013) | 2.39% of GDP (2012)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
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)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 45.52% (male 2,712,836 /female 2,678,223) | 15-24 years: 19.21% (male 1,135,145 /female 1,139,717) | 25-54 years: 28.7% (male 1,694,547 /female 1,704,369) | 55-64 years: 3.89% (male 218,272 /female 242,855) | 65 years and over: 2.69% (male 137,590 /female 180,966) (2018 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 [time series]
40.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
29.3% (2016)
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
28.5% (2016/17)
Death rate [time series]
8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Demographic profile [time series]
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 [time series]
total dependency ratio: 89.6 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 84.8 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 21.1 (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 91.1% of population | rural: 73.8% of population | total: 75.9% of population | unimproved: urban: 8.9% of population | rural: 26.2% of population | total: 24.1% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
5.4% of GDP (2013)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
1.1% (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
1,700 (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
78,000 (2017 est.)
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
7.5% of GDP (2014)
Hospital bed density [time series]
0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 63.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 50.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
Languages [time series]
Kirundi 29.7% (official), Kirundi and other language 9.1%, French (official); French and other language 0.3%, Swahili; Swahili and other language 0.2% (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area), English (official); English and other language 0.06%, more than 2 languages 3.7%, unspecified 56.9% (2008 est.) | note: data represent language read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 61.4 years (2018 est.) | male: 59.6 years (2018 est.) | female: 63.2 years (2018 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) | total population: 85.6% (2015 est.) | male: 88.2% (2015 est.) | female: 83.1% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: very high (2016) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016) | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever (2016) | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016) | animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
899,000 BUJUMBURA (capital) (2018)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
712 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 17.1 years | male: 16.8 years | female: 17.3 years (2018 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
21.3 years (2010 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Nationality [time series]
noun: Burundian(s) | adjective: Burundian
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
5.4% (2016)
Population [time series]
11,844,520 (July 2018 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 [time series]
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
Population growth rate [time series]
3.23% (2018 est.)
Religions [time series]
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 [time series]
improved: urban: 43.8% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 48.6% of population (2015 est.) | total: 48% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 56.2% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 51.4% of population (2015 est.) | total: 52% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 11 years (2013) | male: 11 years (2013) | female: 10 years (2013)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
5.93 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 2.9% (2014 est.) | male: 4.4% (2014 est.) | female: 2% (2014 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 13% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 5.68% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 1965cross-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 [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 75,297 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2018) | IDPs: 147,086 (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) (2018) | stateless persons: 974 (2017)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
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)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
7 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 1 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 6 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) | under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
9U (2016)
Heliports [time series]
1 (2012)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
lake port(s): Bujumbura (Lake Tanganyika)
Roadways [time series]
total: 12,322 km (2016) | paved: 1,500 km (2016) | unpaved: 10,822 km (2016)
Waterways [time series]
(mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2011)