Page last updated on February 20, 2013
Economy - overview:
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural; agriculture accounts for just over 30% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. 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. Burundi's export earnings - and its ability to pay for imports - rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Less than 2% of the population has electricity in its homes. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-12. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, overburdened utilities, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept up with inflation. 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 Burundi's 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.489 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
$5.268 billion (2011 est.)
$5.057 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.53 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
4.2% (2011 est.)
3.8% (2010 est.)
[see also:
GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita:
$600 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225
$600 (2011 est.)
$600 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.1%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
21.3%
services:
47.7% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
4.245 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 88
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 93.6%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
2.3%
services:
4.1% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
68% (2002 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%:
28% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.4 (1998)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $473.2 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures:
$558.5 million (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
18.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
72.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
80.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also:
Public debt country ranks ]
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
9.7% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
11.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
10% (31 December 2009 est.)
[see also:
Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
13.33% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$372.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
$333.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$519 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
$465.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$642.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
$576.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava (manioc); beef, milk, hides
Industries:
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap, and beer; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$337.4 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
-$253.4 million (2011 est.)
[see also:
Current account balance country ranks ]
Exports:
$107.4 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
$90.8 million (2011 est.)
[see also:
Exports country ranks ]
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners:
Germany 15.6%, China 10.5%, Sweden 9.5%, Belgium 9%, Pakistan 7.4%, US 7.4%, France 4.3% (2011)
Imports:
$569.7 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
$536.6 million (2011 est.)
[see also:
Imports country ranks ]
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 17.1%, Belgium 8.3%, China 7.6%, Uganda 7.5%, Kenya 6.6%, Zambia 6.5%, US 6.3%, France 5.1%, India 4.1% (2011)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$335.8 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
$295.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
Debt - external:
$231.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
$322.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Debt - external country ranks ]
Exchange rates:
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar -
1,439.5 (2012 est.)
1,261.07 (2011 est.)
1,230.8 (2010 est.)
1,230.18 (2009)
1,198 (2008)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
NOTE: The information regarding Burundi on this page is re-published from the 2013 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burundi Economy 2013 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Burundi Economy 2013 should be addressed to the CIA.
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