Rwanda

Rwandese RepublicRepublika y'u Rwanda

republic

Rwanda as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 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

Position2 00 S, 30 00 E

Area26,340 sq km

LocationCentral Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Populationas each edition published it

7.96 million July 1998 est. · 7.61m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.5% 1998 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

41.93 years 1998 est. · 41.23 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.86 children per woman 1998 est. · 8.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

113.31 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 113 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$440 1996 est. · $290 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

13.3% 1996 · 1.3% in 1993

Geography

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

18 fields

Land useshare of 26,340 sq km

arable land 35%permanent crops 13%permanent pastures 18%forests and woodland 22%other 12% (1993 est.)irrigated 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

26,340sq km

land: 24,950 sq kmwater: 1,390 sq kmslightly smaller than Maryland

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

4,519m

Volcan Karisimbilowest point: Rusizi River 950 m

Land boundaries

893km

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

Location

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

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; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

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

Environment-current issues

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

Environment-international agreements

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

Geography-note

landlocked; predominantly rural population

People

15 fields

Population

7,956,172

(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 2.5% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth

38.99Death

19Net migration

5.03

Net migration: note: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; according to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these 720,000 returned from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda; probably fewer than 100,000 Rwandans remained outside of Rwanda at the end of 1997

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)41.93

41.49 · 42.4

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)60.5%

69.8% · 51.6%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Hutu 80%Tutsi 19%Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (male 1,785,650; female 1,772,609)
15-64 years:: 53% (male 2,070,401; female 2,106,809)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 90,941; female 129,762) (July 1998 est.)

Net migration rate

5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

note: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire;

according to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these 720,000 returned from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda; probably fewer than 100,000 Rwandans remained outside of Rwanda at the end of 1997

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

113.31 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.86 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Rwandan(s)
adjective:: Rwandan

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since 1 September 1995)

21 fields

Legislature, 70 seats, elected 26 December 1988one dot, one seat

RPF 19MDR 13PSD 13PL 13PDC 6PSR 2PDI 2other 2

Country name

conventional long form:: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form:: Rwanda
local long form:: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form:: Rwanda

Data code

Government type

republic; presidential, multiparty system

National capital

Kigali

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution

on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution which included elements of the constitution of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord and the November 1994 multi-party protocol of understanding

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

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since 19 July 1994)
head of government:: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since 1 September 1995)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections:: normally the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held in December 1988 (next to be held NA);
prime minister is appointed by the president
election results:: Juvenal HABYARIMANA elected president; percent of vote-99.98% (HABYARIMANA was the sole candidate)

note: President HABYARIMANA was assassinated on 6 April 1994 and replaced by President BIZIMUNGU who was installed by the military forces of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front on 19 July 1994

Legislative branch

unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (70 seats; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord to serve NA-year terms)

elections:: last held 26 December 1988 (next to be held NA);
note-the Transitional National Assembly is a power-sharing body established on 12 December 1994 following a multi-party protocol of understanding
election results:: percent of vote by party-NA;
seats by party-RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2;
note-the distribution of seats was predetermined

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

significant parties include:: Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Alexis KANYARENGWE, chairman];
Democratic Republican Movement or MDR;
Liberal Party or PL;
Democratic and Socialist Party or PSD;
Christian Democratic Party or PDC;
Islamic Democratic Party or PDI;
Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR;
National Movement for Democracy and Development or MRND (former ruling party)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA, the RPF military wing [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rally for the Democracy and Return (RDR)

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Theogene N. RUDASINGWA
chancery:: (temporary) 1814 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: [1] (202) 232-2882

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Robert GRIBBIN III
embassy:: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
mailing address:: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone:: [250] 756 01 through 03, 721 26, 771 47

FAX

[250] 721 28

Flag description

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

Rwanda is a poor African nation that has suffered | bitterly from ethnic-based civil war.

28 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

-$3billion

purchasing power parity · (1996 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

-$440

purchasing power parity · (1996 est.)

Real growth rate

13.3%

(1996)industrial production growth: 4.9% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

7.4%

(1996)

GDP-composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 37%industry 17%services 46% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$231 millionExpenditures

$319 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $13 million

Fixed lines

6,400

(1983 est.)

Economy-overview

Rwanda is a poor African nation that has suffered bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. The agricultural sector dominates the economy; coffee and tea normally make up 80%-90% of exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to reduce the production potential.

Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Civil war in 1990 devastated wide areas, especially in the north, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but resumption of large-scale violence and genocide in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere took 500,000 lives in that year alone and severely damaged already poor economic prospects.

In 1994-96, peace was restored throughout much of the country. In 1996-97 most of the refugees who fled the war returned to Rwanda. Sketchy data suggest that GDP dropped 50% in 1994 and came back partially, by 25%, in 1995. Plentiful rains helped agriculture in 1996, and outside aid continued to support this desperately poor economy.

The economy continues to face significant challenges in rehabilitating infrastructure, agriculture, health care facilities, and capital plant. Recovery of domestic production will proceed slowly.

Labor force

total:: 3.6 million
by occupation:: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

34,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production

169 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

21 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:: $62.3 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: coffee 74%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum (1995)
partners:: Brazil, EU

Imports

total value:: $202.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: foodstuffs 35%, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material (1995)
partners:: US, EU, Kenya, Tanzania

domestic:: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay;
the remainder of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone
international:: 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)