Burundi

Africa
Gitega

Population

13.59M

Area

27,830 km²

GDP

$2.16B

GDP Per Capita

$800

Quick FAQs

Region

Africa

Capital

Gitega

ISO 3166

bi

Government Type

presidential republic

Language

Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, Learn more

ON THIS PAGE

About Burundi

Burundi is a landlocked country located in East Africa, bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, covering an area of approximately 27,830 square kilometers. As of 2025, Burundi has a population of over 13 million, with Kirundi, French, and English as official languages. The country features mostly hilly and mountainous terrain, with the Great Rift Valley running through its western region, experiencing a tropical climate moderated by altitude. Gitega serves as the capital.

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with an economy dominated by subsistence agriculture, coffee, and tea exports. The country faces severe challenges including political instability, limited infrastructure, high population density, and food insecurity. Despite these difficulties, Burundi has potential in mineral resources including nickel and gold, and continues to receive international development assistance. The population faces significant health challenges with low life expectancy and high rates of malnutrition and infectious diseases.

Geography & Environment

Geographic Location

Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania

Geographic Coordinate

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Geographic Area

27,830 km²

Climate

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees Celsius but is generally moderate; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm with two wet seasons (February to May and September to November) and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

Terrain

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Natural Hazards

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

Natural Resources

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Geography Note

N/A

People & Society

Ave. Life Expentancy at Birth

63.8 years

Urbanization

14.80%

Population Growth Rate

2.96% (2025 est.)

Literacy Rate

93.5% (2020 est.)

Health Expendeture

N/A

Education Expenditure

2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Languages

Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least spoken), Swahili (2008 est.)

Religions

Christian 93.9% (Roman Catholic 58.6%, Protestant 35.3% [includes Adventist 2.7% and other Protestant religions 32.6%]), Muslim 3.4%, other 1.3%, none 1.3% (2016-17 est.)

Government

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Burundi

conventional short form

Burundi

local long form

République du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)

local short form

Burundi

former

Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi

etymology

name dates from 1966 and is derived from the name of the local Bantu people, the Rundi or Barundi; ba- is the prefix for the people, and bu- is the prefix for the country; the former name, Urundi, is the Swahili version

Economy

Economic Overview

highly agrarian, low-income Sub-Saharan economy; declining foreign assistance; increasing fiscal insolvencies; dense and still growing population; COVID-19 weakened economic recovery and flipped two years of deflation

GDP Per Capita

$800

Unemployment Rate

11.9% (2025 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

51% (2020 est.)

Industries

light consumer goods (sugar, shoes, soap, beer); cement, assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing (fruits)

Agricultural Products

cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, maize, vegetables, potatoes, rice, sugarcane, fruits (2023)

Location

Organizations Making an Impact in Burundi

Discover the passionate teams and non-profits currently driving progress in this space
Find Nonprofits
2 nonprofit found (2 total)

CTM/ROVF

Bujumbura, Burundi, Burundi
IEN
Causes:
  • Human Services
Causes:
  • Human Services
Load More Organizations

Give Your Mission a Global Stage

Join thousands of nonprofits on Missions for Good. Expand your digital footprint, share your story, and connect directly with passionate donors who are searching for causes just like yours.

Let’s Scale Your Impact Together.

Have a question about your Digital Marketing, SEO and Google Ad Grant?
Schedule a Strategic Call

Close Form