Statistical information Rwanda 1989
Rwanda in the World
Backgroundtop of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 893 km total; Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km
Coastline: none - landlocked
Maritime claims: none - landlocked
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
ElevationNatural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower
Land use: 29% arable land; 11% permanent crops; 18% meadows and pastures; 10% forest and woodland; 32% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 7,322,039 (July 1989), growth rate 3.8% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Rwandan(s; adjective - Rwandese
Ethnic groups: 90% Hutu, 9% Tutsi, 1% Twa (Pygmoid)
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French (official; Kiswahili used in commercial centers
Religions: 65% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 9% Muslim, 17% indigenous beliefs and other
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 53 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 16 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; periodic droughts
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 117 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 53 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 8.5 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 37%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda; note - may be changed to Rwandese Republic
Government type: republic; presidential system in which military leaders hold key offices
Capital: Kigali
Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura in Kinyarwanda; Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Rigali, Ruhengeri
Dependent areasIndependence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 17 December 1978
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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal adult
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government President Maj. Gen. Juvenal HABYARIMANA (since 5 July 1973)
Legislative branch: Army, paramilitary, Gendarmerie
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, EAMA, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA; Chancery at 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,009; telephone (202) 232-2,882; US - Ambassador Leonard H. O. SPEARMAN, Sr.; Embassy at Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali (mailing address is B. P. 28, Kigali; telephone Õ205å 75,601 through 75,603 or 72,126 through 72,128
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: About 40% 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 less than 20% to GDP. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: cash crops - coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums; main food crops - bananas, cassava; stock raising; self-sufficiency declining; country imports foodstuffs
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
Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1987)
Labor force:
3,600,000; 93% agriculture, 5% government and services, 2%
industry and commerce; 49% of population of working age (1985)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $270 million; expenditures $330 million, including capital expenditures of $49 million (1987 est.)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $113 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: coffee 85%, tea, tin, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum
Partners: FRG, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US
Imports: $352 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Partners: US, Belgium, FRG, Kenya, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $537 million (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Rwandese francs (RF) per US$1 - 77.49 (January 1989), 76.45 (1988), 79.67 (1987), 87.64 (1986), 101.26 (1985)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity productionElectricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $44 million, 12% of central government budget (1987)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 8 total, 8 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsRwanda - Transnational issues 1989
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs