Burundi

Burundi,officially theRepublic of Burundi,is alandlocked countryin theGreat Rift Valleyat the junction between theAfrican Great Lakesregion and Southeast Africa, with population of over 14 million people.It is bordered byRwandato the north,Tanzaniato the east and southeast, and theDemocratic Republic of the Congoto the west;Lake Tanganyikalies along its southwestern border. Thecapital cityisGitegaand the largest city isBujumbura.
TheTwa,HutuandTutsipeoples have lived in Burundi for at least 500 years. For more than 200 of those years, Burundi was an independentkingdom. In 1885, it became part of the German colony ofGerman East Africa.After theFirst World WarandGermany's defeat, theLeague of Nationsmandated the territories of Burundi and neighboring Rwanda to Belgium in a combined territory calledRwanda-Urundi. After theSecond World War, this transformed into aUnited NationsTrust Territory. Burundi gained independence in 1962 and initially retained themonarchy; a1966 coupreplaced the monarchy with aone-partyrepublic. Over the next 27 years, Burundi was ruled by a series of Tutsi dictators and notably experienced agenocide of Hutus in 1972. In July 1993,Melchior Ndadayebecame Burundi's first Hutu president following the country'sfirst multi-party presidential election. His assassination three months later during acoup attemptprovoked the 12-yearBurundian Civil War. In 2000, the Arusha Agreement was adopted, which was largely integrated in a new constitution in 2005. Since the 2005 post-war elections, the country's dominant party has been the Hutu-ledNational Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy(CNDD–FDD), widely accused ofauthoritariangovernance and perpetuating the country'spoor human rights record.
Burundi remains primarily a rural society, with just 13.4% of the population living in urban areas in 2019.Burundi is densely populated, and many young people emigrate in search of opportunities elsewhere. Roughly 85% of the population are ofHutuethnic origin, 15% areTutsi, and fewer than 1% areTwa.Theofficial languagesof Burundi areKirundi,French, and English—Kirundi being officially recognised as the solenational language.English was made an official language in 2014.
One of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi's land is used mostly forsubsistence agricultureand grazing.Deforestation,soil erosion, andhabitat lossare major ecological concerns.As of 2005, the country was almost completely deforested. Less than 6% of its land was covered by trees, with over half of that being for commercial plantations.Burundi is the poorest country in the world bynominal GDP per capitaand is one of theleast developed countries. It faces widespreadpoverty,corruption,instability,authoritarianismandilliteracy. The 2018World Happiness Reportranked the country as the world's least happy with a rank of 156.Burundi is a member of theAfrican Union,Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa,United Nations,East African Community(EAC),OIFand theNon-Aligned Movement.
Modern Burundi is named after theKing of Urundi, who ruled the region starting in the 16th century. It derives its name from a word "Urundi" inKirundithe local language, which means "Another one".Later the Belgian mandate toRuanda-Urundiregion came to rename it and their former capital"Usumbura"of both kingdoms by adding the letter "B" in front of it.
Burundi is one of the few countries in Africa, along with its neighbour Rwanda among others (such asBotswana,Lesotho, andEswatini), to be a direct territorial continuation of a pre-colonial era African state. The early history of Burundi, and especially the role and nature of the country's three dominant ethnic groups, the Twa, Hutu and Tutsi, is highly debated amongst academics.
The first evidence of the Burundian state dates back to the late 16th century where it emerged on the eastern foothills. Over the following centuries it expanded, annexing smaller neighbours. The Kingdom of Burundi or Urundi, in the Great Lakes region was a polity ruled by a traditional monarch with several princes beneath him; succession struggles were common.The king, known as themwami(translated as ruler) headed a princely aristocracy (ganwa) which owned most of the land and required a tribute, or tax, from local farmers (mainly Hutu) and herders (mainly Tutsi). The Kingdom of Burundi was characterised by a hierarchical political authority and tributary economic exchange.
In the mid-18th century, the Tutsi royalty consolidated authority over land, production, and distribution with the development of the ubugabire—a patron-client relationship in which the populace received royal protection in exchange for tribute and land tenure. By this time, the royal court was made up of the Tutsi-Banyaruguru. They had higher social status than other pastoralists such as the Tutsi-Hima. In the lower levels of this society were generally Hutu people, and at the very bottom of the pyramid were the Twa. The system had some fluidity, however. Some Hutu people belonged to the nobility and in this way also had a say in the functioning of the state.
The classification of Hutu or Tutsi was not merely based on ethnic criteria alone. Hutu farmers that managed to acquire wealth and livestock were regularly granted the higher social status of Tutsi, some even made it to become close advisors of theGanwa. On the other hand, there are also reports of Tutsi that lost all their cattle and subsequently lost their higher status and were called Hutu. Thus, the distinction between Hutu and Tutsi was also a socio-cultural concept, instead of a purely ethnic one.There were also many reports of marriages between Hutu and Tutsi people.In general, regional ties and power struggles played a far more determining role in Burundi's politics than ethnicity.
