Republic of Rwanda
National name: Repubulika y'u Rwanda
President: Paul Kagame (2000)
Prime Minister: Bernard Makuza (2000)
Current government officials
Land area: 9,633 sq mi (24,949 sq km); total area: 10,169 sq mi (26,338 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 9,907,509 (growth rate: 2.8%); birth rate: 40.2/1000; infant mortality rate: 85.3/1000; life expectancy: 49.0; density per sq mi: 1,029 Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Kigali, 298,100
Monetary unit: Rwanda franc
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, and English (all official); Kiswahili in commercial centers
Ethnicity/race: Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Islam 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Literacy rate: 70% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $8.576 billion; per capita $1,000. Real growth rate: 6%. Inflation: 8%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 46%. Agriculture: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock. Labor force: 4.6 million (2000); agriculture 90%, industry and services 10%. Industries: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes. Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land. Exports: $170.8 million f.o.b. (2007 est.): coffee, tea, hides, tin ore. Imports: $472.5 million f.o.b. (2007 est.): foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material. Major trading partners: Indonesia, China, Germany, Kenya, Belgium, Uganda, France (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 22,000 (2005); mobile cellular: 290,000 (2005). 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: 2 (2004). Televisions: n.a.; probably less than 1,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1,592 (2007). Internet users: 65,000 (2006).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: total: 14,008 km paved: 2,662 km unpaved: 11,346 km (2004). Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft. Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye. Airports: 9 (2007).
International disputes: Tutsi, Hutu, 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.
National name: Repubulika y'u Rwanda
President: Paul Kagame (2000)
Prime Minister: Bernard Makuza (2000)
Current government officials
Land area: 9,633 sq mi (24,949 sq km); total area: 10,169 sq mi (26,338 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 9,907,509 (growth rate: 2.8%); birth rate: 40.2/1000; infant mortality rate: 85.3/1000; life expectancy: 49.0; density per sq mi: 1,029 Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Kigali, 298,100
Monetary unit: Rwanda franc
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, and English (all official); Kiswahili in commercial centers
Ethnicity/race: Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Islam 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Literacy rate: 70% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $8.576 billion; per capita $1,000. Real growth rate: 6%. Inflation: 8%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 46%. Agriculture: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock. Labor force: 4.6 million (2000); agriculture 90%, industry and services 10%. Industries: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes. Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land. Exports: $170.8 million f.o.b. (2007 est.): coffee, tea, hides, tin ore. Imports: $472.5 million f.o.b. (2007 est.): foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material. Major trading partners: Indonesia, China, Germany, Kenya, Belgium, Uganda, France (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 22,000 (2005); mobile cellular: 290,000 (2005). 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: 2 (2004). Televisions: n.a.; probably less than 1,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1,592 (2007). Internet users: 65,000 (2006).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: total: 14,008 km paved: 2,662 km unpaved: 11,346 km (2004). Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft. Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye. Airports: 9 (2007).
International disputes: Tutsi, Hutu, 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.
Rwanda Today
Rwanda today struggles to heal and rebuild, but shows signs of rapid development. Some Rwandans continue to grapple with the legacy of almost 60 years of intermittent war.
One agent in Rwanda's rebuilding effort is the Benebikira Sisters, a Catholic order of nuns whose ministry is dedicated to education and healthcare. Since the genocide, the Sisters have housed and supported hundreds of orphans, and created and staffed schools to educate the next generation of Rwandans.[25]
The major markets for Rwandan exports are Belgium, Germany, and China. In April 2007, an investment and trade agreement, 4 years in the making, was worked out between Belgium and Rwanda. Belgium contributes €25-35 million per year to Rwanda.[26]
Belgian co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry continues to develop and rebuild agricultural practices in the country. It has distributed agricultural tools and seed to help rebuild the country. Belgium also helped in re-launching fisheries in Lake Kivu, at a value of US$470,000, in 2001.[27]
In Eastern Rwanda, The Clinton Hunter Development Initiative, along with Partners in Health, are helping to improve agricultural productivity, improve water and sanitation and health services, and help cultivate international markets for agricultural products.[28][29]
Since 2000, the Rwandan government has expressed interest in transforming the country from agricultural subsistence to a knowledge-based economy, and plans to provide high-speed broadband across the entire country.[30]
One agent in Rwanda's rebuilding effort is the Benebikira Sisters, a Catholic order of nuns whose ministry is dedicated to education and healthcare. Since the genocide, the Sisters have housed and supported hundreds of orphans, and created and staffed schools to educate the next generation of Rwandans.[25]
The major markets for Rwandan exports are Belgium, Germany, and China. In April 2007, an investment and trade agreement, 4 years in the making, was worked out between Belgium and Rwanda. Belgium contributes €25-35 million per year to Rwanda.[26]
Belgian co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry continues to develop and rebuild agricultural practices in the country. It has distributed agricultural tools and seed to help rebuild the country. Belgium also helped in re-launching fisheries in Lake Kivu, at a value of US$470,000, in 2001.[27]
In Eastern Rwanda, The Clinton Hunter Development Initiative, along with Partners in Health, are helping to improve agricultural productivity, improve water and sanitation and health services, and help cultivate international markets for agricultural products.[28][29]
Since 2000, the Rwandan government has expressed interest in transforming the country from agricultural subsistence to a knowledge-based economy, and plans to provide high-speed broadband across the entire country.[30]
