Burundi population pyramid 2026
14,729,157 people in 2026 (projected). Burundi’s pyramid has a very broad base: fertility stayed above seven children per woman until the 1990s, and over four in ten people are under 15.
- 2026 population
- 14.7Mrank 78 of 237
- Median age
- 16.6 yearsoldest rank 230
- Fertility rate
- 4.57births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.6% age 65+
Burundi population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Burundi age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 43.2% of the population, while 2.6% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 54.2% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Burundi’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 84.4: about 84 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (79.7 children and 4.7 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Burundi’s population pyramid
Decades above seven children per woman
Burundi’s total fertility rate was at or above seven children per woman from 1960 to 1990 and still about 6.9 in 2000. That year about 48% of the population was under 15 and the median age was 14.6, a shape close to the textbook expansive pyramid. Fertility has since fallen to about 4.6, but the number of women of childbearing age keeps growing, so births keep rising: about 472,000 in 2026 against roughly 97,000 deaths. The youngest populations ranking shows how far Burundi’s median age, still under 17, sits below the world’s.
Steps rather than a smooth slope
The 2026 pyramid has two distinct parts. Below 15 the three bands are almost equal, the first sign that falling fertility is beginning to offset the growing number of mothers. Between 15 and 29 the bands shrink steeply, and the 25–29 band, born about 1997–2001, is only about 55% of the size of the 15–19 band. That steep section is consistent with how quickly the number of surviving children grew in the 2000s, as infant mortality fell from about 94 to 35 per 1,000 live births between 2000 and 2023 and life expectancy rose from about 45 years in 1990 to 64 in 2023.
The cohorts above them grew up through prolonged violence. Mass killings in 1972, a civil war that began in 1993 and lasted into the mid-2000s, and the political crisis of 2015 each drove large numbers of refugees abroad, mainly to Tanzania. The UN series records net emigration of about 1.2 million between 1950 and 1999, and close to balance in 2000–23 as many refugees returned while others left. These flows are spread across many ages rather than forming a single notch, and the chart alone cannot isolate them from deaths in the conflicts.
More people on scarce land
With about 568 people per square kilometre, Burundi is among the most densely settled countries in mainland Africa, and most people still live from farming. Under the medium scenario the population grows from about 14.7 million in 2026 to 24 million in 2050 and almost 38 million in 2100, still rising at the end of the century despite assumed net emigration of about 790,000 over 2026–2050. Women outnumber men increasingly above 50, with 80 men per 100 women at 70–74. Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania have the most similar age structures today.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Burundi’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Burundi is projected to record 471,624 births (about 1,291 births a day) and 96,877 deaths, a natural increase of 374,747. Net migration adds −35,108 people, ranking #189 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 9,753,770 births, 2,291,804 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +9,644. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −793,730 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 66.2 years42.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 62.0 years39.6 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 33.9per 1,000 births · 163 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 46.8per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.1 yearssex ratio at birth 102.4
Women in Burundi are projected to live 4.2 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 163 to 33.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #31 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Burundi
The median age of 16.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.57 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 64.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,729,157 | #78 | Largest first |
| Median age | 16.6 years | #230 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.57 | #8 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.3% | #28 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 64.1 years | #218 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.6% | #225 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Burundi
