Country Snapshot

Population (2019, millions)¹ 11.531
Population Projections (2030, millions)¹ 15.77
Capital Bujumbura
Surface Area (km²)² 27,830
Weather¹¹ Average annual temperature, 24°C; driest months, June-September; wettest months, February-May; average monthly rainfall, 65 mm
Languages³ Official: Kirundi and French Others: Swahili, English and others
Main Religions³ Main: Catholic and Protestant – Others: Muslim and others
Time⁴ Central Africa Time (CAT) +0200 UTC
Driving Orientation⁵ Right Side
Internet Country Code⁶ .bi
Country Calling Code +257
Plug, Socket and Voltage⁷ Type C and E – 220V/50Hz
Currency Burundi Franc (BIF)
Exchange Rate (As of 28 January 2019, per USD) 1,928 (buy rate)
GDP at Market Prices (2018, current, billions of USD)⁹ 3.078
GDP Growth (2018, annual %)⁹ 1.6
Average GDP Growth (2014-2018, annual %)⁹ 0.36
GDP per Capita, PPP (2018, current international $)⁹ 742.8

Sources:
¹United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
²COMESA Statistics, COMESTAT Data Hub.
³CIA World Factbook.
⁴Time and Date Portal.
⁵Chartsbin Portal, “Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country”.
⁶Wikipedia, “List of Internet top-level domains”; and, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, Root Zone Database.
⁷International Electrotechnical Commission, World Plugs.
⁹World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.
¹¹Economist Intelligence Unit.
¹²AFDB Socioeconomic Database.

Reasons to Invest in Burundi

Source: Burundi Investment Authority – API

Population

Population Projections (millions) 

Population (2019) 11.53
Population Projections (2030) 15.77

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Population Residing in Urban Areas (%)

Population Projections (2019) 13.36
Percentage of Population Residing in Urban Areas (2030) 17.59

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Economy Overview

GDP

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
GDP at Market Prices (current, billions of USD) 4.2 (3.9) (0.6) 0.5 1.6
GDP Growth (annual %) 4.59 4.66 3.92 0.57 0.52

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.

Value Added by Sector (% of GDP)

Indicator 2018 2019
Agriculture 48.78 48.38
Manufacturing 14.03 13.99
Industry 19.59 19.38
Services 50.64 51.23
Construction 4.18 4.04
Electricity, gas and water 0.92 0.92
Mining and quarrying 0.45 0.43
Education 7.81 7.79
Finance, real estate and business services 5.60 5.88
Public administration and Defense 8.71 8.83
Health and Social Work 3.98 4.04
Other services 3.36 3.56
Transport, storage and communication 5.09 5.36
Wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants 21.21 21.20

Source: AFDB Socio Economic Database

Trade Profile

Import Partners (Imported Value, thousands, USD)

Exporters 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
World 672,579 560,585 625,328 783,299 793,512
Saudi Arabia 73,452 35,530 18,299 73,718 136,098
China 72,488 70,541 103,602 108,051 102,931
United Arab Emirates 28,273 27,744 41,978 56,771 69,849
India 75,161 67,146 88,399 109,594 55,969
Tanzania, United Republic of 56,298 44,027 51,584 59,237 49,810

Source: International Trade Centre COMTRADE Statistics.

Export Partners (Exported Value, thousands, USD)

Importers 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
World 141,501 113,791 123,056 149,406 169,071
United Arab Emirates 24,944 14,492 16,063 38,268 50,216
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 28,400 28,272 27,471 26,648 18,904
Pakistan 13,812 13,145
Belgium 5,863 4,261 7,295 8,093 12,148
Switzerland 23,471 22,516 21,991 8,833 9,468

Source: International Trade Centre COMTRADE Statistics.

