Statistical information Rwanda 1996

Rwanda in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 many Hutus returned to Rwanda
top of pageLocation: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic Congo
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 26,340 km²
Land: 24,950 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: Total 893 km, Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km, Zaire 217 km
Coastline: 0 km (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; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
Extremes highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Natural resources:
Gold
Cassiterite (tin ore)
Wolframite (tungsten ore)
Natural gas
Hydropower
Land useArable land: 29%
Permanent crops: 11%
Permanent pastures: 18%
Forests and woodland: 10%
Other: 32%
Irrigated land: 40 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
6,853,359 (July 1996 est.)
8,605,307 (July 1995 est.)
Note:Genocide and civil war in 1994 killed more than 1 million Rwandans and forced more than 2 million to flee to neighboring countries.
The demographic estimates of 1995 were prepared before civil strife, starting in April 1994, set in motion substantial and continuing population changes
Growth rate:16.49% (1996 est.)
2.67% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Rwandan(s)
Adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups:
Hutu 90%
Tutsi 9%
Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili used in commercial centers
Religions:
Roman Catholic 65%
Protestant 9%
Muslim 1%
Indigenous beliefs and other 25%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:46% (male 1,582,928; female 1,573,536) (July 1996 est.)
51% (male 2,201,049; female 2,184,549) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:51% (male 1,734,716; female 1,772,722) (July 1996 est.)
47% (male 1,968,298; female 2,034,278) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:3% (male 78,854; female 110,603) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 90,878; female 126,255) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
16.49% (1996 est.)
2.67% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
38.83 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
48.52 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
20.33 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
21.82 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 146.43 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: Since April 1994, more than two million refugees have fled the civil strife between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Rwanda and crossed into Zaire, Burundi, and Tanzania; close to 800,000 Rwandan Tutsis who fled civil strife in earlier years have returned to Rwanda, and 90,000 of the Hutu refugees are going home despite the perceived danger of doing so; the ethnic violence continues and in 1997 could produce further refugee flows as well as discourage returns
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion
Current issues Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Zaire
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: Landlocked; predominantly rural population
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
All ages:0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:118.8 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
118.1 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 40.12 years (1996 est.); 39.33 years (1995 est.)
Male: 39.72 years (1996 est.); 38.5 years (1995 est.)
Female: 40.53 years (1996 est.); 40.19 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)
8.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 60.5%
Male: 69.8%
Female: 51.6%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
Conventional short form: Rwanda
Local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
Local short form: Rwanda
Government type: Republic; presidential system
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, Kigali, Ruhengeri
Dependent areasIndependence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 18 June 1991
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: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branchChief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); installed by force by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front; no date set for elections; president is normally elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since NA)
Head of government: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since NA September 1995) was appointed by the president
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: Unicameral National Development Council:Sworn in on 25 November 1994; seats_(70 total) RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session
Political parties and leadersInternational 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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representationFlag 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: Rwanda is a poor African nation suffering bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. The agricultural sector dominates the economy; coffee and tea normally make up 80%-90% of total exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to create problems. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. 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 since 1990 has 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 civil warfare in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere has been taking thousands of lives and severely affecting short-term economic prospects. The economy suffers massively from failure to maintain the infrastructure, looting, neglect of important cash crops, and lack of health care facilities. GDP in 1994 may have dropped by as much as half. The further decline of GDP in 1995 was much smaller and was more than offset by aid from the outside. Because of the severe damage to real property and the decline in public discipline, recovery of domestic production toward previous levels is proceeding slowly.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
-2.7% (1995 est.)
-8% (1993 est.)
Real gdp per capita:
purchasing power parity_ $400 (1995 est.)
$950 (1993 est.)
Gross 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, beans, sorghum, potatoes; stock raising
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: Growth rate -50% (1994 est.), -2.2% (1991; accounts for 13% of GDP
Labor force: 3.6 million
By occupation Agriculture: 93%
By occupation Government and services: 5%
By occupation Industry and commerce: 2%
Unemployment rate: NA
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $350 million (1992 est.)
Expenditures: NA
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Inflation 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:
total value. $52 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$44 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities:Coffee 63%
Tea
Cassiterite
Wolframite
Pyrethrum
Partners:Germany
Belgium
Italy
Uganda
U.K.
France
U.S.
ImportsTotal value:$37 million (1994 est.)
$250 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities:Textiles
Foodstuffs
Machines and equipment
Capital goods
Steel
Petroleum products
Cement and construction material
Partners:U.S.
Belgium
Germany
Kenya
Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $873 million (1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1_401.27 (2nd quarter 1994), 168.20 (1993), 133.35 (1992), 125.14 (1991), 82.60 (1990)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 60,000 kW
Production: 190 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 6,400 telephones (1983 est.); telephone system does not provide service to the general public but is intended for business and government use
Local: NA
Intercity: 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: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) and 1 SYMPHONIE earth station in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $112.5 million, 7% of GDP (1992)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 7
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 3
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsRwanda - Transnational issues 1996
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs