Rwanda

Rwandese RepublicRepublika y'u Rwanda

republic

Rwanda as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 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
Area26,338 sq km
LocationCentral Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
2002

Every edition of Rwanda

Populationas each edition published it
7.4 million July 2002 est. · 7.61m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.16% 2002 est. · 2.9% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
38.66 years 2002 est. · 41.23 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.72 children per woman 2002 est. · 8.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
117.79 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 113 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,000 2001 est. · $290 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 2001 est. · 1.3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Land useshare of 26,338 sq km

arable land 32.43%permanent crops 10.13%other 57.44% (1998 est.)irrigated 40 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
26,338sq km
water: 1,390 sq kmland: 24,948 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

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 30 00 E

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 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;
  • 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

Geography - note

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

People

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Population
7,398,074
growth rate: 1.16% (2002 est.)
Note
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 2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth
33.28Death
21.39Net migration
-0.32

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2002 est.)38.66
38.14 · 39.2
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)48%
52% · 45%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Religions(2001)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
41.7% (male 1,550,141; female 1,539,375)
15-64 years:
55.4% (male 2,039,573; female 2,057,059)
65 years and over:
2.9% (male 84,030; female 127,896) (2002 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:
0.66 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

117.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

40,000 (1999 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 Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000); Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)

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Country name

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

Government type

republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital

Kigali

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

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 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

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 national election to be held NA June 2003);
  • prime minister is appointed by the president
election results:
Paul KAGAME (FPR) elected president in a special parliamentary/ministerial ballot 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 named by their parties, number of seats per party predetermined by the Arusha peace accord)

note: four additional seats, two for women and two for youth, added in 2001

election results:
  • seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR 13, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, RPA 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, UDPR 2;
  • note - the distribution of seats was predetermined, four additional seats (two for women and two for youth) added in 2001
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 (next to be held NA June 2003)

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court;
  • communal courts;
  • appeals courts

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [leader NA]; 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 BIZIMURGI and Charilg NTAKIROTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; 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

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), 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
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-4544
telephone:
[1] (202) 232-2882

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
FAX:
[250] 57 2128

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 is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture.

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Real growth rate
5%
(2001 est.)industrial production growth: 7% (2001 est.)
Labor force
3.6million

GDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)

agriculture 46%industry 20%services 34% (2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

56.9%
EU
28%
Kenya
29.4%
12.3%
Pakistan
9.2%
US
10%
4.4%
China 4.4% Malaysia
India
4.4%
Tanzania
2.2%
Exports $61 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)Imports $248 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)(2000 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$199.3 millionExpenditures
$445 million (2001 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 3%hydro 97%other 0% · nuclear 0%
Electricity production
113 million (2000)Electricity consumption
174.09 million (2000)Electricity exports
1 million (2000)Electricity imports
70 million (2000)

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; landlocked with 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. Rwanda received approval for debt relief from the IMF in late 2000 and continued to make progress on inflation, privatization, and GDP growth in 2001.

However, export earnings were hindered by low global coffee prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. President KAGAME is encouraging investors to take advantage of export opportunities in Rwanda based on its membership in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) free trade area and its access to the US and the EU markets through preferential trade agreements.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
4%
highest 10%:
24% (1983-85)

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

Exports

$61 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Imports

$248 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$372.9 million (1999)

Currency

Rwandan franc (RWF)

Exchange rates

Rwandan francs per US dollar - 456.81 (January 2002), 442.99 (2001), 389.70 (2000), 333.94 (1999) 312.31 (1998), 301.53 (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
11,000
(1999)
Fixed lines
11,000
(1999) · country code .rw

Telephones - mobile cellular

11,000 (1999) note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment:
telephone system primarily serves business and government
domestic:
  • the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service;
  • much 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)

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)

Televisions

NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet users

20,000 (2002)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

1
over 3,047 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
2
1
under 914 m
3
Paved 4Unpaved 5

Networkskm

Highways
12,000Railways
0
Highways: paved: 1,000 km · unpaved: 11,000 km (1997 est.)

Highways

total:
12,000 km
paved:
1,000 km
unpaved:
11,000 km (1997 est.)

Waterways

note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Ports and harbors

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports

8 (2001)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

5 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,858,443 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 946,990 (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

Tutsi, Hutu and other ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

Central Intelligence Agency. “Rwanda.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/rwanda/2002.

How to cite ← 2001 edition 2003 edition →