From 1884, theGerman East Africa Companywas active in the African Great Lakes region. As a result of heightened tensions and border disputes between the German East Africa Company, theBritish Empireand theSultanate of Zanzibar, theGerman Empirewas called upon to put down theAbushiri revoltsand protect the empire's interests in the region. The German East Africa Company transferred its rights to the German Empire in 1891, in this way establishing the German colony ofGerman East Africa, which included Burundi (Urundi), Rwanda (Ruanda), and the mainland part ofTanzania(formerly known asTanganyika).The German Empire stationed armed forces in Rwanda and Burundi during the late 1880s. The location of the present-day city ofGitegaserved as an administrative centre for the Ruanda-Urundi region.
During theFirst World War, theEast African Campaigngreatly affected the African Great Lakes region. TheBelgianandBritishcolonial forces of theallied powerslaunched acoordinated attackon the German colony. The German army stationed in Burundi was forced to retreat by the numerical superiority of the Belgian army and by 17 June 1916, Burundi and Rwanda were occupied. TheForce Publiqueand the BritishLake Forcethen started a thrust to captureTabora, an administrative centre of central German East Africa. After the war, as outlined in theTreaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to cede "control" of the Western section of the former German East Africa to Belgium.
On 20 October 1924,Ruanda-Urundi, which consisted of modern-day Rwanda and Burundi, became a BelgianLeague of Nationsmandate territory, withUsumburaas its capital. In practical terms it was considered part of theBelgian colonial empire. Burundi, as part of Ruanda-Urundi, continued its kingshipdynastydespite the presence of European authorities.
The Belgians, however, preserved many of the kingdom's institutions; the Burundian monarchy succeeded in surviving into the post-colonial period.Following theSecond World War, Ruanda-Urundi was classified as aUnited Nations Trust Territoryunder Belgian administrative authority.During the 1940s, a series of policies caused divisions throughout the country. On 4 October 1943, powers were split in the legislative division of Burundi's government between chiefdoms and lower chiefdoms. Chiefdoms were in charge of land, and lower sub-chiefdoms were established. Native authorities also had powers.In 1948, Belgium allowed the region to formpolitical parties.These factions contributed to Burundi gaining its independence from Belgium, on 1 July 1962.
On 20 January 1959,KingMwami Mwambutsa IVrequested Burundi's independence from Belgium and dissolution of the Ruanda-Urundi union.In the following months, Burundian political parties began to advocate for the end of Belgian colonial rule and the separation of Rwanda and Burundi.The first and largest of these political parties was theUnion for National Progress(UPRONA).
Burundi's push for independence was influenced by theRwandan Revolutionand the accompanying instability and ethnic conflict that occurred there. As a result of the Rwandan Revolution, many Rwandan Tutsi refugees arrived in Burundi from 1959 to 1961.
Burundi's firstelectionstook place on 8 September 1961 and UPRONA, a multi-ethnic unity party led byPrince Louis Rwagasorewon just over 80% of the electorate's votes. In the wake of the elections, on 13 October, the 29-year-oldPrince Rwagasore was assassinated, robbing Burundi of its most popular and well-known nationalist.
The country claimed independence on 1 July 1962,and legally changed its name from Ruanda-Urundi to Burundi.Burundi became aconstitutional monarchywith Mwami Mwambutsa IV, Prince Rwagasore's father, serving as the country's king.On 18 September 1962 Burundi joined theUnited Nations.
In 1963, King Mwambutsa appointed a Hutu prime minister,Pierre Ngendandumwe, but he was assassinated on 15 January 1965 by a Rwandan Tutsi employed by the US Embassy. The assassination occurred in the broader context of theCongo Crisisduring whichWesternanti-communist countries were confronting the communistPeople's Republic of Chinaas it attempted to make Burundi a logistics base for communist insurgents battling in Congo.Parliamentary elections in May 1965brought a majority of Hutu into the parliament, but when King Mwambutsa appointed a Tutsi prime minister, some Hutu felt this was unjust and ethnic tensions were further increased. In October 1965, an attemptedcoup d'étatled by the Hutu-dominated police was carried out but failed. The Tutsi dominated army, then led by Tutsi officer CaptainMichel Micomberopurged Hutu from their ranks and carried out reprisal attacks which ultimately claimed the lives of up to 5,000 people in a precursor to the1972 Burundian Genocide.
King Mwambutsa, who had fled the country during the October coup of 1965, was deposed by acoup in July 1966and his teenage son,Prince Ntare V, claimed the throne. In November that same year, the Tutsi Prime Minister, then-Captain Michel Micombero, carried out anothercoup, this time deposing Ntare, abolishing the monarchy and declaring the nation arepublic, though his one-party government was effectively amilitary dictatorship.As president, Micombero became an advocate ofAfrican socialismand received support from the People's Republic of China. He imposed a staunch regime of law and order and sharply repressed Hutu militarism.
In late April 1972, two events led to the outbreak of theFirst Burundian Genocide. On 27 April 1972, a rebellion led byHutumembers of thegendarmeriebroke out in the lakeside towns ofRumongeandNyanza-Lacand the rebels declared the short-livedMartyazo Republic.The rebels attacked both Tutsi and any Hutu who refused to join their rebellion.During this initial Hutu outbreak, anywhere from 800 to 1200 people were killed.At the same time, KingNtare V of Burundireturned from exile, heightening political tension in the country. On 29 April 1972, the 24-year-old Ntare V was murdered. In subsequent months, the Tutsi-dominated government ofMichel Micomberoused the army to combat Hutu rebels and commit genocide, murdering targeted members of the Hutu majority. The total number of casualties was never established, but contemporary estimates put the number of people killed between 80,000 and 210,000.In addition, several hundred thousand Hutu were estimated to have fled the killings intoZaïre,RwandaandTanzania.
