2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,667,128; female 1,651,422) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 2,128,495; female 2,148,694) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,576; female 128,741) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Area

land

24,948 sq km

total

26,338 sq km

water

1,390 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Background

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts. Geography Rwanda

Birth rate

40.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$199.3 million

Capital

Kigali

Climate

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding

Country name

conventional long form

Rwandese Republic

conventional short form

Rwanda

former

Ruanda

local long form

Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form

Rwanda

Currency

Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code

RWF

Death rate

21.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION

embassy

#337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali

mailing address

B. P. 28, Kigali

telephone

[250] 50 56 01 through 03

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Zac NSENGA

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.9 (1985)

Economic aid - recipient

$372.9 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive substantial amounts of aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies.

Electricity - consumption

140 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

50 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

96.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

2.3%

hydro

97.7%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

lowest point

Rusizi River 950 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Ethnic groups

Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Exchange rates

Rwandan francs per US dollar - 475.37 (2002), 442.99 (2001), 389.7 (2000), 333.94 (1999), 312.31 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000)

election results

Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

elections

last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)

head of government

Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)

Exports

$68 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners

Indonesia 30.8%, Germany 14.6%, Hong Kong 9%, South Africa 5.5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4544

[250] 57 2128

chancery

1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

[1] (202) 232-2882

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Rwanda

Flag description

three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band Economy Rwanda

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.92 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

45%

industry

20%

services

35% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9.7% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural People Rwanda

Government type

republic; presidential, multiparty system

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

8.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

49,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

500,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.2% (1985)

lowest 10%

4.2%

Imports

$253 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

Imports - partners

Kenya 21.8%, Germany 8.4%, Belgium 7.9%, Israel 4.3% (2002)

Independence

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (2001 est.)

Industries

cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Infant mortality rate

female

97.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

107.66 deaths/1,000 live births

total

102.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Labor force

4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 90%

Land boundaries

border countries

Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

total

893 km

Land use

arable land

32.43%

other

57.44% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

10.13%

Languages

Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Legal system

based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats; members elected by direct vote)

election results

seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR 40, PSD 7, PL 6

elections

last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)

Life expectancy at birth

female

40.18 years (2003 est.)

male

38.51 years

total population

39.33 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

64.7% (2003 est.)

male

76.3%

total population

70.4%

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

18.3 years (2002)

male

17.8 years

total

18.1 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Nationality

adjective

Rwandan

noun

Rwandan(s)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Natural resources

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (37257)

People - note

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa Government Rwanda

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [J. Damascene NTAWUKURIRYAYO]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

Population

7,810,056

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.84% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

general assessment

telephone system primarily serves business and

Telephones - main lines in use

600,000 note - 90% in Kigali (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

81,000 (2001)

note

Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2002)

Terrain

mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Total fertility rate

5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Airports

9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 914 to 1,523 m: 2

total

4

under 914 m

1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

5 914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m

3 (2002) Military Rwanda

Disputes - international

Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources - government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Highways

paved

996 km

total

12,000 km

unpaved

11,004 km (1999 est.)

Internet country code

.rw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2002)

Internet users

20,000 (2002) Transportation Rwanda

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$59.57 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3% (FY02) Transnational Issues Rwanda

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,932,637 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

982,909 (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program), shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios

601,000 (1997)

Railways

0 km

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Waterways

note

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft