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 more than 60% of foreign exchange earnings. Thus, Burundi's export earnings - and its ability to pay for imports - rest primarily on favorable 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 represented 48% of Burundi's national income in 2015, one of the highest percentages in Sub-Saharan Africa, but decreased to 33.5% in 2016. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009.The 1993-2005 civil war 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 war’s end, but underlying weaknesses – low governmental capacity, a high poverty rate, poor educational levels, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, and overburdened utilities – have prevented the implementation of planned economic reforms. Government corruption has also hindered the development of a private sector. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept pace with inflation.In 2015, Burundi’s economy suffered from political turmoil, including street protests and an attempted coup, following President NKURUNZIZA’s controversial announcement that he would run for a third term. Insecurity and refugee flows to neighboring countries slowed down economic activity and donors withdrew aid, increasing Burundi’s budget deficit and decreasing hard currency reserves. Real GDP growth dropped precipitously and has yet to recover to pre-conflict levels.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.985 billion (2017 est.) $7.985 billion (2016 est.) $8.069 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 164

GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.393 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
0% (2017 est.) -1% (2016 est.) -4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2017 est.) $800 (2016 est.) $900 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 228

Gross national saving:
-5.4% of GDP (2017 est.) -4.1% of GDP (2016 est.) -6.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 80.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 21.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 15.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0%
[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: -22.9% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 40%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 16%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 44.1% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
-5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
5.012 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
[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:
64.6% (2014 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 ]

Budget:
revenues: $607.6 million
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $748.9 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
17.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
40.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 43.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18% (2017 est.) 5.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
[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: 17
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.9% (31 December 2017 est.) 14.24% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$498.1 million (31 December 2017 est.) $456.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$663.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) $612.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$1.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $955.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[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:
-$422 million (2017 est.) -$411 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$100.3 million (2017 est.) $109.7 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

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

Exports - partners:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 30.6%, UAE 15.7%, Kenya 14.5%, Rwanda 7.2% (2016)

Imports:
$442.1 million (2017 est.) $509.4 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 13.3%, India 13%, Tanzania 8.6%, Saudi Arabia 7.9%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 5.2%, Uganda 5% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$79.3 million (31 December 2017 est.) $95.17 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$619.8 million (31 December 2017 est.) $622.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,731 (2017 est.) 1,654.63 (2016 est.) 1,654.63 (2015 est.) 1,571.9 (2014 est.) 1,546.7 (2013 est.)