Burundi

The Republic of Burundi, located in east-central Africa near Lake Tanganyika, is one of the world’s poorest nations. A Belgian colonial territory from World War I until 1962, Burundi has been divided by ethnic conflict between the Hutu (Bantu) majority and the Tutsi minority since the early 1990s. This sectarian strife has impeded the country’s development.

The war in Burundi has also involved countries such as Rwanda, which borders Burundi to the north. The country’s other neighbors are Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The rest of the western border is formed by Lake Tanganyika. Burundi’s economy is largely agricultural, with coffee as the main cash crop. Tourism is minimal, because of the country’s poverty and ethnic violence.

General Information

• Full name of country: Republic of Burundi
• Former name(s): Urundi
• Region: Africa
• Nationality: Burundian(s) (noun), Burundian (adjective)
• Official language: Kirundi, French
• Population: 13,162,952 (2023 est.)
• Population growth: 3.59% (2023 est.)
• Currency (money): Burundi franc
• Land area: 25,680 sq km (9,915 sq miles)
• Water area: 2,150 sq km (830 sq miles)
• Time zone: UTC +2
• Capital: Bujumbura
• Flag: The flag of Burundi features a white saltire, or Saint Andrew’s Cross, which divides the flag into four quarters. The flag’s top and bottom color fields are red, representing Burundi’s fight for independence. The flag’s left and right color fields are green, symbolizing hope. Three red stars in the center of the flag, outlined in green, represent the Hutu, Twa, and Tutsi—Burundi’s three main ethnic groups.
• Motto: “Unité, Travail, Progrès” (Unity, Work, Progress)
• Independence: July 1, 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
• Government type: presidential republic
• Suffrage: universal for those eighteen years of age
• Legal system: structured on Belgian civil law and customary law
• National anthem: “Burundi Bwacu” (Our Beloved Burundi), by Jean-Baptiste Ntahokaja/Marc Barengayabo
• National holiday: Independence Day, July 1 (1962)
• Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Decades of warfare in Burundi have resulted from the country’s ethnic divisions. Approximately 85 percent of the population is Hutu, while around 14 percent is Tutsi. Historically, the Tutsi have been the dominant group, owning much of the land and cattle, while the Hutu have worked as farmers and herders.

The Twa (or Batwa), one of the peoples of the Central African rainforests formerly known as Pygmies, comprise around 1 percent of the population. A hunter-gatherer people, they were the original inhabitants of what is now Burundi. The country also has very small populations of Europeans and South Asians, numbering several thousand each.

The ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi, part of a broader African conflict, has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people in central Africa. With the outbreak of civil war in 1993, approximately 140,000 people within Burundi became “internally displaced persons,” or refugees. Most of these people were located in the northern and western parts of the country. Meanwhile, over 48,000 inhabitants of neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fled to Burundi to escape the violence in their own country. Various waves of internal displacement and foreign refugees have continued with periodic violence in the early twenty-first century.

An estimated 14.8 percent of the population in Burundi was urban in 2023. Population density is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, with over 489 people per square kilometer in 2021, according to World Bank. The main cities are Bujumbura, the capital, and Gitega. Bujumbura, located on Lake Tanganyika, is the country’s port and cultural center. Smaller cities include Cibitoke and Muyinga.

The population of Burundi is extremely young, with an estimated median age of 17.7 years in 2020. This is the result of rampant disease, high infant mortality, and decades of war. In 2023 it was estimated that 42.67 percent of the population was under fifteen years of age, with only 3.3 percent age sixty-five or older.

Because of Burundi’s many problems, the country has continually received a very low ranking on the United Nations Human Development Index. For 2022, Burundi ranked 187th out of 191 nations.

Society is based on traditional kinship patterns and gender roles, with the husband as head of the household and the wife as the primary caregiver. Arranged marriages are not uncommon, and negotiations are sealed by payment of an inkwano, or bride-price to the bride’s family.

According to 2016–17 estimates, over 90 percent of Burundians are Christians and 3.4 percent are Muslims, with the remainder of the population holding traditional animist beliefs or unspecified beliefs. Most of the Twa are animists. A certain amount of religious syncretism, a mixture of Christian and traditional beliefs, exists in the Burundian churches.

