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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Rwanda
n : a landlocked republic in central Africa; formerly a German
colony [syn: {Rwandese Republic}, {Ruanda}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Rwanda
Introduction Rwanda
-------------------
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
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. 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.
Geography Rwanda
----------------
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic
Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 26,338 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 893 km
border countries: 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
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi
4,519 m
Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore),
wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,
hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 32.43%
permanent crops: 10.13%
other: 57.44% (1998 est.)
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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the
Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is
savanna grassland with the
population predominantly rural
People Rwanda
-------------
Population: 7,398,074
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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 1,550,141;
female 1,539,375)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 2,039,573;
female 2,057,059)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male
84,030; female 127,896) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.16% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 33.28 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 21.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 117.79 deaths/1,000 live births
(2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 38.66 years
female: 39.2 years (2002 est.)
male: 38.14 years
Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 11.21% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 400,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 40,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan
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: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 48%
male: 52%
female: 45% (1995 est.)
Government Rwanda
-----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Rwandese
Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda
local long form: Republika y'u
Rwanda
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
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
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: unicameral Transitional National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de
Transition (a power-sharing body
with 70 seats established on 12
December 1994 following a multiparty
protocol of understanding; members
were named by their parties, number
of seats per party predetermined by
the Arusha peace accord)
note: four additional seats, two for
women and two for youth, added in
2001
election results: seats by party
under the Arusha peace accord - 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
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
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
[leader NA]; Democratic Popular
Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA];
Democratic Republican Movement or
MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic
Democratic Party or PDI [Andre
BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie
MUGABO]; Party for Democratic
Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur
BIZIMURGI and Charilg NTAKIROTINKA];
Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA [Maj.
Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rwanda
Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen.
Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist
Party or PSR [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and IBUKA - association of genocide
leaders: survivors
International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL,
participation: ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard
SEZIBERA
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave.
NW, Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: Margaret K. McMILLION since 13
December 2001
embassy: #337 Boulevard de la
Revolution, Kigali
mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
FAX: [250] 721 28
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 Rwanda
--------------
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; landlocked with
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. Rwanda received
approval for debt relief from the
IMF in late 2000 and continued to
make progress on inflation,
privatization, and GDP growth in
2001. However, export earnings were
hindered by low global coffee
prices, depriving the country of
much needed hard currency. President
KAGAME is encouraging investors to
take advantage of export
opportunities in Rwanda based on its
membership in the COMESA free trade
area and its access to the US and
the EU markets through preferential
trade agreements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.2
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46%
industry: 20%
services: 34% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 4.2%
percentage share: highest 10%: 24.2% (1983-85)
Distribution of family income - Gini 28.9 (1983-85)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $199.3 million
expenditures: $445 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001 est.)
Industries: cement, agricultural products,
small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods,
textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 113 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.65%
hydro: 97.35%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 174.09 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 70 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide
made from chrysanthemums), bananas,
beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Exports: $61 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners: EU 56.9%, Pakistan 12.3%, US 9.2%,
China 4.4% Malaysia 4.4% (2000 est.)
Imports: $248 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment,
steel, petroleum products, cement
and construction material
Imports - partners: Kenya 29.4%, EU 28%, US 10%, India
4.4%, Tanzania 2.2% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $372.9 million (1999)
Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code: RWF
Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar -
456.81 (January 2002), 442.99
(2001), 389.70 (2000), 333.94 (1999)
312.31 (1998), 301.53 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Rwanda
---------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 11,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,000 (1999)
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular
service between Kigali and several
prefecture capitals (2002)
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
and, recently, by cellular telephone
service; much 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are
broadcast through a system of
repeaters and the third FM program
is a 24 hour BBC program), shortwave
1 (2002)
Radios: 601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .rw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 5,000 (2001)
Transportation Rwanda
---------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 12,000 km
paved: 1,000 km
unpaved: 11,000 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-
draft barges and native craft
Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Airports: 8 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
Military Rwanda
---------------
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,858,443 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 946,990 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $58 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3.1% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Rwanda
---------------------------
Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu and other ethnic groups,
political rebels, and various
government forces continue fighting
in Great Lakes region, transcending
the boundaries of Burundi,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Rwanda, and Uganda
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