Rwanda

republic

Rwanda as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalKigali

LocationCentral Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

Populationas each edition published it

8.37 million July 1994 est. · 7.61m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.78% 1994 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 41.23 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

8.19 children per woman 1994 est. · 8.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

118.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 113 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$800 1993 est. · $290 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.3% 1992 est. · 1.3% in 1993

Geography

Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

22 fields

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

893km

total · Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km, Zaire 217 km

Irrigated land

40sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

26,340 sq km

land area

24,950 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly grassy uplands and hills; mountains in west

Natural resources

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower

arable land

29%

permanent crops

11%

meadows and pastures

18%

forest and woodland

10%

other

32%

current issues

deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil exhaustion;
soil erosion

natural hazards

periodic droughts

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

landlocked; predominantly rural population

People

23 fields

Population

8,373,963

(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.78% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth

49.17Death

21.35Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Hutu 90%Tutsi 9%Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions

Roman Catholic 65%Protestant 9%Muslim 1%indigenous beliefs and other 25%

Labor force

3.6million

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1990 est.)

note

the demographic estimates were prepared before civil strife, starting in April 1994, set in motion substantial and continuing population changes

Infant mortality rate

118.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

40.25 years

male

39.33 years

female

41.21 years (1994 est.)

noun

Rwandan(s)

adjective

Rwandan

Languages

Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili used in commercial centers

total population

50%

male

64%

female

37%

by occupation

agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

note

49% of population of working age (1985)

Government

Republic

35 fields

Legislature, 70 seatsone dot, one seat

MRND 70

conventional long form

Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form

Rwanda

local long form

Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form

Rwanda

note

a new, interim government formed in August 1992 to last until peace accord;
political parties are working to form a multiethical broad-based transitonal government to lead them to elections in 1995

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

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

chief of state

Interim President Dr. Theodore SINDIKUBWABO (since 8 April 1994, following the death of President Juvenal HABYARIMANA on 6 April 1994) the last election was held 19 December 1988 (next planned for 1995);
results - the late President Juvenal HABYARIMANA was reelected

head of government

Prime Minister Jean KAMBANDA, appointed by President SINDIKUBWABWO 8 April 1994 following the assassination of Agatha UWILINGIYIMANA on 7 April 1994

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

National Development Council

(Conseil National de Developpement) elections last held 19 December 1988 (new elections to be held in 1995);
results - MRND was the only party;
seats - (70 total) MRND 70

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court (consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session)

Political parties and leaders

Republican National Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND);

significant independent parties include:: Democratic Republican Movement (MDR);
Liberal Party (PL);
Democratic and Socialist Party (PSD);
Coalition for the Defense of the Republic (CDR);
Party for Democracy in Rwanda (PADER);
Christian Democratic Party (PDL)

note

formerly a one-party state, Rwanda legalized independent parties in mid-1991; since then, at least 10 new political parties have registered

Other political or pressure groups

Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Alexis KANYARENGWE, Chairman (since 1990); Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the RPF military wing, Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA

chancery

1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

(202) 232-2882

FAX

(202) 232-4544

chief of mission

(vacant)

embassy

Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali

mailing address

B. P. 28, Kigali

telephone

[250] 75601 through 75603

FAX

[250] 72128

note

embassy closed on 10 April 1994 and personnel withdrawn because of severe civil strife and consequent danger for foreign nationals

Flag

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;
similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band

Economy

Almost 50% of GDP comes from the agricultural sector; coffee and tea | make up 80-90% of total exports.

26 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$800

(1993 est.)

Real growth rate

1.3%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -2.2% (1991); accounts for 17% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

9.5%

(1992 est.)

External debt

$845million

(1991 est.)

Overview

Almost 50% of GDP comes from the agricultural sector; coffee and tea make up 80-90% of total exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion have created problems. The industrial sector in Rwanda is small, contributing only 17% to GDP. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products.

The Rwandan economy remains dependent on coffee/tea exports and foreign aid. Weak international prices since 1986 have caused the economy to contract and per capita GDP to decline. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Ethnic-based insurgency in 1990-93 devastated wide areas of the north and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but massive resumption of civil warfare in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali has been taking thousands of lives and severely damaging short-term economic prospects

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.8 billion (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

revenues

$350 million

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exports

$66.6 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

coffee 63%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum

partners

Germany, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US

Imports

$259.5 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

partners

US, Belgium, Germany, Kenya, Japan

capacity

30,000 kW

production

130 million kWh

consumption per capita

15 kWh (1991)

Industries

mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, agricultural processing, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Agriculture

accounts for almost 50% of GDP and about 90% of the labor force;
cash crops - coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums);
main food crops - bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes;
stock raising;
self-sufficiency declining;
country imports foodstuffs as farm production fails to keep up with a 2.8% annual growth in population

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $128 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $45 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $58 million

note

in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Program with the IMF;
since September 1991, the EC has given $46 million and the US $25 million in support of this program (1993)

Communications

11 fields

total

4,885 km

paved

460 km

unpaved

gravel, improved earth 1,725 km; unimproved earth 2,700 km

Inland waterways

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

telephone system does not provide service to the general public but is intended for business and government use;
the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay;
the remainder of the network depends on wire and high frequency radio;
international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 SYMPHONIE station in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service);
broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV

Defense Forces

Army (including Air Wing), Gendarmerie

5 fields

Branches

Army (including Air Wing), Gendarmerie

note

Rwanda plans to demobilize and reorganize with RPF elements during 1994

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →

Geography

total area

land area

comparative area

arable land

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

other

current issues

natural hazards

international agreements

People

note

total population

male

female

noun

adjective

total population

male

female

by occupation

note

Government

conventional long form

conventional short form

local long form

local short form

note

chief of state

head of government

cabinet

note

chief of mission

chancery

chief of mission

embassy

mailing address

note

Economy

revenues

expenditures

commodities

partners

commodities

partners

capacity

production

consumption per capita

recipient

note

Communications

total

paved

unpaved

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Defense Forces

note

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