By Leonel Lionardo

Located in central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Total area: 27,830 sq km around the size of Maryland

Land area: 25,680 sq km Water area: 2,150 sq km Very hot equatorial country The terrain is hilly and mountainous,

dropping to a plateau in east, some plains.

Burundi is a landlocked country.

Natural resources include: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone.

Population: 9,863,117 0-14 years: 46.1%, 15-64 years: 51.4%,

65 years and over: 2.5% Life expectancy: total population: 58.29

years Population growth rate: 3.561% (4th

highest in the world!)

Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy: total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2 School life expectancy: 7 years

41.43 births/1,000 population 9.87 deaths/1,000 population Fertility rate: 6.25 children born/woman Infant mortality: total: 63.38

deaths/1,000 live births People living with aids: 110,000 food or waterborne diseases: bacterial

and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vector borne disease: malaria

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings, though exports are a relatively small share of GDP. Burundi's export earning - and its ability to pay for imports - rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices

GDP: $3.247 billion GDP exchange rate: $1.427 billion GDP growth rate: 3.2% GDP per capita is $300 GDP composition: agriculture: 33.3%,

industry: 21%, services: 45.8% Unemployment: NA% Inflation: 14.1%

Income distribution: lowest 10%: 4.1%, highest 10%: 28%

Exports: $79 million Imports: $318 million Net exports value is extremely low as you

can see.

My proposal for helping Burundi grow economically is improving infrastructure. With this improvement in infrastructure a lot more people in Burundi will be able to get around and spend more money which will increase the consumption value and increase GDP. With a small loan Burundi will be able to create roads and perhaps open up a bus transit which will help people get around and spend more money.

ProposalProposal With a $700,000,000 loan we can make this

improvement in infrastructure happen. As far as estimates for revenue lets say that 20% of the people in Burundi are now able to move around and consume more. Lets say they spend about $100 more than usual. 20% of 9,863,117 is 1,972,623 times 100 is $197,262,300 which all goes to GDP with a gradual amount of money being paid back to the loaner in a couple of years we can see great improvement in GDP. We can also see increases in exports which could increase the net exports value.

The End