Following the civil war and genocide, Micombero became mentally distraught and withdrawn. In 1976, ColonelJean-Baptiste Bagaza, a Tutsi, led abloodless coupto topple Micombero and set about promoting reform. His administration drafted a new constitution in 1981, which maintained Burundi's status as aone-party state.In August 1984, Bagaza was elected head of state. During his tenure, Bagaza suppressed political opponents and religious freedoms.
MajorPierre Buyoya, a Tutsi,overthrew Bagaza in 1987, suspended the constitution and dissolved political parties. He reinstated military rule by a Military Committee for National Salvation (CSMN).Anti-Tutsi ethnic propaganda disseminated by the remnants of the 1972 UBU, which had re-organized as PALIPEHUTU in 1981, led to killings of Tutsi peasants in the northern communes ofNtegaandMarangarain August 1988. The government put the death toll at 5,000,some international NGOsbelieved this understated the deaths.
The new regime did not unleash the harsh reprisals of 1972. Its effort to gain public trust was eroded when it decreed anamnestyfor those who had called for, carried out, and taken credit for the killings. Analysts have called this period the beginning of the "culture of impunity." Other analysts put the origins of the "culture of impunity" earlier, in 1965 and 1972, when a small number of identifiable Hutus unleashed massive killings of Tutsis.
In the aftermath of the killings, a group of Hutu intellectuals wrote an open letter toPierre Buyoya, asking for more representation of the Hutu in the administration. They were arrested and jailed. A few weeks later, Buyoya appointed a new government, with an equal number of Hutu and Tutsi ministers. He appointedAdrien Sibomana(Hutu) as Prime Minister. Buyoya also created a commission to address issues of national unity.In 1992, the government created a new constitution that provided for a multi-party system,but acivil warbroke out.
An estimated total of 250,000 people died in Burundi from the various conflicts between 1962 and 1993.
Since Burundi's independence in 1962, twogenocideshave taken place in the country: the 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated army,and the mass killings of Tutsis in 1993 by the Hutu majority. Both were described as genocides in the final report of the International Commission of Inquiry for Burundi presented in 2002 to theUnited Nations Security Council.
In June 1993,Melchior Ndadaye, leader of the Hutu-dominatedFront for Democracy in Burundi(FRODEBU), won the first democratic election. He became the first Hutu head of state, leading a pro-Hutu government. Though he attempted to smooth the country's bitter ethnic divide, his reforms antagonised soldiers in the Tutsi-dominated army, and he was assassinated amidst a failed military coup in October 1993, after only three months in office. The ensuingBurundian Civil War(1993–2005) saw persistent violence between Hutu rebels and the Tutsi majority army. It is estimated that some 300,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the years following the assassination.
In early 1994, the parliament electedCyprien Ntaryamira(Hutu) to the office of president. He andJuvénal Habyarimana, the president of Rwanda, both Hutus, died togetherwhen their airplane was shot downin April 1994. More refugees started fleeing to Rwanda. Speaker of Parliament,Sylvestre Ntibantunganya(Hutu), was appointed as president in October 1994. A coalition government involving 12 of the 13 parties was formed. A feared general massacre was averted, but violence broke out. A number of Hutu refugees in Bujumbura,the then-capital, were killed. The mainly Tutsi Union for National Progress withdrew from the government and parliament.
In 1996,Pierre Buyoya(Tutsi) again took power through acoup d'état. He suspended the constitution and was sworn in as president in 1998. This was the start of his second term as president, after his first term from 1987 to 1993. In response to rebel attacks, the government forced much of the population to move torefugee camps.Under Buyoya's rule, long peace talks started, mediated bySouth Africa. Both parties signed agreements inArusha,TanzaniaandPretoria, South Africa, to share power in Burundi. The agreements took four years to plan.
On 28 August 2000, a transitional government for Burundi was planned as a part of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. The transitional government was placed on a trial basis for five years. After several aborted cease-fires, a 2001 peace plan and power-sharing agreement has been relatively successful. A cease-fire was signed in 2003 between the Tutsi-controlled Burundian government and the largest Hutu rebel group, CNDD-FDD (National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy).
In 2003, FRODEBU leaderDomitien Ndayizeye(Hutu) was elected president.In early 2005, ethnic quotas were formed for determining positions in Burundi's government. Throughout the year, elections for parliament and president occurred.
Pierre Nkurunziza(Hutu), once a leader of a rebel group, was elected president in 2005. As of 2008, the Burundian government was talking with the Hutu-led Palipehutu-National Liberation Forces (NLF)to bring peace to the country.
African leaders began a series of peace talks between the warring factions following a request by the United Nations Secretary GeneralBoutros Boutros-Ghalifor them to intervene in the humanitarian crisis. Talks were initiated under the aegis of former Tanzanian PresidentJulius Nyererein 1995; following his death, South African PresidentNelson Mandelatook the helm. As the talks progressed, South African PresidentThabo Mbekiand United States PresidentBill Clintonalso lent their respective weight.
