2010 Edition

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 (RPF), 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, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003. Rwanda in 2009 staged a joint military operation with the Congolese Army in DRC to rout out the Hutu extremist insurgency there and Kigali and Kinshasa restored diplomatic relations. Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth in late 2009.

Area

land

24,668 sq km

total

26,338 sq km

water

1,670 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

17 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.15 cu km/yr (24%/8%/68%)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

90 sq km (2003)

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

45.56%

other

44.19% (2005)

permanent crops

10.25%

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

Visoke (elev. 3,711 m, 12,175 ft), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

5.2 cu km (2003)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 2,309,323/female 2,277,269) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 2,932,686/female 2,961,300) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 106,740/female 158,993) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

37.26 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.8% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,800 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

150,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

61.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

69.21 deaths/1,000 live births

total

65.57 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

58.91 years (2010 est.)

male

56.06 years

total population

57.46 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

64.7% (2003 est.)

male

76.3%

total population

70.4%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease

malaria

Median age

female

18.9 years (2010 est.)

male

18.4 years

total

18.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Rwandan

noun

Rwandan(s)

Net migration rate

1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

People - note

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Population

11,055,976 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.818% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

9 years (2008)

male

9 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.99 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

18% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)

Capital

geographic coordinates

1 57 S, 30 04 E

name

Kigali

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form

Rwanda

former

Ruanda, German East Africa

local long form

Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form

Rwanda

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON

embassy

2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali

FAX

[250] 596-591

mailing address

B. P. 28, Kigali

telephone

[250] 596-400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador James KIMONYO

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4544

telephone

[1] (202) 232-2882

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)

election results

Paul KAGAME elected to a second term as president; Paul KAGAME 93.1%, Jean NTAWUKURIRYAYO 5.1%, Prosper HIGIRO 1.4%, Alvera MUKABAR 0.4%

elections

President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 9 August 2010 (next to be held in 2017)

head of government

Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)

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; blue represents happiness and peace, yellow economic development and mineral wealth, green hope of prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity, as well as enlightenment and transparency from ignorance

Government type

republic; presidential, multiparty system

Independence

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees

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

bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; members to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%, PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members indirectly elected

elections

Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 15 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA note: adopted 2001

name

"Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Solidarity and Prosperity Party or PSP [Pheobe KANYANGE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

11.25% (31 December 2008) 12.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) 16.51% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$489 million (2010 est.) -$379 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46.8 (2000) 28.9 (1985)

Economy - overview

Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture and some mineral and agro-processing. In 2008, minerals overtook coffee and tea as Rwanda's primary foreign exchange earner. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled 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. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Nonetheless, a majority still live below the poverty line of 250 Rwandan francs per day (about US$0.43). Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with demand, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received a Millennium Challenge Account Compact in 2008. Africa's most densely populated country is trying to overcome the limitations of its small, landlocked economy by leveraging regional trade. Rwanda joined the East African Community and is aligning its budget, trade, and immigration policies with its regional partners. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth. The global downturn hurt export demand and tourism, but economic growth is recovering, driven in large part by the services sector, and inflation has been contained. On the back of this growth, government is gradually ending its fiscal stimulus policy while protecting aid to the poor.

Electricity - consumption

231.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

10 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

120 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 586.25 (2010), 568.176 (2009), 550 (2008), 585 (2007), 560 (2006)

Exports

$226 million (2010 est.) $193 million (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners

Kenya 33.88%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 13.56%, Thailand 6.22%, China 5.49%, US 5.47%, Swaziland 5.43%, Belgium 5.19% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

42.1%

industry

14.3%

services

43.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,100 (2010 est.) $1,000 (2009 est.) $1,000 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2010 est.) 4.5% (2009 est.) 11.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.693 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$11.84 billion (2010 est.) $11.17 billion (2009 est.) $10.69 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)

Imports

$1.047 billion (2010 est.) $961 million (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Kenya 16.53%, Uganda 14.92%, China 7.92%, UAE 6.89%, Belgium 5.54%, Germany 5.19%, Tanzania 4.81%, Sweden 4% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2010 est.) 10.4% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

4.446 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

90%

industry and services

10% (2000)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

5,623 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$816 million (31 December 2010 est.) $742.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.243 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.068 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$600.4 million (31 December 2010 est.) $515.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$602.3 million (31 December 2010 est) $537.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Broadcast media

government owns and operates the only TV station; government-owned and operated Radio Rwanda has a national reach; 9 private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.rw

Internet hosts

815 (2010)

Internet users

450,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density has increased to about 25 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

small, inadequate telephone system primarily serves business, education, and government

international

country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Telephones - main lines in use

33,500 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.429 million (2009)

Airports

9 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Roadways

paved

2,662 km

total

14,008 km

unpaved

11,346 km (2004)

Waterways

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,573,834 females age 16-49: 2,553,707 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,641,563 females age 16-49: 1,696,514 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

97,839 (2010 est.)

male

98,164

Military branches

Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF), Rwandan Patriotic Air Force (2009)

Military expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

Disputes - international

fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

46,272 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007) page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================