Economic trends
According to the IMF, Burundi's growth reached 4% per year between 2006 and 2008 and the macro-economic prospects for 2009 are rather positive, with the GDP expected to settle at 4.8%. Economic growth is driven by coffee and tea exports. Burundi's geographical location makes the country a trade hub of the sub-region, despite the fact that this has not been utilized to the fullest.
The country is coming out of a decade of civil war, which has displaced people as well as made them refugees, and caused many deaths. Despite a certain amount of political stability, the weakness of the judiciary and the administrative system, the corruption, State interference in economic activities, security problems and dependence on foreign aid are definite obstacles that have to be overcome.
Burundi is a very poor country where health and social conditions are poor: only one child out of two goes to school, one adult out of 15 is HIV positive, food, medical and electricity supplies are insufficient and 68% of the population lives under the threshold of poverty.
Main branches of industry
International trade
Burundi is open to international trade (trade represents more than two-thirds of the GDP). The country is a member of different trade organizations: WTO, COMESA (Eastern and Southern Africa), ECCAS (Central Africa).
Burundi recorded a large trade deficit in 2008. This was mainly due a weak industrial sector and an undiversified tertiary sector.
The country mainly exports agricultural products (coffee, tea, sugar and cotton) to Japan, Germany, Pakistan, Rwanda and Soudan and it imports mainly petroleum products, food, and capital goods from Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Uganda, Europe, China and India. Burundi's main trade partners are the Gulf Cooperation Council member states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar), the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania), and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Last updates: February 2012