The peace talks took the form ofTrack I mediations. This method of negotiation can be defined as a form of diplomacy involving governmental or intergovernmental representatives, who may use their positive reputations, mediation, or the "carrot and stick" method as a means of obtaining or forcing an outcome, frequently along the lines of "bargaining" or "win-lose".
The main objective was to transform the Burundian government and military structurally in order to bridge the ethnic gap between the Tutsi and Hutu. It was to take place in two major steps. First, a transitional power-sharing government would be established, with the presidents holding office for three-year terms. The second objective involved a restructuring of the armed forces, where the two groups would be represented equally.
As the protracted nature of the peace talks demonstrated, the mediators and negotiating parties confronted several obstacles. First, the Burundian officials perceived the goals as "unrealistic" and viewed the treaty as ambiguous, contradictory and confusing. Second, and perhaps most importantly, the Burundians believed the treaty would be irrelevant without an accompanying cease fire. This would require separate and direct talks with the rebel groups. The main Hutu party was skeptical of the offer of a power-sharing government; they alleged that they had been deceived by the Tutsi in past agreements.
In 2000,the Burundian President signed the treaty, as well as 13 of the 19 warring Hutu and Tutsi factions. Disagreements persisted over which group would preside over the nascent government, and when the ceasefire would begin. The spoilers of the peace talks were the hardliner Tutsi and Hutu groups who refused to sign the accord; as a result, violence intensified. Three years later at a summit of African leaders in Tanzania, the Burundian president and the main opposition Hutu group signed an accord to end the conflict; the signatory members were granted ministerial posts within the government. However, smaller militant Hutu groups – such as the Forces for National Liberation – remained active.
Between 1993 and 2003, many rounds of peace talks, overseen by regional leaders in Tanzania, South Africa andUganda, gradually established power-sharing agreements to satisfy the majority of the contending groups. Initially the South African Protection Support Detachment was deployed to protect Burundian leaders returning from exile. These forces became part of theAfrican Union Mission to Burundi, deployed to help oversee the installation of a transitional government. In June 2004, the UN stepped in and took over peacekeeping responsibilities as a signal of growing international support for the already markedly advanced peace process in Burundi.
The mission's mandate, underChapter VII of the United Nations Charter, has been to monitor cease-fire, carry out disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former military personnel, support humanitarian assistance and refugee and IDP return, assist with elections, protect international staff and Burundian civilians, monitor Burundi's troublesome borders, including halting illicit arms flows, and assist in carrying out institutional reforms including those of the Constitution, judiciary, armed forces and police. The mission has been allotted 5,650 military personnel, 120 civilian police and about 1,000 international and local civilian personnel. The mission has been functioning well. It has greatly benefited from the transitional government, which has functioned and is in the process of transitioning to one that will be popularly elected.
The main difficulty in the early stages was continued resistance to the peace process by the last Hutu nationalist rebel group. This organisation continued its violent conflict on the outskirts of the capital despite the UN's presence. By June 2005, the group had stopped fighting and its representatives were brought back into the political process. All political parties have accepted a formula for inter-ethnic power-sharing: no political party can gain access to government offices unless it is ethnically integrated.
The focus of the UN's mission had been to enshrine the power-sharing arrangements in a popularly voted constitution, so that elections may be held and a new government installed. Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration were done in tandem with elections preparations. In February 2005, theconstitutionwas approved with over 90% of the popular vote. In May, June and August 2005, three separate elections were also held at the local level for the Parliament and the presidency.
While there are still some difficulties with refugee returns and securing adequate food supplies for the war-weary population, the mission managed to win the trust and confidence of a majority of the formerly warring leaders, as well as the population at large.It was involved with several "quick effect" projects, including rehabilitating and building schools, orphanages, health clinics and rebuilding infrastructure such as water lines.
The  2005 Constitution formalised a complex power-sharing architecture that has been described as "associational" in its logic, as it aims to provide guarantees of representation for the Tutsi minority without entrenching the ethnic cleavage at the centre of Burundian politics.This institutional design provides an original contribution from Burundian negotiators and constitution makers to institutional options to manage ethnic conflict.
Reconstruction efforts in Burundi started to practically take effect after 2006. The UN shut down its peacekeeping mission and re-focused on helping with reconstruction.Toward achievingeconomic reconstruction, Rwanda,D.R.Congoand Burundi relaunched the regionalEconomic Community of the Great Lakes Countries.In addition, Burundi, along with Rwanda, joined theEast African Communityin 2007.
However, the terms of the September 2006 Ceasefire between the government and the last remaining armed opposition group, theFLN(Forces for National Liberation, also called NLF or FROLINA), were not totally implemented, and senior FLN members subsequently left the truce monitoring team, claiming that their security was threatened.In September 2007, rival FLN factions clashed in the capital, killing 20 fighters and causing residents to begin fleeing. Rebel raids were reported in other parts of the country.The rebel factions disagreed with the government over disarmament and the release of political prisoners.In late 2007 and early 2008, FLN combatants attacked government-protected camps where former combatants were living. The homes of rural residents were also pillaged.
The 2007 reportofAmnesty Internationalmentions many areas where improvement is required. Civilians are victims of repeated acts of violence done by the FLN. The latter also recruits child soldiers. The rate of violence against women is high. Perpetrators regularly escape prosecution and punishment by the state. There is an urgent need for reform of the judicial system.Genocide,war crimesandcrimes against humanitycontinued to go unpunished.
In late March 2008, the FLN sought for the parliament to adopt a law guaranteeing them 'provisional immunity' from arrest. This would cover ordinary crimes, but not grave violations of international humanitarian law like war crimes or crimes against humanity .Even though the government has granted this in the past to people, the FLN has been unable to obtain the provisional immunity.
On 17 April 2008, the FLN bombarded Bujumbura. The Burundian army fought back and the FLN suffered heavy losses. A new ceasefire was signed on 26 May 2008. In August 2008, President Nkurunziza met with the FLN leaderAgathon Rwasa, with the mediation ofCharles Nqakula, South Africa's Minister for Safety and Security. This was the first direct meeting since June 2007. Both agreed to meet twice a week to establish a commission to resolve any disputes that might arise during the peace negotiations.
The UN has attempted to evaluate the impact of its peace-building initiatives. In the early 2010s, the UN peacekeeping mission in Burundi sought to assess the success of its Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration program by counting the number of arms that had been collected, given the prevalence of arms in the country. However, these evaluations failed to include data from local populations, which are significant in impact evaluations of peacebuilding initiatives.
As of 2012, Burundi was participating in African Union peacekeeping missions, including themission to Somaliaagainst Al-Shabaab militants.In 2014, theTruth and Reconciliation Commissionwas established, initially for four years and then extended for another four in 2018.
In April 2015 protests broke out after the ruling party announced PresidentPierre Nkurunzizawould seek a third term in office.Protestors claimed Nkurunziza could not run for a third term in office but the country's constitutional court agreed with Nkurunziza (although some of its members had fled the country at the time of its vote).
An attempted coup d'état on 13 Mayfailed to depose Nkurunziza.He returned to Burundi, began purging his government, and arrested several of the coup leaders.Following the attempted coup, however, protests continued; over 100,000 people had fled the country by 20 May, causing a humanitarian emergency. There are reports of continued and widespread abuses of human rights, including unlawful killings, torture, disappearances, and restrictions on freedom of expression.
Despite calls by theUnited Nations, theAfrican Union, the United States, France,South Africa, Belgium, and various other governments to refrain, the ruling partyheld parliamentary elections on 29 June, but these were boycotted by the opposition.
On 30 September 2016, theUnited Nations Human Rights Councilestablished the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi through resolution 33/24. Its mandate is to "conduct a thorough investigation into human rights violations and abuses committed in Burundi since April 2015, to identify alleged perpetrators and to formulate recommendations."On 29 September 2017 the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi called on Burundian government to put an end to serioushuman rights violations. It further stressed that, "The Burundian government has so far refused to cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry, despite the Commission's repeated requests and initiatives."The violations the Commission documented includearbitrary arrestsand detentions, acts oftortureand cruel,inhuman or degrading treatment,extrajudicial executions,enforced disappearances,rapeand other forms of sexual violence."
In aconstitutional referendumin May 2018, Burundians voted by 79.08% to approve an amended constitution that ensured that Nkurunziza could remain in power until 2034.However, much to the surprise of most observers, Nkurunziza later announced that he did not intend to serve another term, paving the way for a new president to be elected in the2020 general election.
On 20 May 2020,Evariste Ndayishimiye, a candidate who was hand-picked as Nkurunziza's successor by the CNDD-FDD, won the election with 71.45% of the vote.Shortly after, on 9 June 2020, Nkurunziza died of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 55.There was some speculation that his death was COVID-19 related, though this is unconfirmed.As per the constitution,Pascal Nyabenda, the president of the national assembly, led the government until Ndayishimiye's inauguration on 18 June 2020.
In December 2021, alarge prison fire killed dozensin the capital city ofGitega.
In November 2022, in challenges to theCOVID-19 pandemicand theRussian invasion of Ukraine, Burundi's economic growth increased slightly to 3 percent, according to an assessment of theInternational Monetary Fund.
Currently, Burundi remains as one of the poorest nations on Earth based on aGross National Income(GNI) of $270 per capita.
Thefall of Gomain the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in January 2025 was the largest escalation of theconflict in Kivusince 2012 and raised concerns that the Rwandan-backedM23 rebel campaigncould turn into a larger regional war due to the presence of troops from Rwanda and Burundi in theKivuprovinces. Thousands of soldiers had been deployed to assist theCongolese armyinSouth Kivuby Burundi, which has a Hutu-dominated government and previously accused Rwanda of backing a2015 coup attempt, adding to concern for the potential of a larger regional war.
Burundi's political system is that of apresidentialrepresentative democraticrepublic based upon a multi-party state. The president of Burundi is thehead of stateandhead of government. There are currently 21registered parties in Burundi.On 13 March 1992, Tutsi coup leaderPierre Buyoyaestablished a constitution,which provided for a multi-party political process and reflected multi-party competition.Six years later, on 6 June 1998, the constitution was changed, broadeningNational Assembly's seats and making provisions for two vice-presidents. Because of theArusha Accord, Burundi enacted a transitional government in 2000.
Burundi's legislative branch is abicameralassembly, consisting of the Transitional National Assembly and theTransitional Senate. As of 2004, the Transitional National Assembly consisted of 170 members, with the Front for Democracy in Burundi holding 38% of seats, and 10% of the assembly controlled by UPRONA. Fifty-two seats were controlled by other parties. Burundi's constitution mandates representation in the Transitional National Assembly to be consistent with 60% Hutu, 40% Tutsi, and 30% female members, as well as three Batwa members.Members of the National Assembly are elected by popular vote and serve five-year terms.
The Transitional Senate has fifty-one members, and three seats are reserved for former presidents. Due to stipulations in Burundi's constitution, 30% of Senate members must be female. Members of the Senate are elected by electoral colleges, which consist of members from each of Burundi's provinces and communes.For each of Burundi's eighteen provinces, one Hutu and one Tutsi senator are chosen. One term for the Transitional Senate is five years.
Together, Burundi's legislative branch elect the president to a five-year term.Burundi's president appoints officials to his Council of Ministers, which is also part of the executive branch.The president can also pick fourteen members of the Transitional Senate to serve on the Council of Ministers.Members of the Council of Ministers must be approved by two-thirds of Burundi's legislature. The president also chooses two vice-presidents.Following the 2015 election, the president of Burundi wasPierre Nkurunziza. The first vice-president was Therence Sinunguruza, and the Second Vice-president was Gervais Rufyikiri.
On 20 May 2020,Evariste Ndayishimiye, a candidate who was hand-picked as Nkurunziza's successor by the CNDD-FDD, wonthe electionwith 71.45% of the vote. Shortly after, on 9 June 2020, Nkurunziza died of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 55. As per the constitution, Pascal Nyabenda, the president of the national assembly, led the government until Ndayishimiye's inauguration on 18 June 2020.
TheCour Suprême(Supreme Court) is Burundi's highest court. There are three Courts of Appeals directly below the Supreme Court. Tribunals of First Instance are used as judicial courts in each of Burundi's provinces as well as 123 local tribunals.
Burundi's government has been repeatedly criticised by human rights organisations includingHuman Rights Watchfor the multiple arrests and trials of journalistJean-Claude Kavumbagufor issues related to his reporting.Amnesty International(AI) named him aprisoner of conscienceand called for his "immediate and unconditional release."
In April 2009, the government of Burundi changed the law to criminalisehomosexuality. Persons found guilty of consensual same-sex relations risk three months to two years in prison and/or a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 Burundian francs.Amnesty International has condemned the action, calling it a violation of Burundi's obligations under international and regional human rights law, and against the constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
Burundi officially left theInternational Criminal Court(ICC) on 27 October 2017, the first country in the world to do so.The move came after the UN accused the country of various crimes and human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings, torture and sexual violence, in a September 2017 report.The ICC announced on 9 November 2017 that human rights violations from the time Burundi was a member would still be prosecuted.
Burundi is divided into 18provinces,119communes,and 2,638collines(hills).Provincial governments are structured upon these boundaries.
Burundi's provinces and communes were created on Christmas Day in 1959 by a Belgian colonial decree. They replaced the pre-existing system of chieftains.
In 2000, the province encompassing Bujumbura was separated into two provinces, Bujumbura Rural and Bujumbura Mairie.The newest province,Rumonge, was created on 26 March 2015 from portions of Bujumbura Rural and Bururi.
In July 2022, the government of Burundi announced a complete overhaul of the country's territorial subdivisions. The proposed change would reduce the amounts of provinces from 18 to 5, and reduce the amount of communes from 119 to 42. The change needs the approval of the parliament of Burundi to take effect.
One of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi is landlocked and has anequatorial climate. Burundi is a part of theAlbertine Rift, the western extension of theEast African Rift. The country lies on a rollingplateauin the centre of Africa. Burundi is bordered byRwandato the north,Tanzaniato the east and southeast, and theDemocratic Republic of the Congoto the west. It lies within theAlbertine Rift montane forests,Central Zambezian miombo woodlands, andVictoria Basin forest-savanna mosaicecoregions.
The average elevation of the central plateau is 1,707 m (5,600 ft), with lower elevations at the borders. The highest peak,Mount Hehaat 2,685 m (8,810 ft),lies to the southeast of the largest city and economic capital, Bujumbura. The source of theNile Riveris in Bururi province, and is linked from Lake Victoria to its headwaters via theRuvyironza River.Lake Victoriais also an important water source, which serves as a fork to theKagera River.Another major lake isLake Tanganyika, located in much of Burundi's southwestern corner.
In Burundiforest coveris around 11% of the total land area, equivalent to 279,640 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, up from 276,480 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 166,670 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 112,970 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 23% was reported to beprimary forest(consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 41% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be underpublic ownership.
There are twonational parks:Kibira National Parkto the northwest (a small region of rainforest, adjacent toNyungwe Forest National Parkin Rwanda), andRuvubu National Parkto the northeast (along theRurubu River, also known as Ruvubu or Ruvuvu). Both were established in 1982 to conserve wildlife populations.
