Guide to Rwanda Introduction 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 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 the former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remain in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003, respectively - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Geography Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total
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
Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1998 est.)
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
Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural
People Population: 8,440,820 note
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.43% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 40.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 16.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 22,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
Literacy: definition
People - note: Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital: Kigali
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); 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: new constitution adopted 4 June 2003
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats; members elected by direct vote) elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Political parties and leaders: Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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 Economy - overview: Rwanda is a poor 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 foreign exchange earners 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 substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. Kigali's high defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies. An energy shortage and instability in neighboring states may slow growth in 2005, while the lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continues to handicap export growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $10.43 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%
Unemployment rate: NA
Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 28.9 (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
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: 7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 166.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 195 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 40 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-212.5 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $69.78 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners: Indonesia 64.2%, China 3.6%, Germany 2.7% (2004)
Imports: $260 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports - partners: Kenya 24.4%, Germany 7.4%, Belgium 6.6%, Uganda 6.3%, France 5.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $210.9 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $372.9 million (1999)
Currency (code): Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code: RWF
Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar - 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (2002), 442.8 (2001), 393.44 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 23,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 134,000 note
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios: 601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (2004)
Televisions: NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .rw
Internet hosts: 1,495 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002)
Internet users: 25,000 (2002)
Transportation Highways: total
Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2004)
Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Airports: 9 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: Rwandan Defense Forces
Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $50.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.2% (2004)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources - government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; DROC and Rwanda established a border verification mechanism in 2005 to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the Congo providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; as of 2004, Rwandan refugees lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Zambia
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin)
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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