Burundi

Introduction

World Factbook: "Burundi's 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.

Wealth and National Well-Being

Country Comparisons: chart

Economic growth rate
2011: 4.2%
2010: 3.9%
2009: 3.1%

Labor force in agriculture
2002: 93.6%

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

Export commodities
Coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports in small amounts: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides.

Export/import ratio
2011: exports $106.7 million, imports $542 million

Export partners
2010: Germany 27.5%, Pakistan 10.3%, Belgium 5.7%, Rwanda 5%, US 4.2%, China 4.1%

Health expenditures
2009: 13.1% of GDP

People

Living in an urban area
2010: 11%

UrbanizationEthnic 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%

Net migration rate
2012: Net loss of 0.18 persons per 1,000 population per year

Education
In early 2005 only one in two children were going to school. In August 2005 the new chief of state, Pierre Nkurunziza, a born again Christian, abolished fees for schooling. Many Burundians had not been able to afford those fees. Parents were eager to have their children educated, and now schools are overwhelmed by the numbers of children.

Literacy (age 15 and over and can read and write
2000: males 67.3%, females 52.2%

Geography

Central Africa, landlocked, smaller than Maryland, hilly, mountainous with some plains.

Government

Chief of state and head of government: Pierre Nkurunziza (president) since 26 August 2005, Hutu, self-described born again Christian, National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy.

In November 2003, after ten years of conflict in Burundi, the Force for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) opted for peace and elections, and in early 2005 their candidates won elections to both houses of Parliament: the Senate and National Assembly.