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 2,218,275 | 15.1% | 1.1M / 1.1M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 2,090,429 | 14.2% | 1.1M / 1M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 2,057,736 | 14.0% | 1M / 1M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 1,781,049 | 12.1% | 891.4K / 889.6K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 1,329,827 | 9.0% | 663.3K / 666.6K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Burundi has 7,317,761 males and 7,411,396 females. That is 98.7 males per 100 females, ranking #107 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.7% of the population and females for 50.3%. There are 93,635 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 77.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 102.4 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Burundi has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 2,254,938 in 1950 to 14,729,157 in 2026, a change of 553%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.3 to 16.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.2% to 43.2%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.2% to 2.6%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Burundi’s population is projected to grow by about 64%, reaching 24,131,720 in 2050. The median age changes from 16.6 to 22.5 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.0 percentage points to 4.6%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 33.7%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 37,873,961. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,254,938 | 18.3 | 6.92 | 40.9 | 117,211 | 52,660 | −13,334 | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 2,764,258 | 16.4 | 7.00 | 43.3 | 129,619 | 59,586 | −14,620 | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 3,530,432 | 16.2 | 7.21 | 43.2 | 168,521 | 76,047 | −6,346 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 4,383,706 | 16.1 | 7.35 | 45.7 | 212,072 | 84,326 | +149,361 | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 5,587,052 | 14.6 | 7.37 | 45.2 | 262,095 | 105,476 | −39,926 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 6,470,194 | 14.6 | 6.87 | 47.6 | 276,449 | 102,581 | −40,032 | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 9,376,444 | 16.4 | 6.26 | 57.1 | 440,345 | 98,540 | +11,845 | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 12,617,036 | 15.3 | 5.18 | 62.6 | 452,381 | 90,725 | −10,189 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 13,689,450 | 15.9 | 4.88 | 63.7 | 460,882 | 91,963 | +1,995 | +2.7% |
| 2024* | 14,047,786 | 16.1 | 4.79 | 63.8 | 466,545 | 93,704 | −27,074 | +2.5% |
| 2026* | 14,729,157 | 16.6 | 4.57 | 64.1 | 471,624 | 96,877 | −35,108 | +2.3% |
| 2030* | 16,182,016 | 17.9 | 4.20 | 64.8 | 500,614 | 104,674 | −29,235 | +2.3% |
| 2040* | 20,131,318 | 20.5 | 3.43 | 66.2 | 569,942 | 127,455 | −31,711 | +2.0% |
| 2050* | 24,131,720 | 22.5 | 2.96 | 67.6 | 578,377 | 156,337 | −58,588 | +1.5% |
| 2060* | 27,730,966 | 24.9 | 2.64 | 68.8 | 580,419 | 194,141 | −42,079 | +1.2% |
| 2070* | 31,182,954 | 27.5 | 2.43 | 70.0 | 598,992 | 235,795 | −19,944 | +1.1% |
| 2080* | 34,187,556 | 30.0 | 2.27 | 71.2 | 585,357 | 281,435 | −61,798 | +0.7% |
| 2090* | 36,403,374 | 32.1 | 2.15 | 72.4 | 563,472 | 338,315 | −55,495 | +0.5% |
| 2100* | 37,873,961 | 34.0 | 2.06 | 73.6 | 550,613 | 382,732 | −65,111 | +0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,118,409 | 1,099,866 | 2,218,275 | 15.1% |
| 5–9 | 1,051,844 | 1,038,585 | 2,090,429 | 14.2% |
| 10–14 | 1,032,685 | 1,025,051 | 2,057,736 | 14.0% |
| 15–19 | 891,404 | 889,645 | 1,781,049 | 12.1% |
| 20–24 | 663,273 | 666,554 | 1,329,827 | 9.0% |
| 25–29 | 490,409 | 495,373 | 985,782 | 6.7% |
| 30–34 | 432,433 | 439,709 | 872,142 | 5.9% |
| 35–39 | 415,000 | 426,565 | 841,565 | 5.7% |
| 40–44 | 370,930 | 385,586 | 756,516 | 5.1% |
| 45–49 | 275,666 | 289,103 | 564,769 | 3.8% |
| 50–54 | 186,087 | 196,708 | 382,795 | 2.6% |
| 55–59 | 131,220 | 142,113 | 273,333 | 1.9% |
| 60–64 | 93,212 | 104,615 | 197,827 | 1.3% |
| 65–69 | 70,856 | 83,568 | 154,424 | 1.0% |
| 70–74 | 51,117 | 63,891 | 115,008 | 0.8% |
| 75–79 | 26,659 | 37,080 | 63,739 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 11,781 | 18,520 | 30,301 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 3,970 | 6,973 | 10,943 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 744 | 1,665 | 2,409 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 63 | 215 | 278 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 1 | 12 | 13 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Burundi’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Mali96% overlap · median age 15.9
- Burkina Faso96% overlap · median age 18.0
- Mauritania96% overlap · median age 17.5
- Cameroon96% overlap · median age 18.2
- Mozambique96% overlap · median age 16.6
- Angola96% overlap · median age 16.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Burundi.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Burundi Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burundi/
MLA
“Burundi Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burundi/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Burundi Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/burundi/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Burundi in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Burundi's population in 2026 is projected at 14,729,157.
What is the median age in Burundi?
The projected median age in Burundi in 2026 is 16.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Burundi?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.57 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Burundi's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 64%, from 14.7M to 24.1M.
What share of Burundi is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.6% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.6%.
How many babies are born in Burundi each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 471,624 births and 96,877 deaths in 2026, about 1,291 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 374,747.
What is life expectancy in Burundi for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 66.2 years for women and 62.0 years for men, a gap of 4.2 years in favour of women.
Does Burundi have more immigrants or emigrants?
Burundi is projected to lose about 35,108 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +9,644.
What is the sex ratio in Burundi?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.