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 half of foreign exchange earnings, but these earnings are subject to fluctuations in weather and international coffee and tea prices, Burundi is heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as foreign exchange earnings from participation in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Foreign aid represented 48% of Burundi's national income in 2015, one of the highest percentages in Sub-Saharan Africa, but this figure decreased to 33.5% in 2016 due to political turmoil surrounding President NKURUNZIZA’s bid for a third term. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009.

Burundi faces several underlying weaknesses – low governmental capacity, corruption, a high poverty rate, poor educational levels, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, and overburdened utilities – that have prevented the implementation of planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept pace with inflation, which reached approximately 18% in 2017.

Real GDP growth dropped precipitously following political events in 2015 and has yet to recover to pre-conflict levels. Continued resistance by donors and the international community will restrict Burundi’s economic growth as the country deals with a large current account deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.007 billion (2017 est.)
$8.007 billion (2016 est.)
$8.091 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 164
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.396 billion (2017 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 (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 196
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2017 est.)
$800 (2016 est.)
$800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 227
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
-5.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
-4.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
-6.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 183
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 83% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 20.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 5.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -25.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 39.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 16.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 44.2% (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:
-2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 182
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
5.012 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 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:
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)
[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 (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 51
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 536.7 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 729.6 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
15.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 186
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 177
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
51.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
48.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 96
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.6% (2017 est.)
5.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 214
[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 (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 16
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.8% (31 December 2017 est.)
14.24% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 43
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$540 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$476.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 169
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$540 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$476.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 174
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.03 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 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:
-$418 million (2017 est.)
-$411 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 114
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$119 million (2017 est.)
$109.7 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 195
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 25.5%, Switzerland 18.4%, UAE 14.9%, Belgium 6% (2017)

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

Imports:
$603.8 million (2017 est.)
$527.2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 195
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
India 18.5%, China 13%, Kenya 7.9%, UAE 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Uganda 6%, Tanzania 5.4%, Zambia 4.6% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$97.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$95.17 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 181
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$610.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$622.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 174
[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.)