People & Society
Burundi
Literacy
male
78.2% (2020 est.)
female
66.2% (2020 est.)
total population
71.4% (2020 est.)
Languages
Languages
Kirundi (official), French (official), English (official, least commonly spoken), Swahili (as of 2008)
major-language sample(s)
Igitabo Mpuzamakungu c'ibimenyetso bifatika, isoko ntabanduka ku nkuru z'urufatiro. (Kirundi)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Christian 93.9% (Roman Catholic 58.6%, Protestant 35.3% [including Adventist 2.7% and other Protestant denominations 32.6%]), Muslim 3.4%, other 1.3%, none 1.3% (estimates from 2016-17)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.98 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.76 male(s)/female
Birth rate
35.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
18 years
total
17.6 years (2025 est.)
female
18.7 years
Population
male
6,755,456
total
13,590,102 (2024 est.)
female
6,834,646
Nationality
noun
Burundian(s)
adjective
Burundian
Tobacco use
male
14% (2025 est.)
total
9.1% (2025 est.)
female
4.3% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
14.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
5.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
42.3% (male 2,895,275/female 2,848,286)
15-64 years
54.4% (male 3,662,688/female 3,727,022)
65 years and over
3.4% (2024 est.) (male 197,493/female 259,338)
Ethnic groups
Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, South Asian
Child marriage
men married by age 18
1.4% (2017)
women married by age 15
2.8% (2017)
women married by age 18
19% (2017)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
83.9 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
77.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
16.2 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
6.2 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.1% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
4.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.94 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 57.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 90.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 42.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 9.3% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.4% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
39.7 deaths/1,000 live births
total
35.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
31.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
2.96% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
2.43 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
among the most densely populated nations in Africa; population clusters are primarily found in the northern regions and along the northern banks of Lake Tanganyika in the west; the majority of residents inhabit farms located in areas with fertile volcanic soil, as illustrated in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
66 years
female
70.3 years
total population
68.1 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
392 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 53.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 58.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 87.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 46.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 41.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 12.6% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
4.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.207 million BUJUMBURA (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5.4% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.5 years (2016/17 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58.2% (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
28.3% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
10 years (2018 est.)
total
10 years (2018 est.)
female
10 years (2018 est.)