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural, accounting for 50% of GDP in 2017and employing more than 90% of the population.Subsistence agricultureaccounts for 90% of agriculture.Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings, though exports are a relatively small share of GDP. Other agricultural products include cotton, tea, maize,sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,manioc(tapioca); beef, milk and hides. Even thoughsubsistence farmingis highly relied upon, many people do not have the resources to sustain themselves. This is due to large population growth and no coherent policies governing land ownership. In 2014, the average farm size was about one acre.
Burundi is the world's poorest country, owing in part to its landlocked geography,lack of access to education and the proliferation ofHIV/AIDS. Approximately 80% of Burundi's population lives in poverty.Famines and food shortages have occurred throughout Burundi, most notably in the 20th century,and according to theWorld Food Programme, 56.8% of children under age five suffer from chronicmalnutrition.Burundi's export earnings – and its ability to pay for imports – rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices.
The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept up with inflation. As a result of deepening poverty, Burundi will remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors. Foreign aid represents 42% of Burundi's national income, the second highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Burundi joined the East African Community in 2009, which should boost its regional trade ties, and also in 2009 received $700 million in debt relief. Government corruption is hindering the development of a healthy private sector as companies seek to navigate an environment with ever-changing rules.
Studies since 2007 have shown Burundians to have extremely poor levels ofsatisfaction with life; theWorld Happiness Report 2018rated them the world's least happy.
Some of Burundi's natural resources includeuranium, nickel,cobalt,copperandplatinum.Besides agriculture, other industries include: the assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing, and light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, and soap.
In regards to telecommunications infrastructure, Burundi is ranked second to last in theWorld Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI) – an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies. Burundi ranked number 147 overall in the 2014 NRI ranking, down from 144 in 2013.
Lack of access to financial services is a serious problem for the majority of the population, particularly in densely populated rural areas: only 2% of the total population holds bank accounts and fewer than 0.5% use bank lending services.Microfinance, however, plays a larger role, with 4% of Burundians being members of microfinance institutions – a larger share of the population than that reached by banking and postal services combined. 26 licensed microfinance institutions (MFIs) offer savings, deposits, and short- to medium-term credit. The dependence of the sector on donor assistance is limited.
Burundi is part of theEast African Communityand a potential member of the plannedEast African Federation. Burundi economy has declined since 1990s and Burundi is behind all neighbouring countries.
Burundi was ranked 127th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
Burundi's currency is theBurundian franc. It is nominally subdivided into 100centimes, though coins have never been issued in centimes in independent Burundi; centime coins were circulated only when Burundi used theBelgian Congo franc.
Monetary policy is controlled by thecentral bank,Bank of the Republic of Burundi.
Burundi's transport network is limited and underdeveloped. According to a 2012DHL Global Connectedness Index, Burundi is the least globalised of 140 surveyed countries.Bujumbura International Airportis the only airport with a paved runway and as of May 2017 it was serviced by four airlines (Brussels Airlines,Ethiopian Airlines,Kenya AirwaysandRwandAir).Kigaliis the city with the most daily flight connections to Bujumbura. The country has a road network but as of 2005less than 10% of the country's roads were paved and as of 2012private bus companies were the main operators of buses on the international route to Kigali; however, there were no bus connections to the other neighbouring countries (Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo).Bujumbura is connected by a passenger and cargo ferry (theMV Mwongozo) toKigomain Tanzania.There is along-term planto link the country via rail to Kigali and then onward to Kampala and Kenya.
As of October 2021, Burundi was estimated by theUnited Nationsto have a population of 12,346,893,compared to only 2,456,000 in 1950.Thepopulation growth rateis 2.5 percent per year, more than double the average global pace, and a Burundian woman has on average 5.10 children, more than double the internationalfertility rate.Burundi had the tenth highesttotal fertility ratein the world, just behind Somalia, in 2021.
Many Burundians have migrated to other countries as a result of the civil war. In 2006, the United States accepted approximately 10,000 Burundian refugees.
Burundi remains an overwhelmingly rural society, with just 13% of the population living in urban areas in 2013.The population density of around 315 people per square kilometre (753 per sq mi) is the second highest inSub-Saharan Africa.Roughly 85% of the population are ofHutuethnic origin, 15% areTutsiand fewer than 1% are indigenousTwa.
Theofficial languagesof Burundi areKirundi,French, andEnglish. English was made an official language in 2014.Virtually the entire population speaks Kirundi, and just under 10% speak French.
Sources estimate the Christian population at 80–90%, with Roman Catholics representing the largest group at 60–65%.ProtestantandAnglicanpractitioners constitute the remaining 15–25%. An estimated 5% of the population adheres to traditional indigenous religious beliefs. Muslims constitute 2–5%, the majority of whom areSunnisand live in urban areas.
