*Rwanda, Geography Location: Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 26,340 km2 land area: 24,950 km2 comparative area: 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 International disputes: none 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 Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 10% other: 32% Irrigated land: 40 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: deforestation; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; periodic droughts Note: landlocked *Rwanda, People Population: 8,139,272 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 2.9% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 49.92 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 20.87 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 119.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.23 years male: 40.2 years female: 42.28 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 8.27 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan Ethnic divisions: Hutu 90%, Tutsi 9%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25% Languages: Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili used in commercial centers Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 50% male: 64% female: 37% Labor force: 3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2% note: 49% of population of working age (1985) *Rwanda, Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda Digraph: RW Type: republic; presidential system note: a new, all-party transitional government is to assume office later this year, replacing the current MRND-dominated coalition 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 Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration) 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 National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Political parties and leaders: Republican National Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), President HABYARIMANA's political movement, remains the dominant party; significant independent parties include: Democratic Republican Movement (MDR), Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU; Liberal Party (PL), Justin MUGENZI; Democratic and Socialist Party (PSD), Frederic NZAMURAMBAHO; Coalition for the Defense of the Republic (CDR), Martin BUCYANA; Party for Democracy in Rwanda (PADER), Jean NTAGUNGIRA; Christian Democratic Party (PDL), Nayinzira NEPOMUSCENE note: formerly a one-party state, Rwanda legalized independent parties in mid-1991; since then, at least 10 new political parties have registered Other political or pressure groups: since October 1990, Rwanda has been involved in a low-intensity conflict with the Rwandan Patriotic Front/Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPF/RPA) Suffrage: universal adult at age NA Elections: President: last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held NA December 1993); results - President Juvenal HABYARIMANA reelected National Development Council: last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held NA December 1993); results - MRND was the only party; seats - (70 total) MRND 70 Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral National Development Council (Conseil National de Developpement) *Rwanda, Government Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session) Leaders: Chief of State: President Juvenal HABYARIMANA (since 5 July 1973) Head of Government: Prime Minister Dismas NSENGIYAREMYE (since NA April 1992) Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 232-2882 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. FLATEN embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 75601 through 75603 FAX: [250] 72128 Flag: 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 *Rwanda, Economy Overview: Almost 50% 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 only 17% to GDP. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. The Rwandan economy remains dependent on coffee exports and foreign aid. 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. An outbreak of insurgency, also in October 1990, has dampened prospects for economic improvement. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.35 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 1.3% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $290 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $350 million; expenditures $453.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1992 est.) Exports: $66.6 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: coffee 85%, tea, tin, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum partners: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US Imports: $259.5 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material partners: US, Belgium, Germany, Kenya, Japan External debt: $911 million (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 1.2% (1988); accounts for 17% of GDP Electricity: 30,000 kW capacity; 130 million kWh produced, 15 kWh per capita (1991) 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 Agriculture: accounts for almost 50% of GDP and about 90% of the labor force; cash crops - coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums); main food crops - bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; stock raising; self-sufficiency declining; country imports foodstuffs as farm production fails to keep up with a 3.8% annual growth in population *Rwanda, Economy Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $128 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $45 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $58 million; note - in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Program with the IMF; since September 1991, the EC has given $46 million and the US $25 million in support of this program Currency: 1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1 - 146.34 (January 1993), 133.35 (1992), 125.14 (1991), 82.60 (1990), 79.98 (1989), 76.45 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year *Rwanda, Communications Highways: 4,885 km total; 460 km paved, 1,725 km gravel and/or improved earth, 2,700 km unimproved Inland waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft Airports: total: 8 usable: 7 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2 Telecommunications: fair system with low-capacity radio relay system centered on Kigali; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 (7 repeaters) FM, no TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 SYMPHONIE *Rwanda, Defense Forces Branches: Army (including Air Wing), Gendarmerie Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,675,160; fit for military service 853,467 (1993 est.); no conscription Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 1.6% of GDP (1988 est.)