3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

Conventional short form: Burundi

Local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

Local short form: Burundi

Former: Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi

Etymology: name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)

Administrative Divisions

18 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution

History: several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005

Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic after consultation with the government or by absolute majority support of the membership in both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership and at least four-fifths majority vote by the National Assembly; the president can opt to submit amendment bills to a referendum; constitutional articles including those on national unity, the secularity of Burundi, its democratic form of government, and its sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 2018 (amendments extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, reintroduced the position of prime minister, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1)

Legal System

mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Burundi

Dual citizenship recognized: no

Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Head of government: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume BUNYONI (since 24 June 2020)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

Elections appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum effective for the 2020 election, increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit, reinstated the position of the prime minister position, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1

Election results: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, OTHER 1.6%

Legislative Branch

Description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of

Elections: Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025)National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, a 15-member independent body of judicial and legal profession officials), appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and serve 6-year nonrenewable terms

Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Court Against Corruption; Commercial Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Front for Democracy in Burundi-Nyakuri or FRODEBU-Nyakuri [Keffa NIBIZI]Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Pierre Claver NAHIMANA]National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA]National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE]National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGITIMANA]Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Abel GASHATSI]

Flag Description

Divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below); green symbolizes hope and optimism, white purity and peace, and red the blood shed in the struggle for independence; the three stars in the disk represent the three major ethnic groups: Hutu, Twa, Tutsi, as well as the three elements in the national motto: unity, work, progress

National Symbols

National Anthem

Lyrics music: Jean-Baptiste NTAHOKAJA/Marc BARENGAYABO

Note: adopted 1962

Year

Government Type

  • Presidential republic

Capital

  • Name
    Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital); note - in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; all branches of the government are expected to have moved from Bujumbura to Gitega by 2022
  • Geographic Coordinates
    3 25 S, 29 55 E
  • Time Difference
    UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  • Etymology
    the naming origins for both Gitega and Bujumbura are obscure; Bujumbura's name prior to independence in 1962 was Usumbura

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Jean de Dieu NDIKUMANA (since 7 July 2021)
  • Chancery
    2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 342-2574
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 342-2578
  • Email Address And Website
    burundiembusadc@gmail.com
  • Https
    //burundiembassy-usa.com/index.php

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Melanie Harris HIGGINS (since 2 March 2021)
  • Embassy
    B.P. 1720, Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  • Mailing Address
    2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC  20521-2100
  • Telephone
    [257] 22-207-000
  • FAX
    [257] 22-222-926
  • Email Address And Website
    BujumburaC@state.gov
  • Https
    //bi.usembassy.gov/

International Organization Participation

  • ACP
  • AfDB
  • AU
  • CEMAC
  • CEPGL
  • CICA
  • COMESA
  • EAC
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO (correspondent)
  • ITU
  • ITUC (NGOs)
  • MIGA
  • NAM
  • OIF
  • OPCW
  • UN
  • UNAMID
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • UNISFA
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO