Map of Rwanda | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


Background: 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 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 now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC). 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.


top of page


Location: Central Africa east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 26,338 km²
Land: 24,948 km²
Water: 1,390 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 893 km
Border countries: (4) Burundi 290 km; , Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km; , Tanzania 217 km; , Uganda 169 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
Extremes highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources: gold cassiterite (tin ore) wolframite (tungsten ore) methane hydropower arable land

Land use
Arable land: 35%
Permanent crops: 13%
Permanent pastures: 18%
Forests and woodland: 22%
Other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: landlocked; predominantly rural population


top of page


Population
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 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 1.16% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Rwandan
Adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups: Hutu 84% Tutsi 15% Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 52.7% Protestant 24% Adventist 10.4% Muslim 1.9% indigenous beliefs and other 6.5% none 4.5% (1996)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 1,555,878; female 1,544,942)
15-64 years: 54.73% (male 1,989,501; female 2,013,012)
65 years and over: 2.87% (male 83,769; female 125,654) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.16% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 33.97 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 21.13 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.21 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 118.92 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 38.99 years
Male: 38.35 years
Female: 39.65 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 11.21% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 400,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 40,000 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 48%
Male: 52%
Female: 45% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
Conventional short form: Rwanda
Local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
Local short form: Rwanda
Former: Ruanda

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

Dependent areas

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

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 participation

Citizenship

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 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
Note: 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
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, UDPR 2; note - the distribution of seats was predetermined, four additional seats (two for women and two for youth) added in 2001

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 [Charles NTAKIRUTINKA Vincent BIRUTA Augusin IYAMUREMYE]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA Emile NTWARABAKIGA Christian MARARA]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO Enock KABERA Prosper MUGIRANEZA]; Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME commander]; Rwanda Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [Medard RUTIJANWA]

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) ISO (correspondent) 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
In the us chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-2,882
In the us fax: [1] (202) 232-4,544
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador George M. STAPLES
From the us embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
From the us mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
From the us telephone: [250] 756 01 through 03, 721 26, 771 47
From the us 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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 2001 depends on the maintenance of international aid levels and the strengthening of world prices of coffee and tea.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.8% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 40%
Industry: 20%
Services: 40% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee tea pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums) bananas beans sorghum potatoes; livestock

Industries: cement agricultural products small-scale beverages soap furniture shoes plastic goods textiles cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: 8.7% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million
By occupation: agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4.2%
Highest 10: 24.2% (1983-85)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $198 million
Expenditures: $411 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2000)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $68.4 million (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: coffee tea hides tin ore
Partners: Germany Belgium Pakistan Italy Kenya

Imports: $245.9 million (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment steel petroleum products cement and construction material
Partners: Kenya Tanzania US Benelux France India

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.3 billion (1999)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar - 432.24 (January 2001) 389.70 (2000) 333.94 (1999) 312.31 (1998) 301.53 (1997) 306.82 (1996)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 132 million kWh (1999)
By source fossil fuel: 3.03%
By source hydro: 96.97%
By source nuclear: 0%
By source other: 0% (1999)

Electricity consumption: 191.8 million kWh (1999)

Electricity exports: 1 million kWh (1999)

Electricity imports: 70 million kWh (1999)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular
Note: however, Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2000)

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; 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)

Broadcast media

Internet country code: .rw

Internet users: 1000 (2000)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $58 million (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 3.2% (FY01)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 8 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 4
Over 3047 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 2
Under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 4
914 to 1523 m: 1
Under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs