Rwanda

This Page was last updated on the 18th. October, 2005.

Country	Rwanda
Official Name	Republic of Rwanda (Republika y'u Rwanda)
Former Name	Ruanda-Urundi, Ruanda (Hutu were original inhabitants; Tutsi arrived and set up feudal system in 15th century; Count Von Goetzen [German] visited Rwanda in 1894; Mwami submitted to German protectorate in 1899; Belgian troops, from Zaire [DRC], took control of country in 1915; League of Nations mandated Rwanda and Burundi, to Belgium as territory of Ruanda-Urundi in 1919; Ruanda-Urundi became UN trust territory administered by Belgium after World War II; Belgian reforms instituted, growth of political institutions which were resisted by Tutsi in 1950s; Hutu revolt overthrew Tutsi monarchy [160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries] in November 1959; Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement (PARMEHUTU) won UN-supervised referendum in September 1961; PARMEHUTU government granted internal autonomy on 1 January 1962; UN resolution [June 1962] ended Belgian trusteeship and granted independence to Rwanda [and Burundi] from 1 July 1962.)
Capital	Kigali
Main Towns	Butare, Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kigali, Ruhengeri
Subdivisions	12 prefectures: Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri
Independence	1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Constitution	26 May 2003, new constitution was adopted 4 June 2003
National Holiday	Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
UN Membership	18 September 1962
OAU Membership	25 May 1963 – now African Union (AU)
Commonwealth	n/a
Other Organisations	In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT), Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Central African States Economic Community (CEAC), Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO - correspondent), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW - signatory), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).
Population	World Bank Figures: 7,492,000 (1999), 7,709,000 (2000), 7,933,000 (2001), 8,163,000 (2002), 8,395,000 (2003) Other Sources: 8,605,307 (July 1995), 7,312,756 (July 2001 est.), 7,810,056 (July 2003 est.), 8,440,820 (July 2005 est.)
Area	10,169 sq. mls. (26,338 sq. kms.)
Density	285 per sq.km. (1995)
Highest Point	Volcan Karisimbi 14,787 ft. (4,507 m.)
Lowest Point	Ruzizi River 3,117 ft. (950 m.)
Neighbours	Burundi (S), Tanzania (E), Uganda (N), Zaire (W)
Life Expectancy	39 years (1995), total population: 38.99 years, male: 38.35 years, female: 39.65 years (2001 est.) total population: 39.33 years, male: 38.51 years, female: 40.18 years (2003 est.) total population: 46.96 years male: 45.92 years female: 48.03 years (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate	total: 102.61 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 97.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.), male: 107.66 deaths/1,000 live births total: 91.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 85.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS	adult prevalence rate: 8.9% (2001 est.), 5.1% (2003 est.) people living with HIV/AIDS: 500,000 (2001 est.), 250,000 (2003 est.) deaths: 49,000 (2001 est.), 22,000 (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Rwanda - Updated: Oct 2005 Population: 8.5 million HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 7.7 No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 380,000 No. Of People in need of ART: 42,000 No. Of People Currently on ART (Sep 04): 13,000 No. Of People on ART Public Sector: Not Defined No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: Not Defined No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 32,973 Front Line Drug Regimen: Stavudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: 46 Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 1, June 2003-December 2005): US$14,860,735.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$11,194,355.45 Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$30,500,000.00 Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: US$56,400,000.00 Source: National AIDS Commission, UNAIDS, The Global Fund, The World Bank
Adult Literacy Rate	total population: 48%, male: 52%, female: 45% (1995 est.) total population: 70.4%, male: 76.3%, female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Languages	Kinyarwanda (official, universal Bantu vernacular), French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (in commercial centers)
Religions	Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, Traditional beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Type of Government	Republic, presidential, multiparty
President	Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame (FPR) (since 22 April 2000 [18/10/2005])
Prime Minister	Bernard Makuza (since 8 March 2000 [18/10/2005])
Political Parties	Political parties: Centrist Democratic Party (PDC); Democratic Socialist Party (PSD); Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda (UDPR); Democratic Republican Movement (MDR); Islamic Democratic Party (PDI); Liberal Party (PL); Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwanda Patriotic Front (FPR); Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR). Political pressure groups: IBUKA (association of genocide survivors).
Ruling Party	Coalition: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) (Tutsi dominated) Republican Democratic Movement (MDR) Social Democratic Party (PSD) Christian Democratic Party (PDC) Liberal Party (PL)
Currency	Rwanda franc (RwF), Rwandan francs per US dollar - 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (2002), 442.8 (2001), 393.44 (2000)
GDP	US$211 (1992) US$1,128m (1995) US$80 (1996) US$1.8 bn (2004) purchasing power parity per capita - US$1,200 (2002 est.), US$1,300 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - US$10.43 billion (2004 est.) real growth rate: 0.9% (2004 est.)
GNP	US$270 (1992) US$100 (1994) US$180 (1995)
Per Capita Income	US$206 (2004 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line	60% (2001 est.)
Land Use	arable land: 40.54% permanent crops: 12.16% other: 47.3% (2001) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources	gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Oil and Natural Gas	Oil production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001) proved reserves: 0 bbl (January 2002 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 28.32 billion cu m (January 2002 est.)
Military	Military branches: Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,932,637 (2003 est.) males age 16-49: 2,004,750 (2005 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$59.57 million (FY02), US $50.1 million (2004) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (FY02), 3.2% (2004)
Economic Aid Received	US$372.9 million (1999) Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$50 (1999), US$42 (2000), US$38 (2001), US$43 (2002), US$39 (2003)
Debt	Severely indebted (HIPC) World Bank Figures: US$722,000,000 (2000), US$670,000,000 (2001), US$688,499,968 (2002), US$972,099,968 (2003) Other Sources: US$1bn (1995) US$1.3 bn (1999) US$1.3 billion (2000 est.) Rwanda receives substantial aid and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000.
Major Imports	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports from	Kenya 22.1%, Belgium 9.0%, US 9.5%, Japan 3.5%, Germany 3.1% (2000) Kenya 21.9%, Germany 7.8%, Belgium 7.7%, Uganda 5.9%, France 5.9% (2004), US$260 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Major Exports	coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports to	Germany 17.7%, Pakistan 7.4%, Netherlands 6.7%, Belgium 5.6%, US 5.1% (2000) Indonesia 35.4%, China 7.1%, Germany 3.4% (2004), US $69.78 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

See also the 'White Fathers - White Sisters' Articles

Map and some facts and figures on Rwanda (in pdf format)

Further facts and figures on the Rwandan Church

We try to have each fact sheet up to date and as accurate as possible.
If you notice any mistakes, or have suggestions on items which could be added, please let us know by emailing to: suttonlink@dial.pipex.com

The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 18 October, 2005

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