Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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 (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 the former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remain in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003, respectively - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
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Location:
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Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Geographic coordinates:
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2 00 S, 30 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 26,338 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland
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Land boundaries:
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total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
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Terrain:
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mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
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Natural resources:
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gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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40 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural
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Population:
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7,954,013
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 2004 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,690,122; female 1,674,147)
15-64 years: 55% (male 2,178,956; female 2,194,526)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,472; female 130,790) (2004 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 18.2 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.82% (2004 est.)
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Birth rate:
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40.01 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Death rate:
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21.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 101.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 106.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 96.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 39.18 years
male: 38.43 years
female: 39.96 years (2004 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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5.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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5.1% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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250,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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22,000 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan
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Ethnic groups:
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Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
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Languages:
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Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.4%
male: 76.3%
female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
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People - note:
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Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda
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Government type:
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republic; presidential, multiparty system
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Capital:
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Kigali
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
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Constitution:
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a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003
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Legal system:
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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
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal adult
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats; members elected by direct vote)
elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - RPF 40, PSD 7, PL 6
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts
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Political parties and leaders:
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Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA ]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION
embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
FAX: [250] 57 2128
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Rwanda is a poor 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 foreign exchange earners 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 substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $10.11 billion (2003 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2003 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 40.7%
industry: 21.5%
services: 37.8% (2003 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.3% of GDP (2003)
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Population below poverty line:
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60% (2001 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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28.9 (1985)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7.5% (2003 est.)
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Labor force:
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4.6 million (2000)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 90%
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Unemployment rate:
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NA
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Budget:
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revenues: $365.9 million
expenditures: $402.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
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Industries:
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cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
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Industrial production growth rate:
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7% (2001 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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96.78 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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140 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Electricity - imports:
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50 million kWh (2001)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1 January 2002)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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$-163 million (2003)
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Exports:
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$73.33 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
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Exports - partners:
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Indonesia 39.2%, Germany 4.6%, China 3.9% (2003)
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Imports:
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$245.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
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Imports - partners:
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Kenya 23.3%, Germany 7.5%, Belgium 6.4%, