Standard

BI

Republic of Burundi

Burundi

Summary

Official Name
Republic of Burundi
Population
12,255,000
Principal Languages
French, Rundi
Literacy Rate
68% (2017 UNESCO)
International Conventions
ACHPR (1987), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006)
General References
Bendor-Samuel and Hartell 1989, Welmers 1971a
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Burundi is 4. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 2 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional and 1 is developing. Also listed are 4 unestablished languages.

Languages

Burundian Sign Language lsb
Scattered. Users: 58,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 35,000–70,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Another estimate: 5,000 (2020 ANSB). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: LSB, Langue des Signes Burundaise Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
French fra
Major cities. Users: 1,072,100 in Burundi, all users. L1 users: 2,100 in Burundi (2021 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 1,070,000 (Marcoux et al 2022). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Gujarati guj
Users: 2,700 in Burundi (2017). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati
Kinyarwanda kin
Users: 30,000 in Burundi (2017). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Ruanda-Rundi (D.61)
Rundi run
Widespread. Users: 10,420,000 in Burundi (2017), increasing. 4,000,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 10,000,000. Total users in all countries: 11,253,950. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 5). Alternate Names: Hima, Kirundi, Urundi Autonym: Ikirundi Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Ruanda-Rundi (D.62)
Swahili swh
Bujumbura Mairie: Buyenzi, Quartier asiatique, Muslim and Congolese neighborhoods (probably Congo Swahili [swc]); Gitega province: Gitega. Users: 11,800 in Burundi (2017), increasing. Status: 3 (Wider communication). Alternate Names: Kiswahili Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.42)

Languages by Status

    Rundi
    [run] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 5). 10,420,000 in Burundi (2017), increasing. 4,000,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 10,000,000. Total users in all countries: 11,253,950.
    French
    [fra] 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. 1,072,100 in Burundi, all users. L1 users: 2,100 in Burundi (2021 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 1,070,000 (Marcoux et al 2022).
    Swahili
    [swh] 3 (Wider communication). 11,800 in Burundi (2017), increasing.
    Burundian Sign Language
    [lsb] 5* (Developing). 58,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 35,000–70,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Another estimate: 5,000 (2020 ANSB).
    Gujarati
    [guj] Unestablished. 2,700 in Burundi (2017).
    Kinyarwanda
    [kin] Unestablished. 30,000 in Burundi (2017).

Maps

  • Northern Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Southern Democratic Republic of Congo

Graphs

  • Language Vitality Profile

  • Language Status Profile

Resources

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