Investment Profile

FDI Inflows (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inflows 0.1 0.3 1.0 1.0 6.1

Source:United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Outflows (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inflows 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.7

Source:United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Inward Stock (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inward Stock 241.4 231.0 226.7 227.7 233.8

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Outflows Stock (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inward Stock 2.6 2.5 2.4 3.2 4.9

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Inflows Main Source Countries (in terms of number of projects)

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, United States, Vietnam and Egypt.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

FDI Inflows Main Sectors (in terms of number of projects)

Financial Services, Communications, Business Services, Building and Construction Materials, Metals, Rubber, Renewable Energy, Food and Tobacco, Healthcare, Tourism.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

FDI Inflows Main Companies (in terms of number of projects)

Diamond Trust Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Rainbow Rare Earths, Viettel Burundi, CityBlue Hotels, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ecobank Transnational, Viettel, SEW-Eurodrive, Equity Bank.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

Doing Business

Overall Doing Business Ranking

2020 166/190
2019 168/190

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Starting a Business

2020 Rank 44/190
Procedures (number) 4
Time (days) 5
Cost (% of income per capita*) 12.3
Paid-in Minimum Capital (% of income per capita*) 0.0

*GNI per capita used: USD 280
Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Paying Taxes

Paying Taxes

2020 Rank 140/190
Payments (number per year) 24
Time (hours per year) 232
Total Tax Rate (% of profit) 41.2
Profit Tax (% of profit) 28.5
Labour Tax and Contributions (% of profit) 10.2
Other Taxes (% of profit) 2.5

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Trading Across Borders

2020 Rank 169/190
Time to Export: Border Compliance (hours) 59
Cost to Export: Border Compliance (USD) 109
Time to Export: Documentary Compliance (hours) 120
Cost to Export: Documentary Compliance (USD) 150
Time to Import: Border Compliance (hours) 154
Cost to Import: Border Compliance (USD) 444
Time to Import: Documentary Compliance (hours) 180
Cost to Import: Documentary Compliance (USD) 1025

Assumptions

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Investment Regime

Legal Framework

Investment Code – Law N. 1/24 of the 10th of September 2008
Key guarantees in terms of investment protection include:

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, iGuide Burundi.

Investment Incentives

  • Acquisition of buildings and plots, essential for the achievement of the exploitation is exempted from transfer taxes.
  • Customs duties exemption on all imported duties produced in the EAC and
  • If the business profit results in a loss in a tax period, the loss may be deducted from the business profit in the next five (5) tax periods, earlier losses being deducted before later losses.
  • A registered investor shall be entitled to a profit tax discount of: 

Source: KPMG, Burundi Fiscal Guide 2018 and Deloitte, Guide to Fiscal Information, Key Economies in Africa 2018

Country Snapshot

Population (2019, millions)¹ 11.531
Population Projections (2030, millions)¹ 15.77
Capital Bujumbura
Surface Area (km²)² 27,830
Weather¹¹ Average annual temperature, 24°C; driest months, June-September; wettest months, February-May; average monthly rainfall, 65 mm
Languages³ Official: Kirundi and French Others: Swahili, English and others
Main Religions³ Main: Catholic and Protestant – Others: Muslim and others
Time⁴ Central Africa Time (CAT) +0200 UTC
Driving Orientation⁵ Right Side
Internet Country Code⁶ .bi
Country Calling Code +257
Plug, Socket and Voltage⁷ Type C and E – 220V/50Hz
Currency Burundi Franc (BIF)
Exchange Rate (As of 28 January 2019, per USD) 1,928 (buy rate)
GDP at Market Prices (2018, current, billions of USD)⁹ 3.078
GDP Growth (2018, annual %)⁹ 1.6
Average GDP Growth (2014-2018, annual %)⁹ 0.36
GDP per Capita, PPP (2018, current international $)⁹ 742.8

Sources:
¹United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
²COMESA Statistics, COMESTAT Data Hub.
³CIA World Factbook.
⁴Time and Date Portal.
⁵Chartsbin Portal, “Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country”.
⁶Wikipedia, “List of Internet top-level domains”; and, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, Root Zone Database.
⁷International Electrotechnical Commission, World Plugs.
⁹World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.
¹¹Economist Intelligence Unit.
¹²AFDB Socioeconomic Database.

Reasons to Invest in Burundi

Source: Burundi Investment Authority – API

Population

Population Projections (millions) 

Population (2019) 11.53
Population Projections (2030) 15.77

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Population Residing in Urban Areas (%)

Population Projections (2019) 13.36
Percentage of Population Residing in Urban Areas (2030) 17.59

Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Economy Overview

GDP

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
GDP at Market Prices (current, billions of USD) 4.2 (3.9) (0.6) 0.5 1.6
GDP Growth (annual %) 4.59 4.66 3.92 0.57 0.52

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2019.

Value Added by Sector (% of GDP)

Indicator 2018 2019
Agriculture 48.78 48.38
Manufacturing 14.03 13.99
Industry 19.59 19.38
Services 50.64 51.23
Construction 4.18 4.04
Electricity, gas and water 0.92 0.92
Mining and quarrying 0.45 0.43
Education 7.81 7.79
Finance, real estate and business services 5.60 5.88
Public administration and Defense 8.71 8.83
Health and Social Work 3.98 4.04
Other services 3.36 3.56
Transport, storage and communication 5.09 5.36
Wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants 21.21 21.20

Source: AFDB Socio Economic Database

Trade Profile

Import Partners (Imported Value, thousands, USD)

Exporters 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
World 672,579 560,585 625,328 783,299 793,512
Saudi Arabia 73,452 35,530 18,299 73,718 136,098
China 72,488 70,541 103,602 108,051 102,931
United Arab Emirates 28,273 27,744 41,978 56,771 69,849
India 75,161 67,146 88,399 109,594 55,969
Tanzania, United Republic of 56,298 44,027 51,584 59,237 49,810

Source: International Trade Centre COMTRADE Statistics.

Export Partners (Exported Value, thousands, USD)

Importers 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
World 141,501 113,791 123,056 149,406 169,071
United Arab Emirates 24,944 14,492 16,063 38,268 50,216
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 28,400 28,272 27,471 26,648 18,904
Pakistan 13,812 13,145
Belgium 5,863 4,261 7,295 8,093 12,148
Switzerland 23,471 22,516 21,991 8,833 9,468

Source: International Trade Centre COMTRADE Statistics.

Investment Profile

FDI Inflows (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inflows 0.1 0.3 1.0 1.0 6.1

Source:United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Outflows (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inflows 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.7

Source:United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Inward Stock (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inward Stock 241.4 231.0 226.7 227.7 233.8

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Outflows Stock (millions of USD)

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FDI Inward Stock 2.6 2.5 2.4 3.2 4.9

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment Report 2021

FDI Inflows Main Source Countries (in terms of number of projects)

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, United States, Vietnam and Egypt.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

FDI Inflows Main Sectors (in terms of number of projects)

Financial Services, Communications, Business Services, Building and Construction Materials, Metals, Rubber, Renewable Energy, Food and Tobacco, Healthcare, Tourism.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

FDI Inflows Main Companies (in terms of number of projects)

Diamond Trust Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Rainbow Rare Earths, Viettel Burundi, CityBlue Hotels, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ecobank Transnational, Viettel, SEW-Eurodrive, Equity Bank.

Source: Financial Times, fDi Markets, 2018.

Doing Business

Overall Doing Business Ranking

2020 166/190
2019 168/190

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Starting a Business

2020 Rank 44/190
Procedures (number) 4
Time (days) 5
Cost (% of income per capita*) 12.3
Paid-in Minimum Capital (% of income per capita*) 0.0

*GNI per capita used: USD 280
Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Paying Taxes

Paying Taxes

2020 Rank 140/190
Payments (number per year) 24
Time (hours per year) 232
Total Tax Rate (% of profit) 41.2
Profit Tax (% of profit) 28.5
Labour Tax and Contributions (% of profit) 10.2
Other Taxes (% of profit) 2.5

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Trading Across Borders

2020 Rank 169/190
Time to Export: Border Compliance (hours) 59
Cost to Export: Border Compliance (USD) 109
Time to Export: Documentary Compliance (hours) 120
Cost to Export: Documentary Compliance (USD) 150
Time to Import: Border Compliance (hours) 154
Cost to Import: Border Compliance (USD) 444
Time to Import: Documentary Compliance (hours) 180
Cost to Import: Documentary Compliance (USD) 1025

Assumptions

Source: World Bank, Doing Business, 2020

Investment Regime

Legal Framework

Investment Code – Law N. 1/24 of the 10th of September 2008
Key guarantees in terms of investment protection include:

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, iGuide Burundi.

Investment Incentives

  • Acquisition of buildings and plots, essential for the achievement of the exploitation is exempted from transfer taxes.
  • Customs duties exemption on all imported duties produced in the EAC and
  • If the business profit results in a loss in a tax period, the loss may be deducted from the business profit in the next five (5) tax periods, earlier losses being deducted before later losses.
  • A registered investor shall be entitled to a profit tax discount of: 
    •  

Source: KPMG, Burundi Fiscal Guide 2018 and Deloitte, Guide to Fiscal Information, Key Economies in Africa 2018