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Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

4,885 km total; 460 km paved, 1,725 km gravel and/or improved earth, 2,700 km unimproved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(dependent territory of the UK)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army (including Air Wing), Gendarmerie

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 1.6% of GDP (1988 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,675,160; fit for military service 853,467 (1993 est.); no conscription

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $350 million; expenditures $453.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

30,000 kW capacity; 130 million kWh produced, 15 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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)

Exports [time series]

$66.6 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: coffee 85%, tea, tin, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum partners: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$911 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$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

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 1.2% (1988); accounts for 17% of GDP

Industries [time series]

mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, agricultural processing, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.35 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$290 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.3% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 26,340 km2 land area: 24,950 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate [time series]

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

deforestation; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; periodic droughts

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

40 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 893 km, Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km, Zaire 217 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 29% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 10% other: 32%

Location [time series]

Central Africa, between Tanzania and Zaire

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

mostly grassy uplands and hills; mountains in west

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura in Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Ruhengeri

Capital [time series]

Kigali

Constitution [time series]

18 June 1991

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 232-2882

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 [time series]

president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court (consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Juvenal HABYARIMANA (since 5 July 1973) Head of Government: Prime Minister Dismas NSENGIYAREMYE (since NA April 1992)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Development Council (Conseil National de Developpement)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

since October 1990, Rwanda has been involved in a low-intensity conflict with the Rwandan Patriotic Front/Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPF/RPA)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; presidential system note: a new, all-party transitional government is to assume office later this year, replacing the current MRND-dominated coalition

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

People

Birth rate [time series]

49.92 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

20.87 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Hutu 90%, Tutsi 9%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

119.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2% note: 49% of population of working age (1985)

Languages [time series]

Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili used in commercial centers

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 41.23 years male: 40.2 years female: 42.28 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 50% male: 64% female: 37%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

8,139,272 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.9% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25%

Total fertility rate [time series]

8.27 children born/woman (1993 est.)