Burundi has the worst hunger and malnourishment rates of all 120 countries ranked in theGlobal Hunger Index.The civil war in 1962 put a stop on the medical advancements in the country.Burundi, again, went into a violent cycle in 2015, jeopardising the citizens of Burundi's medical care.Like other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Burundi uses indigenous medicine in addition tobiomedicine. In the 1980s, Burundi's health authorities asked the United Nations Development Program for support to develop quality control for and begin new research on pharmaceuticals from medicinal plants.At the same time, the Burundi Association of Traditional Practitioners (ATRADIBU) was founded, which teamed up with the governments agency to set up the Centre for Research and Promotion of Traditional Medicine in Burundi (CRPMT).The recent influx of international aid has supported the work of biomedical health systems in Burundi. However, international aid workers have traditionally stayed away from indigenous medicine in Burundi.As of 2015, roughly 1 out of 10 children in Burundi die before the age of 5 from preventable and treatable illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria.The current violence in Burundi has limited the country's access to medication and hospital equipment. The life expectancy in Burundi, as of 2015, was 60.1 years.In 2013, Burundi spent 8% of their GDP on healthcare.While Burundi'sfertilityrate is 6.1 children per women, the country's infantdeath rateis 61.9 deaths for every 1,000 live births.Common diseases in Burundi include malaria and typhoid fever.
Burundi's culture is based on local tradition and the influence of neighbouring countries, though cultural prominence has been hindered bycivil unrest. Since farming is the main industry, a typical Burundian meal consists ofsweet potatoes,corn,riceandpeas. Due to the expense, meat is eaten only a few times per month.
When several Burundians of close acquaintance meet for a gathering they drinkimpeke, a beer, together from a large container to symbolise unity.
Notable Burundians include the footballerMohamed Tchitéand singerJean-Pierre Nimbona, popularly known as Kidumu (who is based inNairobi, Kenya).
Crafts are an important art form in Burundi and are attractive gifts to many tourists. Basket weaving is a popular craft for local artisans,as well as other crafts such as masks, shields, statues and pottery.
Drumming is an important part of the cultural heritage. The world-famousRoyal Drummers of Burundi, who have performed for over 40 years, are noted for traditional drumming using thekaryenda, amashako, ibishikiso and ikiranya drums.Dance often accompanies drumming performance, which is frequently seen in celebrations and family gatherings. The abatimbo, which is performed at official ceremonies and rituals and the fast-paced abanyagasimbo are some famous Burundian dances. Some musical instruments of note are the flute,zither,ikembe, indonongo,umuduri, inanga and the inyagara.
The country'soral traditionis strong, relaying history and life lessons through storytelling, poetry and song. Imigani, indirimbo, amazina and ivyivugo are literary genres in Burundi.
Basketball and track and field are noted sports. Martial arts are popular, as well. There are five major judo clubs: Club Judo de l'Entente Sportive, in Downtown, and four others throughout the city.Association footballis a popular pastime throughout the country, as aremancalagames.
Most Christian holidays are celebrated, with Christmas being the largest.Burundian Independence Day is celebrated annually on 1 July.In 2005, the Burundian government declaredEid al-Fitr, an Islamic holiday, to be a public holiday.
In 2012, the adultliteracyrate in Burundi was estimated to be 74.71% for men and women between the ages of 15 and 24, while the youth literacy rate was much higher at 92.58%.Burundi has a comparatively high literacy rate to other countries in the region, which is only about 10% lower than the global average.Ten percent of Burundian boys are allowed a secondary education.
Burundi has one public university,University of Burundi. There are museums in the cities, such as theBurundi Geological MuseuminBujumburaand theBurundi National Museumand theBurundi Museum of LifeinGitega.
In 2010 a new elementary school was opened in the small village of Rwoga that is funded by the pupils of Westwood High School, Quebec, Canada.
As of 2022, Burundi invested the equivalent of 5% of its GDP in education.
Burundi'sStrategic Plan for Science, Technology, Research and Innovation(2013) covers the following areas: food technology; medical sciences; energy, mining and transportation; water; desertification; environmental biotechnology and indigenous knowledge; materials science; engineering and industry; ICTs; space sciences; mathematical sciences; and social and human sciences.
With regard to material sciences, Burundi's publication intensity doubled from 0.6 to 1.2 articles per million inhabitants between 2012 and 2019, placing it in the top 15 for sub-Saharan Africa for this strategic technology.
Medical sciences remain the main focus of research: medical researchers accounted for 4% of the country's scientists in 2018 but 41% of scientific publications between 2011 and 2019.
The focus of theStrategic Plan for Science, Technology, Research and Innovation(2013) has been on developing an institutional framework and infrastructure, fostering greater regional and international co-operation and placing science in society. In October 2014, the EAC Secretariat designated the National Institute of Public Health a centre of excellence. Data are unavailable on output on nutritional sciences, the institute's area of specialization, but between 2011 and 2019, Burundi scientists produced seven articles on each of HIV and tropical communicable diseases and a further five on tuberculosis, all focus areas for theSustainable Development Goals.
TheStrategic Planhas also focused on training researchers. Researcher density (in head counts) grew from 40 to 55 researchers per million inhabitants between 2011 and 2018. The amount of funding available to each researcher more than doubled from PPP$14,310 (constant 2005 values) to PPP$22,480, since the domestic research effort has also risen since 2012, from 0.11% to 0.21% of GDP.
Burundi has almost tripled its scientific output since 2011 but the pace has not picked up since the adoption of theSustainable Development Goalsin 2015. With six scientific publications per million inhabitants, Burundi still has one of the lowest publication rate in Central and East Africa.Some 97.5% of publications involved foreign co-authorship between 2017 and 2019, with Ugandans figuring among the top five partners.
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