Burundi

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Introduction - Burundi:
Country	Burundi


Background	Burundis first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the countrys last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.


Location - Burundi:
Location	Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates	3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references	Africa

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

Area comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline	0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims	none (landlocked)

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 centigrade 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)

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

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

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

Land use	arable land: 35.57% permanent crops: 13.12% other: 51.31% (2005)

Irrigated land	210 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards	flooding, landslides, drought

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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

People - Burundi:
Population	8,390,505 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 2007 est.)

Age structure	0-14 years: 46.3% (male 1,951,879/female 1,930,371) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 2,131,759/female 2,162,093) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 85,522/female 128,881) (2007 est.)

Median age	total: 16.7 years male: 16.4 years female: 16.9 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate	3.593% (2007 est.)

Birth rate	41.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate	13.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate	7.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.011 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.664 male(s)/female total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate	total: 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth	total population: 51.29 years male: 50.48 years female: 52.12 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate	6.48 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hiv aids adult prevalence rate	6% (2003 est.)

Hiv aids people living with hiv aids	250,000 (2003 est.)

Hiv aids deaths	25,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality	noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian

Major infectious diseases	degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

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

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

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

Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

Government - Burundi:
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika yu Burundi local short form: Burundi former: Urundi

Government type	republic

Capital	name: Bujumbura geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions	17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence	1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday	Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution	28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum

Legal system	based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage	NA years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch	chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2005); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007) head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWIMANA - Tutsi (since 29 August 2005); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Legislative branch	bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1

Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders	governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA] note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Political pressure groups and leaders	none

International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Diplomatic representation from the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] 223454 FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description	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)

Economy - Burundi:
Economy overview	Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi grew about 5 percent in 2006. Delayed disbursements of funds from the World Bank may add to budget pressures in 2007. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors.

Gdp purchasing power parity	$5.781 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp official exchange rate	$776 million (2006 est.)

Gdp real growth rate	3.8% (2006 est.)

Gdp per capita ppp	$700 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector	agriculture: 44.9% industry: 20.9% services: 34.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force	2.99 million (2002)

Labor force by occupation	agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate	NA%

Population below poverty line	68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index	33.3 (1998)

Inflation rate consumer prices	11% (2006 est.)

Investment gross fixed	11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget	revenues: $239.9 million expenditures: $297 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate	18% (2001)

Electricity production	137 million kWh (2004)

Electricity consumption	157.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity exports	0 kWh (2004)

Electricity imports	30 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2004)

Oil production	0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil consumption	3,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil exports	NA bbl/day

Oil imports	NA bbl/day

Oil proved reserves	0 bbl

Natural gas production	0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas consumption	0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance	-$57.84 million (2006 est.)

Exports	$55.68 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports commodities	coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports partners	Germany 18%, Switzerland 8.6%, Belgium 5.5%, Rwanda 5.4%, Italy 4.6% (2006)

Imports	$207.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports commodities	capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports partners	Kenya 19%, Italy 15.1%, Tanzania 11.1%, Belgium 9.7%, Uganda 5.6%, France 4.5%, India 4.3% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold	$87.69 million (2006 est.)

Debt external	$1.2 billion (2003)

Economic aid recipient	$105.5 million (2003)

Currency code	Burundi franc (BIF)

Exchange rates	Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75 (2002)

Communications - Burundi:
Fiscal year	calendar year

Telephones main lines in use	31,100 (2005)

Telephones mobile cellular	153,000 (2005)

Telephone system	general assessment: primitive system domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)

Internet country code	.bi

Internet hosts	160 (2006)

Internet users	60,000 (2006)

Transportation - Burundi:
Airports	8 (2006)

Airports with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports with unpaved runways	total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways	total: 12,322 km paved: 1,286 km unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways	mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2005)

Ports and terminals	Bujumbura

Military - Burundi:
Military branches	National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing) (2006)

Military service age and obligation	16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service	males age 16-49: 1,676,855 females age 16-49: 1,656,366 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service	males age 16-49: 955,616 females age 16-49: 932,767 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually	males age 18-49: 91,331 females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures percent of gdp	5.9% (2006 est.)

Disputes international	conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces have abated somewhat in the Great Lakes region; UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) completed its mandate in December 2006 after a three-year peace-keeping mission