Burundi
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
Burundi⌘K
Overview
- Background
- 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.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 25,680 sq km
- Water
- 2,150 sq km
- Total
- 27,830 sq km
- 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; 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)
- Terrain
- hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Land Use
- Other
- 5.2% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 10.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 83.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 51.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Lake Tanganyika 772 m
- Highest point
- unnamed elevation on Mukike Range 2,685 m
- Mean elevation
- 1,504 m
- Irrigated land
- 230 sq km (2012)
- Map references
- Africa
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 1,140 km
- Border countries
- Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km; Rwanda 315 km; Tanzania 589 km
- Maritime claims
- none (landlocked)
- Natural hazards
- flooding; landslides; drought
- 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
- Natural resources
- nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
- Area comparative
- slightly smaller than Maryland
- Geographic coordinates
- 3 30 S, 30 00 E
- 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
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Atlantic ocean drainage
- Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 78.2% (2020 est.)
- Female
- 66.2% (2020 est.)
- Total population
- 71.4% (2020 est.)
Languages
- Note
- note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal
- Languages
- 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.
- Religions
- 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.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.98 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.76 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 35.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 18 years
- Total
- 17.6 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 18.7 years
Population
- Male
- 6,755,456
- Total
- 13,590,102 (2024 est.)
- Female
- 6,834,646
Nationality
- Noun
- Burundian(s)
- Adjective
- Burundian
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 14% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 9.1% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 4.3% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 14.8% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 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)
- Ethnic groups
- Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian
Child Marriage
- Men married BY age 18
- 1.4% (2017)
- Women married BY age 15
- 2.8% (2017)
- Women married BY age 18
- 19% (2017)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 83.9 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 77.7 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 16.2 (2024 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 6.2 (2024 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 9.1% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 4.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 4.94 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 57.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 90.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 42.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 9.3% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 14.4% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 2.96% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 2.43 (2025 est.)
- 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
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 66 years
- Female
- 70.3 years
- Total population
- 68.1 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 392 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 53.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 58.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 87.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 46.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 41.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 12.6% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 5.4% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 21.5 years (2016/17 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 58.2% (2017 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 28.3% (2024 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 10 years (2018 est.)
- Total
- 10 years (2018 est.)
- Female
- 10 years (2018 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (on each side) with a white disk at the center bearing three six-pointed red stars outlined in green and arranged in a triangular design
meaning: 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 represent the major ethnic groups (Hutu, Twa, Tutsi), as well as unity, work, and progress
Capital
- Name
- Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital)
- Note
- 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
- Etymology
- the origin of the name Bujumbura is unclear, but "bu-" is a Bantu prefix meaning "place"
- Time difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 3 25 S, 29 55 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
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, 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
Country Name
- 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
- Local long form
- République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)
- Local short form
- Burundi
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Burundi
- Conventional short form
- Burundi
- Independence
- 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
- Legal system
- mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law
- Government type
- presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)
- Subordinate courts
- Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Commercial Court
- 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
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Council of Ministers appointed by president
- Chief of state
- President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 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%- Head of government
- Prime Minister Nestor NTAHONTUYE (since 5 August 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 20 May 2020
- 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
- Expected date of next election
- May 2027
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
- National color(s)
- red, white, green
- Political parties
- 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
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- Parliament (Parlement)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Burundi Bwacu" (Our Beloved Burundi)
- History
- adopted 1962
- Lyrics/music
- Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO
- National symbol(s)
- lion
- Administrative divisions
- 5 provinces: Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera, Gitega
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Note
- 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
- National Assembly (Inama Nshingamateka)
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 111 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 6/5/2025
- Expected date of next election
- June 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 39.6%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (108); Other (3)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Note
- note: 3 seats in the Senate are reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes are reserved for women
- Chamber name
- Senate (Inama Nkenguzamateka)
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 13 (all indirectly elected)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 7/23/2025
- Expected date of next election
- July 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 46.2%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) (10)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 342-2578
- Chancery
- 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 342-2574
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 27 February 2024)
- Email address and website
- burundiembusadc@gmail.com
Burundi Embassy Washington D.C. (burundiembassy-usa.com)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [257] 22-222-926
- Embassy
- No 50 Avenue Des Etats-Unis, 110-01-02, Bujumbura
- Telephone
- [257] 22-207-000
- Mailing address
- 2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC 20521-2100
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Lisa PETERSON (since 27 June 2024)
- Email address and website
BujumburaC@state.gov
https://bi.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- 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
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017
Legislature
BURUNDI · LOWER HOUSE
National Assembly
111 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
111
Majority line
57
Largest party
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
Parties
2
All political parties
Upper house
BURUNDI · UPPER HOUSE
Senate
13 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
13
Majority line
8
Largest party
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
Parties
1
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Évariste Ndayishimiye
- Head of State
Gervais Ndirakobuca
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- 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
- Revenues
- $713.694 million (2021 est.)
- Expenditures
- $737.898 million (2021 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $302.752 million (2021 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2021
- $302.752 million (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $333.637 million (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $378.229 million (2023 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1.166 billion (2021 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2021
- $1.166 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $1.42 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $1.433 billion (2023 est.)
- Industries
- light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)
- Labor force
- 6.107 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 6.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 7.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2019
- 1,845.623 (2019 est.)
- Exchange rates 2020
- 1,915.046 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 1,975.951 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 2,034.307 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 2,574.052 (2023 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $805.174 million (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.9%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 1% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 1% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 1% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- UAE 59%, Uganda 8%, China 5%, Germany 5%, USA 3% (2023)
- Imports partners
- Tanzania 26%, China 15%, Uganda 10%, Kenya 10%, India 6% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1,195
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $800 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $800 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.1%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 1.8% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 2.7% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 3.5% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, maize, vegetables, potatoes, rice, sugarcane, fruits (2023)
- Exports commodities
- gold, coffee, tea, tin ores, iron bars (2023)
- Imports commodities
- fertilizers, cement, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$475.0M
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2021
- -$393.88 million (2021 est.)
- Current account balance 2022
- -$621.969 million (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$625.597 million (2023 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 15.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $2.162 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 75.9% (2023 est.)
- Government consumption
- 30.7% (2023 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0% (2023 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 13.1% (2023 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 5.3% (2023 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -24.4% (2023 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 51% (2020 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 20.2%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 18.8% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 26.9% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 20.2% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -0.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $11.739 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $11.048 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $11.343 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $11.739 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 2.1% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 1.6% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 1.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
- $266.164 million (2021 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $158.53 million (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $90.35 million (2023 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 9.6% (2023 est.)
- Services
- 49% (2023 est.)
- Agriculture
- 25.3% (2023 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.9% (2020 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 29.9% (2020 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2020
- 37.5 (2020 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 10,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 1,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Imports
- 100 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 444.018 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 131,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 39.994 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 1.7%
- Electrification urban areas
- 64%
- Electrification total population
- 10.3% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 946,000 Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 31.2% 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.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 11% (2023 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
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 14,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 8,646,690 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 63 (2023 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 3,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2023 est.) less than 1
Transport
- Airports
- 6 (2025)
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- 9U
Environment
- 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; 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)
Land Use
- Other
- 5.2% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 10.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 83.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 51.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 18.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 14.8% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 1.872 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 7.1% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- soil erosion from overgrazing and agricultural expansion; deforestation; wildlife habitat loss
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 43.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 15 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 222 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 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.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 12.536 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- 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
Military & Security
- Military note
- 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) - Military deployments
- 770 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); up to 10,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.8%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 3.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- 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) - Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military has a mix of mostly older armaments typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern equipment from such countries as China, Egypt, South Africa, and the US (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- limited available information; estimated 25-30,000 active-duty Defense Force troops (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 92,174 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 91,164 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 791 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index14.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4175 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.07as of 2024-Q4147 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (8/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Burundi — vintage 2026-Q1: Burundi factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/burundi
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata