Map of Rwanda | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 (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 state-orchestrated genocide in which Rwandans killed up to a million of their fellow citizens including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later that same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda defeated the national army and Hutu militias and established an RPF-led government of national unity. 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 but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda much as the RPF tried in 1990. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003. Rwanda in 2009 staged a joint military operation with the Congolese Army in DRC to rout out the Hutu extremist insurgency there and Kigali and Kinshasa restored diplomatic relations. Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth in late 2009.


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Location: Central Africa east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S 30 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 149
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries

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

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

Land use

Irrigated land: 90 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 5.2 km³ (2003)

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

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


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Population: 11,689,696 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 73
Growth rate: 2.751% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 19
Below poverty line: 44.9% (2011 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 84% Tutsi (Hamitic) 15% Twa (Pygmy) 1%

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

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.751% (2012 est.)
Rank: 19

Birth rate: 36.14 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 24

Death rate: 9.64 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 55

Net migration rate: 1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 54

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 24

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 193

Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 26

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.024 physicians/1000 population (2005)

Hospital bed density: 1.6 beds/1000 population (2007)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 2.9% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 25
People living with hivaids: 170,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 31
Deaths: 4,100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 43

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18% (2005)
Rank: 41

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 101

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic; presidential multiparty system

Capital

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces (in French - provinces singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern) Kigali* Nord (Northern) Ouest (Western) Sud (Southern)

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day 1 July (1962)

Constitution: constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on German and Belgian models and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils 8 appointed by the president 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum 2 represent institutions of higher learning; members to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote 24 women elected by local bodies 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees

Political parties and leaders: Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Agnes MUKABARANGA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Gonzague RWIGEMA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Musa Fazil HARERIMANA]; Liberal Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Party for Progress and Concord or PPC [Alvera MUKABARAMBA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [Jean Baptist RUCIBIGANGO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Socialist Party-Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri [Christine MUKABUNANI]; Solidarity and Prosperity Party or PSP [Pheobe KANYANGE]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C CEPGL COMESA EAC EADB FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OIF OPCW PCA UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNISFA UNMISS UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

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; blue represents happiness and peace yellow economic development and mineral wealth green hope of prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity as well as enlightenment and transparency from ignorance

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture and some mineral and agro-processing. Tourism minerals coffee and tea are Rwanda's main sources of foreign exchange. Minerals exports declined 40% in 2009-10 due to the global economic downturn. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base severely impoverished the population particularly women and temporarily stalled the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 7%-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. Nonetheless a significant percent of the population still live below the official poverty line. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem food production often does not keep pace with demand requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. In recognition of Rwanda's successful management of its macro economy in 2010 the IMF graduated Rwanda to a Policy Support Instrument (PSI). Rwanda also received a Millennium Challenge Threshold Program in 2008. Africa's most densely populated country is trying to overcome the limitations of its small landlocked economy by leveraging regional trade. Rwanda joined the East African Community and is aligning its budget trade and immigration policies with its regional partners. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education infrastructure and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms. Energy shortages instability in neighboring states and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap private sector growth. The Rwandan government is seeking to become regional leader in information and communication technologies. In 2010 Rwanda neared completion of the first modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kigali. The SEZ seeks to attract investment in all sectors but specifically in agribusiness information and communications technologies trade and logistics mining and construction. The global downturn hurt export demand and tourism but economic growth has recovered driven in large part by the services sector but inflation has grown. On the back of this growth government is gradually ending its fiscal stimulus policy while protecting aid to the poor.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 141

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 17

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 203

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (2010 est.)
Rank: 36

Labor force: 4.446 million (2007)
Rank: 85

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 44.9% (2011 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 28.9 (1985)
Rank: 32

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -1.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 70

Taxes and other revenues: 25.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 121

Public debt: 24.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 126

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 185

Central bank discount rate: 11.25% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 19

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 17.4% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 27

Stock of narrow money: $593.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 157

Stock of broad money: $1.324 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 157

Stock of domestic credit: $612.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 164

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$692.2 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 102

Exports: $372.6 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 178
Commodities: coffee tea hides tin ore
Partners: Kenya 28% Malaysia 15.5% China 12.6% Democratic Republic of the Congo 11.2% US 5.2% Swaziland 4.5% (2011)

Imports: $1.368 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 173
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment steel petroleum products cement and construction material
Partners: Kenya 18.3% Uganda 16.5% US 10.5% UAE 8.9% China 5.8% Tanzania 5.3% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.05 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 130

Debt external: $907.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 159

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $507.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $13 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 240.2 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 178
Consumption: 301.4 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 174
Exports: 2 million kWh (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 87
Imports: 80 million kWh (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 94
Installed generating capacity: 56,250 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 180
Generation sources fossil fuels: 53.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 149
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 169
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 46.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 46
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 75

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 181
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 176
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 114
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 180

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 190
Products consumption: 5,245 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 167
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 127
Products imports: 5,125 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 156

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 184
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 188
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 141
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 123
Proven reserves: 56.63 billion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 65

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 869,400 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 170

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 38,900 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 167
Mobile cellular: 4.446 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 112

Telephone system

Broadcast media: government owns and operates the only TV station; government-owned and operated Radio Rwanda has a national reach; 9 private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .rw
Hosts: 1447 (2012)
Hosts rank: 168
Users: 450,000 (2009)
Users rank: 118

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 47

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; Rwandan citizenship is required as is a 9th grade education for enlisted recruits and an A-level certificate for officer candidates; enlistment is either as contract (5-years renewable twice) or career; retirement (for officers and senior NCOs) after 20 years of service or at 40-60 years of age) (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2012)
Rank: 165

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 126

Waterways: (Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft) (2011)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Cyangugu Gisenyi Kibuye


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Disputes international: Burundi and Rwanda dispute two km² (0.8 sq mi) of Sabanerwa a farmed area in the Rukurazi Valley where the Akanyaru/Kanyaru River shifted its course southward after heavy rains in 1965; fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels armed gangs and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) Rwanda and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping international mediation and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states including Zambia Gabon and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs