Burundi
Name
| Official name | Republic of Burundi — Republika y'Uburundi (Kirundi); République du Burundi (French) |
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| Former name | Kingdom of Burundi, 1962–1966; part of Ruanda-Urundi under Belgium, 1916–1962 |
| Demonym | Burundian; Barundi (plural), Murundi (singular) |
| Meaning of the name | The name of the kingdom of the mwami, in use since the 17th century — of uncertain origin |
| Motto | "Ubumwe, Ibikorwa, Iterambere" — "Unité, Travail, Progrès": unity, work, progress |
Quick facts
| Capital | Gitega — the political capital since 2019; about 135,000 people. Bujumbura the economic capital and largest city, about 1 million, on Lake Tanganyika |
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| Official languages | Kirundi, French and English — English added in 2014; Swahili widely spoken in the cities |
| Currency | Burundian franc — ISO code BIF, FBu; issued by the Bank of the Republic of Burundi |
| Time zone | Central Africa Time, UTC+2, all year |
| Calling code | +257 |
| Internet domain | .bi |
| ISO 3166 codes | BI · BDI · 108 |
| Vehicle registration code | RU |
| Driving side | Right |
| Electricity | 220 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and E |
| Independence | 1 July 1962, from Belgium |
| National days | 1 July, Independence Day; 5 February, Unity Day; 13 October, Rwagasore Day; 21 October, Ndadaye Day; 6 April, Ntaryamira Day |
| Constitution | 7 June 2018, by referendum — replacing the constitution of 2005 built on the Arusha Agreement |
| Population | About 12.3 million at the census of 2024 — the five provinces together; about 14 million by the UN and World Bank estimates |
| Area | 27,830 km² (10,745 sq mi) — land 25,680 km², water 2,150 km²; landlocked; a little smaller than Maryland |
Flag & national symbols
| National flag | A white saltire dividing red above and below from green at the hoist and fly, with three red six-pointed stars in a white disc — peace between the struggle and hope, the stars for the motto and for the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa; the saltire since 1 July 1962, the stars since 28 June 1967, the 3:5 proportion since 27 September 1982.Flag of Burundi |
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| Coat of arms | A lion's head on a red shield before three crossed spears, over the motto on a scroll — adopted 1966 |
| National anthem | "Burundi Bwacu" ("Our Burundi") — words by Jean-Baptiste Ntahokaja and others, music by Marc Barengayabo; adopted 1962 |
| National motto | "Ubumwe, Ibikorwa, Iterambere" — unity, work, progress |
| National colors | Red, green and white |
| The royal drums | The karyenda and the drummers of Burundi — the ritual dance of the royal drum, inscribed by UNESCO in 2014; the drum sanctuary at Gishora near Gitega |
| National animal | The lion — on the arms; heraldic, not designated |
| National dish | Beans and bananas — ibiharage and ibitoke; brochettes; widely cited |
| Symbol status | The flag, arms, anthem and motto are fixed by Article 8 of the Constitution; the drums are the country's recognized heritage; the animal and dish are widely cited |
Geography
| Location | The African Great Lakes — landlocked between Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the northeast shore of Lake Tanganyika |
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| Land borders | 1,140 km (708 mi) with three countries |
| Border with Tanzania | 589 km (366 mi) |
| Border with Rwanda | 315 km (196 mi) |
| Border with the DR Congo | 236 km (147 mi) — the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyika |
| Coastline | None — landlocked, with about 160 km of shore on Lake Tanganyika |
| Highest point | Mount Heha, 2,670 m (8,760 ft), in the Congo–Nile divide |
| Lowest point | Lake Tanganyika, 772 m (2,533 ft) |
| Mean elevation | 1,504 m (4,934 ft) — a country of hills |
| Lake Tanganyika | The second deepest lake in the world, 1,470 m, and the longest freshwater lake — about 8% of it Burundian; Bujumbura on its shore |
| The Nile's source | The Ruvyironza — a headstream of the Kagera and so of the Nile — rises at Kasumo near Rutovu, marked as the Nile's southernmost source by a pyramid of 1938 |
| Rivers | The Ruvubu and the Ruvyironza to the Kagera and the Nile; the Rusizi from Lake Kivu to Tanganyika; the Malagarasi on the Tanzanian border |
| Terrain | The Rusizi plain and the lakeshore in the west; the Congo–Nile ridge; the central plateau of hills at 1,500–2,000 m; the Kumoso lowlands in the east |
| Climate | Equatorial, tempered by altitude — two rainy seasons, February to May and September to November; about 20°C on the plateau |
| Natural hazards | Floods and landslides in the rains; drought in the north; earthquakes along the Rift |
| Natural resources | Nickel, uranium, rare earths, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, gold, limestone, hydropower |
| Land use | Agricultural land about 73% — among the highest shares in the world; forest under 7% |
