A landlocked country in East Africa, Burundi is a low-income economy, with 80% of the population employed in the agricultural sector.

 With a population of 12.8 million people (2022), 50.3% of whom are women and 41.5% young people under 15, Burundi is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with a density ratio of 442 people per square kilometer (2020 population projection).

What are the development challenges in Burundi?

Burundi’s economic activity remains fragile and vulnerable to shocks. GDP growth is projected to be 2.9% in 2023 from 1.8 % in 2022 driven by agriculture and services. Agricultural production is expected to recover, assuming favorable rainfall and good distribution of fertilizer.

The outbreak of the war in Ukraine caused an increase in prices of basic foodstuffs , bringing food inflation to 35.8% in July 2023 compared to 24.5% in July 2022. Fuel shortages worsened as well.

Source: World Bank, 2024.