|
Background
In 1959, three years before independence, 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 (RPF) 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, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC). 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
Location
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates
2 00 S, 30 00 E
Area
total: 26,338 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
slightly smaller than Maryland
Border countries
Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda
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: 35%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 12% (1993 est.)
Note
landlocked; predominantly rural population
People
Population: 7,312,756
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 2001 est.)
Population growth rate
1.16% (2001 est.)
Birth rate
33.97 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate
21.13 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate
118.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 38.99 years
male: 38.35 years
female: 39.65 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.89 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nationality
noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups
Hutu 84%
Tutsi 15%
Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions
Roman Catholic 52.7%
Protestant 24%
Adventist 10.4%
Muslim 1.9%
indigenous beliefs and other 6.5%
none 4.5% (1996)
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
Country name
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
Government type
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital
Kigali
Independence
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
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; is landlocked; and has 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. In June 1998, Rwanda signed an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) with the IMF. Rwanda has also embarked upon an ambitious privatization program with the World Bank. Continued growth in 2001 depends on the maintenance of international aid levels and the strengthening of world prices of coffee and tea.
GDP by sector
agriculture: 40%
industry: 20%
services: 40% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line
70% (2000 est.)
Inflation rate
4% (2000)
Labor force: 3.6 million
agriculture: 90%
other: 10%
Unemployment rate
Not Applicable
Communications
Telephones: 15,000 (1995)
Mobile Phones: Not Applicable
Radios: 601,000 (1997)
Televisions: Not Applicable
Internet users: 1,000 (2000)
Transportation
Railways: total: 0 km
Highways: total: 12,000 km
Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
Airports: 8 (2000 est.)
|