| National parks | Kibira, the montane forest on the Congo–Nile divide; Ruvubu, the largest; Rusizi |
| UNESCO World Heritage | None inscribed — the drum sanctuary of Gishora and other sites on the tentative list; the ritual dance of the royal drum on the intangible heritage list since 2014 |
| Administrative divisions | 5 provinces since the reform of 2023, in force from the elections of 2025 — Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera and Gitega — with 42 communes and 3,044 collines; 18 provinces and 119 communes before |
People
| Population | About 12.3 million (census of 2024); about 14 million (UN and World Bank estimates) |
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| Population density | About 450–500 per km² (1,200 per sq mi) — the second highest in mainland Africa after Rwanda |
| Population growth | About 2.7% a year |
| Median age | About 17 years |
| Life expectancy | About 62 years |
| Fertility rate | About 5 births per woman — among the highest in the world |
| Urban population | About 15% — among the lowest in the world |
| Adult literacy | About 75% |
| Ethnic groups | Hutu about 85%, Tutsi about 14%, Twa about 1% — by the customary estimate; the census does not count ethnicity |
| Languages | Kirundi spoken by almost all — one of the few African countries with a single national language; French in government; Swahili in commerce |
| Religion | Roman Catholic about 62%, Protestant about 24%, Muslim about 3%, traditional beliefs (2008 census) |
| Largest towns | Bujumbura, Gitega, Ngozi, Rumonge, Muyinga, Kayanza |
| Human Development Index | 0.439 (2023 data, 2025 report) — low; 187th of 193 |
| Refugees and diaspora | Some 300,000 Burundians remain refugees abroad, in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo, from the crises of 1972, 1993 and 2015 |
| Sport | Football — the national team, the Intamba mu Rugamba, at its first Africa Cup of Nations in 2019; athletics — Vénuste Niyongabo's 5,000 m gold at Atlanta in 1996, the country's only Olympic medal; the bicycle |
Government
| Form of government | Presidential republic under the Constitution of 2018 — the president elected for seven years, renewable once |
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| President | Évariste Ndayishimiye (CNDD-FDD), since 18 June 2020 — a former general; chairperson of the African Union since 15 February 2026 |
| Vice President | Prosper Bazombanza (UPRONA), since 2020 |
| Prime Minister | Nestor Ntahontuye (CNDD-FDD), since 5 August 2025 — finance minister before; his predecessor Gervais Ndirakobuca now President of the Senate |
| The 2025 elections | Held 5 June 2025: the CNDD-FDD 96.5% and all 100 elected seats of the National Assembly, with the main opposition party, the CNL, barred; the African Union called the vote peaceful, while the Catholic Church and other observers reported ballot stuffing and forced voting; the Senate elected 23 July, also entirely CNDD-FDD |
| Parliament | The National Assembly — 100 elected members with co-opted seats for ethnic balance and three for the Twa, 111 in all; the Senate, elected by the communal councils, two per province |
| The next election | The presidential election due in 2027 |
| Legal system | Civil law on the Belgian model, with customary law; a Constitutional Court |
| Provinces | 5, each under a governor, since 2025 |
| Arusha | The Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of 28 August 2000, which ended the civil war and set ethnic quotas in government and the army |
| United Nations | Member since 18 September 1962 |
| Regional memberships | The East African Community (2007); the African Union; COMESA; the Economic Community of Central African States; the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region |
Economy
| GDP (nominal) | About US$3 billion (2025, IMF) |
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| GDP per capita | About US$200 (2025) — the lowest in the world |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | About US$900 (2025) |
| GDP growth | About 3% a year (2024–25), with inflation above 20% and shortages of fuel and foreign exchange |
| Economy by sector | Agriculture about 30% of GDP and about 85% of employment; services about 45%; industry about 12% |
| Currency | Burundian franc (BIF) |
| Coffee and tea | The great exports — arabica coffee from the hills, tea from the highlands; about 60% of export earnings together |
| Minerals | Nickel at Musongati among the largest undeveloped deposits in the world; rare earths at Gakara; gold |
| Trade partners | The United Arab Emirates, the DR Congo, Pakistan and Switzerland for exports; China, Saudi Arabia, India, Tanzania and Kenya for imports |
| Aid | Foreign aid about a fifth of the budget |
| Income classification | Low income (World Bank) |
Transport & infrastructure
| Main airport | Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, Bujumbura |
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| Airline | Air Burundi, the national carrier |
