Economy - overview:
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. Agriculture accounts for over 40% 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. Thus, Burundi's export earnings - and its ability to pay for imports - rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices, although exports are a relatively small share of GDP. Burundi is heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors - foreign aid in 2014 represented 42% of Burundi's national income, the second highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009.An ethnic-based war that ended in 2005 resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Political stability, aid flows, and economic activity improved following the end of the civil war, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, overburdened utilities, and low administrative capacity – have prevented the government from implementing planned economic reforms. Government corruption has also hindered the development of a private sector as companies have to deal with ever changing rules. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept up with inflation.In 2015 Burundi’s economy suffered from political turmoil over President NKURUNZIZA’s controversial third term. Blocked transportation routes disrupted the flow of agricultural goods. And donors withdrew aid, increasing Burundi’s budget deficit. When the unrest ends, regional infrastructure improvements driven by the EAC and funded by the World Bank may help improve Burundi’s transport connections and lower transportation costs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.883 billion (2015 est.) $8.491 billion (2014 est.) $8.107 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 163
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.97 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
-7.2% (2015 est.) 4.7% (2014 est.) 4.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$900 (2015 est.) $900 (2014 est.) $900 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 225
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
3.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2014 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 71.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 21.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 27.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: -2.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 5.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -23.3% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 39.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 18.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 42.7% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava (manioc, tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:
light consumer goods (blankets, shoes, soap, beer); assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
4.95 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
[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%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 4.1% (2002 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

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)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.4 (1998)
country comparison to the world: 52
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $852 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $1.003 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
28.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
37.2% of GDP (2015 est.) 36.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2015 est.) 4.4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
11.25% (31 December 2010) 10% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16% (31 December 2015 est.) 15.7% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$437.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) $412.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$594.6 million (31 December 2015 est.) $568.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$767.5 million (31 December 2015 est.) $721.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
[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 ]

Current account balance:
-$336 million (2015 est.) -$545 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$96.6 million (2015 est.) $122.4 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:
Pakistan 12.7%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.6%, Uganda 9.6%, Germany 6.5%, Belgium 5.9%, France 5.6%, Rwanda 5.4%, Sweden 5.1%, US 4.6%, China 4.3%, Sudan 4.2% (2014)

Imports:
$815.1 million (2015 est.) $923 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 12.9%, Kenya 11%, Belgium 10.4%, China 8.4%, Tanzania 7.9%, Uganda 6.9%, India 5% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$315.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) $317.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$700.8 million (31 December 2014 est.) $682.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,578.2 (2015 est.) 1,546.7 (2014 est.) 1,546.7 (2013 est.) 1,442.51 (2012 est.) 1,261.07 (2011 est.)