Burundi’s two official languages are Kirundi and French. Reflecting Burundi’s colonial history, French remains the language of government, education, and business. Kirundi (or Rundi), a Bantu language, is the main spoken tongue; it is also spoken in neighboring Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. There are approximately 6 million speakers in the entire region. Kirundi is closely related to the Bantu languages Kinyarwanda, spoken in Rwanda, and Giha, spoken in Tanzania. Most Kirundi speakers in Burundi are Hutu (85 percent).

A dialect of Swahili is the country’s third main language, but does not have official status. It is spoken mainly in western Burundi, in the capital and near Lake Tanganyika.

Indigenous People: The Twa were the first settlers in what is now Burundi. Hunters and gatherers, they have lived in Central Africa since ancient times. The Hutu arrived later, around 1000 CE, and conquered the Twa.

The Tutsi arrived around 500 years later and in turn conquered the Hutu, who outnumbered the Tutsi. They established a monarchy which lasted until the nineteenth century. The Tutsi king, or mwami, ruled through a land-owning aristocracy. A ruling system known as ubugabire gradually developed, involving a feudal relationship of obligations between the ruler and his subjects. Although the Tutsi kingdom lost its independence during the European colonial period, the Tutsi remained the dominant ethnic group.

Education: An estimated 74.7 percent of Burundi’s population—81.3 percent of men and 68.4 percent of women—were literate in 2021. International organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United States Peace Corps provide agricultural education.

Many of Burundi’s educational problems are inherited from the colonial era. The Belgian government did not develop a comprehensive system of public education. What formal education existed was not compulsory, and generally did not extend beyond primary school. At the time of independence, Burundi generally lacked an educated class to provide leadership.

Today, primary education is compulsory for children between the ages of seven and twelve. At the primary level, Kirundi is the language of instruction. Secondary school, taught in both official languages, is not compulsory. In the 1990s, only around 10 percent of the population received secondary education, but in 2018, the average Burundian had ten or eleven years of schooling.

Burundi’s first university, founded in 1964 as the Official University of Bujumbura, was the result of a merger of an agricultural school, a Jesuit college, and a scientific institute. It was replaced in the early 1970s by a new University of Burundi, which merged the Official University, the national teacher-training college, and the institute for civil-service training.

Health Care: Health care in Burundi is extremely poor, and infectious diseases are widespread. There are very few hospitals and medical personnel. The best medical care is available in Bujumbura and Gitega, though even in the cities medical care is inadequate. Free universal health care was abolished in 2002 due to a lack of funds. Many Burundians seek traditional remedies, including herbal cures from traditional practitioners.

Safe drinking water is unavailable to about 18.4 percent of the population (2020 estimate). Emerging infectious diseases include the so-called “blackwater fever” (BWF), a severe clinical syndrome that is characterized by acute kidney failure, and malaria.

Life expectancy in Burundi is fairly low. In 2023, the estimated average life expectancy at birth was 67.77 years. Infant mortality is relatively high; in 2023 there were an estimated 36.75 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Food: Burundian cuisine is largely traditional East African fare, based on local crops. Staples include beans, rice, and cassava. The country’s severe poverty means that meat is a relatively rare ingredient. European and Asian cuisine is available in the major cities.

Popular homemade alcoholic beverages in Burundi include the banana wine known as urwarwa, and the sorghum-based beer impeke. However, lack of proper sanitation can make meals hazardous for local inhabitants and tourists alike.

Arts & Entertainment: Burundian culture is strongly based on the oral tradition, and traditional activities such as storytelling, riddling, and poetry recitation are popular. Written literature is largely in Kirundi or French.

Traditional-style drumming is also popular. The performing group known as the Master Drummers of Burundi achieved an international reputation; the group helped usher in the world music trend in the early 1980s.

Popular sports include football (soccer), traditional ball games, and track-and-field. The country competes against other African nations in football tournaments, and at the international level in track-and-field events.

Mass media is very limited in Burundi, partly because of the country’s undeveloped economy and the ongoing ethnic conflict. Cell phone use is prevalent, particularly in the country’s urban areas.

Holidays: Burundi’s national holiday is Independence Day (July 1), which commemorates the country’s independence from United Nations trusteeship under Belgian administration. Unity Day (February 5) reflects the desire for national unity.

Several political holidays commemorate the country’s struggle for independence. September 18 commemorates the victory of the National Unity and Progress Party (UPRONA) in the 1961 election. Two holidays in October commemorate the deaths of two assassinated heroes: Prince Rwagasore (killed October 13, 1961) and President Ndadaye (killed October 21, 1993).

Environment and Geography

Topography: Located in Central Africa, Burundi is a landlocked nation but is at the head of the Nile-Congo watershed. Burundi is home to Ruvyironza River, a branch of the Kagera River and the farthest headstream of the Nile. The Ruvyironza has its source at Mount Kikizi. The Kagera flows into Lake Victoria, part of the White Nile watershed.

Burundi is divided into three main geographical zones. Most people live in the eastern part of the country, which is covered by plateaus and plains. The central part of the country is characterized by high mountains, including Burundi’s highest point, Heha, at 2,670 meters (8,760 feet) above sea level.

Western Burundi is much lower, including part of the north-south Great Rift Valley. Lake Tanganyika, which is the country’s lowest point (772 meters/2,533 feet above sea level), forms part of Burundi’s western border and is the site of Bujumbura, the capital.

Natural Resources: Although it is one of the poorest countries in the world, Burundi is rich in natural mineral resources. Precious metals such as platinum and gold, as well as industrial minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and tungsten are also found in the country. These resources are largely unexploited, however.

An estimated 38.9 percent of the land is arable (2018), but agriculture is poor because of deforestation and erosion (due in part to overgrazing.) These environmental problems have in turn led to floods and landslides.

Plants & Animals: Savannah, or lightly-wooded grassland, is common in Burundi. Native tree species include acacia and eucalyptus. However, the land has suffered extensive deforestation, partly to clear farmland and partly because wood is a major source of fuel for Burundians.

Burundi has an abundance of wildlife, although over-hunting and poaching have threatened many species. As in many African countries, elephants and antelopes, as well as great cats such as the lion and leopard, are found in Burundi. The country’s lakes, including Tanganyika, are home to many species of birds and fish. Among the most common avian species are game birds such as the partridge and the snipe.

Climate: Burundi’s climate is largely equatorial, though the country’s varying altitudes mean a wide variation in temperature. Low-lying regions tend to be hot and humid. Higher zones have more temperate weather. The average annual temperature varies between 17° and 23° Celsius (63° and 73° Fahrenheit).

Burundi experiences two seasons: the rainy season lasts from November until May, and the dry seasons lasts from June to October. The country receives around 1,500 millimeters (60 inches) of rain each year.

Economy

Burundi’s gross domestic product (GDP) ranks it as one of the world’s poorest countries, and renewed political turmoil in 2015 had a negative effect on its economy. In particular its GDP shrank 4.1 percent between 2014 and 2015 and then a further 0.5 percent between 2015 and 2016. In 2021 Burundi had an estimated GDP of $8.849 billion USD and a per capita GDP of $700 USD. Most of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, and approximately 64.6 percent of the population lives below the poverty line (2014 est).

Industry: Industry comprises the smallest sector of Burundi’s GDP. Industries include the production of light consumer goods, assembly of imported components, public works construction, and food processing. Services comprise 44.2 a larger part of Burundi’s GDP. Bujumbura is the country’s commercial and financial center, as well as the transportation hub.

The production of consumer goods focuses on locally used items such as cigarettes and clothing, as well as tourist items such as baskets. Public works projects are another important sector. The major fuel source is wood, which has led to extensive deforestation.

Belgium, Burundi’s former colonial ruler, remains a major trading partner. Other important markets include Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Pakistan, China, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Agriculture: Burundi’s economy is largely agricultural. Agricultural production in Burundi is often affected by drought. Coffee, tea, sugar, and cotton are the country’s major cash crops. Coffee represents more than three-quarters of Burundi’s exports. The country’s total exports were valued at an estimated $285.105 million in 2018, compared to an estimated $905.294 million in imports (2018 est).

Most agricultural production is at the subsistence level. Major food crops include corn, sorghum, cassava, beans, sweet potatoes, and bananas. Fishing is important on Lake Tanganyika. Burundians have traditionally been cattle-herders, but also raise sheep and goats. As cattle are a sign of wealth, they are generally not killed for meat.

Tourism: Burundi has a small tourism industry, which in 2022 directly accounted for an estimated 3.9 percent of its overall GDP and employed 1.4 percent of the population according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The government continues to make efforts to expand the country’s tourism infrastructure.

Government

The territory of present-day Burundi was ruled by an independent Tutsi kingdom for several centuries before Europeans arrived in the late nineteenth century. In 1890, the German Empire annexed the region as part of German East Africa. During World War I, Belgian forces captured the region. After the war, the League of Nations created the territory of Ruanda-Urundi as a Belgian mandate territory. The Belgians exercised rule through the Tutsi aristocracy. In 1946, Ruanda-Urundi became a United Nations trust territory, still under Belgian rule. The Belgian government granted territorial autonomy in January 1961.

On July 1, 1962 the territory gained its independence as the Kingdom of Burundi, a constitutional monarchy. In 1966, the monarchy was abolished and the country was renamed the Republic of Burundi. From the 1960s through 1980s, the country suffered extended periods of instability, punctuated by military coups, dictatorships, and civil war that often also involved Rwanda. In 1972 a campaign of genocide against Hutus began and was largely ignored by the international community. In the early 1990s, Burundi became caught up in the resurgent ethnic war between the Tutsi and Hutu, and political conditions declined even more. A 1996 coup established another dictatorship, termed a “transitional republic.” As violence increased, the United Nations sent peacekeepers to the area.

In August 2000, the government signed the Arusha Accords with the National Assembly and representatives of the main Hutu and Tutsi parties; this established a process for restoring constitutional government. In October and November 2001, a transitional constitution and government were set in place. A formal constitution was approved by national referendum in February 2005. By August 2005, parliamentary and local elections had been held, and a new president was elected in just the second democratic elections in the country's history.

Under the February 2005 constitution, the president serves as chief of state and head of government, and is elected by direct popular vote to a seven-year term (extended from five years by a 2018 amendment). The cabinet, known as the Council of Ministers, is appointed by the president. The 2018 constitutional amendments also reinstated the position of prime minister and reduced the number of vice presidents from two to one.

The 2005 constitution called for a bicameral legislature. The Inama Nshingamateka (National Assembly) includes both co-opted members and directly elected members, who serve five-year terms. Seats are proportioned 60 percent Hutu and 40 percent Tutsi, with three reserved for Twa members and 30 percent of all seats allocated to women. The Inama Nkenguzamateka (Senate) is indirectly elected by a provincial council electoral college in system involving three rounds of voting. As in the National Assembly, three seats are reserved for Twas and 30 percent dedicated to women, and members serve five-year terms. The exact number of members in each legislative body varies with each election.

The Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) is Burundi’s highest court. Other judicial bodies include the Courts of Appeal, County Courts, and Courts of Residence. Burundi’s legal system is a mixture of traditional law and the civil codes of its former colonial rulers, Germany and Belgium.

In 2017 Burundi became the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move seen as marking the increasing authoritarianism of President Pierre Nkurunziza. In 2019 the government suspended the Voice of America and the BBC from operating in the country. Then, in 2022, Evariste Ndayishimiye was elected president.

Interesting Facts

• Vénuste Niyongabo became Burundi’s first Olympic medalist in 1996, by winning the gold medal for the 5,000-meter race.
• When close friends or family members get together in Burundi, they often drink impeke, a beer brewed from sorghum, out of a single large container using straws. This symbolizes their unity.
• Cattle are revered in Burundi and seen as a sign of prosperity. After a cow dies, its horns are often buried near the house to bring good luck.

Bibliography

Brennan, Kristine. Burundi. Mason Crest, 2013.

"Burundi." The World Bank, 2023, data.worldbank.org/country/burundi. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

“Burundi.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 Nov. 2023, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/burundi/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

“Burundi Country Profile.” BBC, 31 July 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13085064. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 2022, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

“Population Density (People per Sq Km of Land Area): Burundi.” The World Bank, 2021, data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?locations=BI. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

Timpson, William M, et al. Conflict Reconciliation and Peace Education: Moving Burundi toward a Sustainable Future. Routledge, 2015.