| Lake port | Bujumbura on Lake Tanganyika — ferries and cargo to Kigoma in Tanzania and to Zambia |
| Railways | None — a standard-gauge line from Tanzania to Bujumbura agreed in 2022 |
| Roads | About 12,000 km (7,500 mi), about 1,500 km paved; the routes to Kigali and to Dar es Salaam the lifelines |
| The bicycle | The bicycle taxi and the bicycle porter — the transport of the hills |
History in dates
| c. 1680 | The Kingdom of Burundi founded by Ntare I Rushatsi, by tradition |
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| 1890s | Part of German East Africa |
| 1916 | Belgian occupation; the mandate of Ruanda-Urundi from 1922 |
| 1961 | Prince Louis Rwagasore wins the election and is assassinated, 13 October |
| 1962 | Independence as a kingdom under Mwambutsa IV, 1 July |
| 1966 | The monarchy overthrown; the republic under Michel Micombero, 28 November |
| 1972 | The killings of April–May — some 100,000 to 300,000 dead, mostly Hutu |
| 1993 | Melchior Ndadaye elected the first Hutu president, 1 June, and assassinated 21 October — the civil war begins |
| 1994 | Cyprien Ntaryamira killed with Rwanda's president, 6 April |
| 2000 | The Arusha Agreement, 28 August |
| 2005 | The new constitution; Pierre Nkurunziza president, 26 August |
| 2015 | Nkurunziza's third term; protests, a failed coup and flight of hundreds of thousands |
| 2018 | The Constitution of 7 June; Gitega named capital, 22 December |
| 2020 | Évariste Ndayishimiye president, 18 June |
| 2025 | The CNDD-FDD wins every seat, 5 June; the five provinces; Ntahontuye prime minister, 5 August |
| 2026 | Ndayishimiye chairs the African Union, 15 February |
Records & firsts
| The southernmost source of the Nile | Kasumo, near Rutovu — the pyramid of 1938 |
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| The second deepest lake | Tanganyika, 1,470 m |
| The drummers | The ritual dance of the royal drum — UNESCO heritage since 2014 |
| The lowest income per head | About US$200 a year |
| Among the densest in Africa | About 450–500 people per km² |
| One language | Kirundi, spoken by nearly everyone — rare in Africa |
| Africa's only saltire | The white cross of the flag |
| Two capitals | Gitega for politics, Bujumbura for business |
| A president chairing Africa | Ndayishimiye at the African Union, 2026 |
| The fewest city dwellers | About 15% urban — among the lowest shares anywhere |
| One Olympic medal, and it was gold | Vénuste Niyongabo, 5,000 m, Atlanta 1996 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the official name of Burundi?
The Republic of Burundi — Republika y'Uburundi in Kirundi, République du Burundi in French; the Kingdom of Burundi from independence in 1962 until the republic of 1966. The name is that of the kingdom the mwami — the king — ruled from the 17th century; the people are the Barundi, or Burundians, and the language Kirundi.
What is the capital of Burundi?
Gitega, in the center of the country — the old royal capital, made the political capital on 22 December 2018 and the seat of the presidency and parliament from 2019 — with about 135,000 people. Bujumbura, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, was the capital from 1962 and remains the economic capital and the largest city, with about a million people.
How big is Burundi, and how many people live there?
About 27,830 km² (10,745 sq mi) — a little smaller than Maryland — landlocked in the Great Lakes region between Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a shore on Lake Tanganyika. The census of 2024 counted about 12.3 million people; the UN and the World Bank estimate about 14 million. At more than 450 people per km² it is among the most densely populated countries in Africa.
What are the highest and lowest points of Burundi?
Mount Heha, 2,670 m (8,760 ft), in the Congo–Nile divide above Bujumbura, is the highest point; Lake Tanganyika, at 772 m (2,533 ft), is the lowest — the second deepest lake in the world, whose northern end Burundi shares with the Congo. The mean elevation is about 1,500 m: a country of hills, the collines that are also its smallest administrative unit.
What currency does Burundi use?
The Burundian franc (ISO code BIF, FBu), issued by the Bank of the Republic of Burundi since 1964 — with a wide gap between the official rate and the street rate amid the foreign-exchange shortages of the 2020s. Clocks keep Central Africa Time, UTC+2, all year.
Who governs Burundi?
President Évariste Ndayishimiye of the CNDD-FDD, in office since 18 June 2020 for a seven-year term under the Constitution of 2018, and since 15 February 2026 the chairperson of the African Union; Prosper Bazombanza is vice president, and Nestor Ntahontuye has been prime minister since 5 August 2025. In the legislative election of 5 June 2025 the ruling party took 96.5 percent of the vote and all 100 elected seats, with the main opposition party barred and observers reporting irregularities. The next presidential election is due in 2027.
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