Rwanda
Rwandese RepublicRepublika y'u Rwanda
republic
Rwanda as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In 1959, three years before independence, 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 a genocide in which roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.
The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the genocide in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC). Since then most of the refugees have returned. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first ever local elections held 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
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
18 fieldsLand useshare of 26,338 sq km
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), methane, hydropower, arable land
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; the volcanic Birunga 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;
- widespread poaching
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban
- signed, but not ratified:
- Law of the Sea
People
15 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 43% (male 1,558,730; female 1,548,175)
- 15-64 years:
- 54% (male 1,943,268; female 1,971,542)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 83,699; female 123,715) (2000 est.)
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:
- 0.68 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Languages
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
Government
Republic; President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000); Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)
19 fieldsLegislature, 70 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Rwandese Republic
- conventional short form:
- Rwanda
- local long form:
- Republika y'u Rwanda
- local short form:
- Rwanda
Administrative divisions
- 12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura);
- Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri
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 multiparty 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- elections:
- normally the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
- special election for new president by deputies of the National Assembly and governmental ministers held 17 April 2000 (next regular election to be held NA 2002);
- prime minister is appointed by the president
- election results:
- Paul KAGAME elected president in a special parliamentary vote receiving 81 of a possible 86 votes
Legislative branch
unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (a power-sharing body with 70 seats established on 12 December 1994 following a multiparty protocol of understanding; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord)
- elections:
- the last national legislative elections were held 16 December 1988 for the National Development Council (the legislature prior to the advent of the Transitional National Assembly);
- no elections have been held for the Transitional National Assembly as the distribution of seats was predetermined by the Arusha peace accord
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - FPR 13, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, RPA 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
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA]; Democratic and Socialist Party or PSD [Charles NIAKIRUTINKA, Juvenal NKSUI, Jacqueline MUHONGAYRIE]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Pierre Celestin RWIGEMA, chairman]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [leader NA];
Liberal Party or PL [Agnes NTAMABYALIRO]; National Repulican Movement for Democracy and Development or MRNDD (formerly known as the National Movement for Democracy and Development or MRND [Mathieu NGIRUMPATSE]; Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [leader NA]
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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Richard SEZIBERA
- chancery:
- 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 232-2882
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador George M. STAPLES
- 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 rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture.
31 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1998 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
Rwanda is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa; is landlocked; and has few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary exports 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 significant progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. In June 1998, Rwanda signed an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) with the IMF. Rwanda has also embarked upon an ambitious privatization program with the World Bank. Continued growth in 2000 depends on the maintenance of international aid levels and the strengthening of world prices of coffee and tea.
Industries
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Agriculture - products
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Imports - commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Economic aid - recipient
$591.5 million (1997); note - in the summer of 1998, Rwanda presented its policy objectives and development priorities to donor governments resulting in multiyear pledges in the amount of $250 million
Exchange rates
Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1 - 349.53 (January 2000), 333.94 (1999) 312.31 (1998), 301.53 (1997), 306.82 (1996), 262.20 (1995)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
telephone system primarily serves business and government
- 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)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
Army, Gendarmerie, Navy, Air Force
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
Rwandan military forces are supporting the rebel forces in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Rwanda.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/rwanda/2000.