Economics
Economic overview: Burundi is landlocked, has few natural resources and an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural; about 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture. The state of the economy is determined by the yield of coffee, the sale of which provides 80% of export earnings. Therefore, a country’s ability to pay for imports is mainly dependent on changing climatic conditions and the state of the international coffee market. Since October 1993, Burundi has suffered from a large-scale ethnic conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people and displaced some 800,000 people. Only one in four children attends school, one in nine adults is infected with HIV. There is not enough food, medicine and electricity. See businesscarriers.com to know more about Burundi Economics and Business.
GDP: at purchasing power parity – $ 4.4 billion (2000 est.).
Real GDP growth rate: 1.8% (2000 est.).
GDP per capita: PPP $720 (2000 est.)
The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 50%; industry: 18%; services: 32% (1996 est.).
Proportion of population below the poverty line: 36.2% (1990 est.).
Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3.4%; by the top 10% of families: 26.6% (1992).
Inflation rate at consumer prices: 22% (2000 est.).
Labor force: 1.9 million people
Employment structure: no data.
Unemployment rate: no data.
Budget: revenues: $125 million; expenses: $176 million, including capital expenditures – NA (2000 est.).
Spheres of economy: light industry (production of blankets, footwear, soap); assembly of equipment from imported parts; public construction works; food industry.
Growth in industrial production: 6.3% (1999).
Electricity generation: 141 million kWh (1999).
Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 0.71%; hydropower: 99.29%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999).
Electricity consumption: 160.1 million kWh (1998)
Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999).
Electricity import: 29 million kWh; note: electricity is imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1999).
Agricultural products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava (tapioca); beef, milk, leather products.
Export: $32 million (free on board, 2000)
Exports: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, leather goods.
Export partners: Germany 17%, Belgium 6%, USA 8%, France 6%, Switzerland 4% (1999).
Imports: $110 million (free on board, 2000)
Import articles: means of production, petroleum products, foodstuffs.
Import partners: Belgium 20%, Zambia 11%, Kenya 8%, South Africa 5%, France 4% (1999). I
External debt: $1.12 billion (1999 est.) Economic aid recipient: $1.344 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid donor:
Currency: Burundian franc.
Currency code: BIF.
Exchange rate: BIF/USD -782.36 (January 2001), 720.67 (2000), 563.56 (1999), 477.77 (1998),] 352.35 (1997), 302.75 (1996).
Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 16,000 (1997).
Mobile Cell Phones: 619 (1997).
Telephone system: primitive system; internal: a loose network of open wired 1 lines, radiotelephone communications and low-power 1 microwave radio links; international: satellite ground stations – 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean).
Broadcast stations: AM -2, FM -2, shortwave – 0 (1998).
Radio receivers: 440,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999).
TVs: 25,000 (1997).
Internet country code: bi
Internet service providers: 1 (2000).
Number of users: 2,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: 0 km.
Roads: total length: 14,480 km; coated: 1,028 km; unpaved: 13,452 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika.
Ports and harbours: Bujumbura.
Airports: 4 (2000 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 1; over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways: total: 3; 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army (includes military flotilla and air force units), paramilitary gendarmerie.
Enlistment age: 16 years old.
Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 1,394,273 (2001 est.).
Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 728,326 (2001 est.).
Number of persons reaching military age each year: men: 79,360 (2001 est.).
Military spending in dollar terms: $57 million (1997)
Military spending as part of GDP: 6.1% (1997).
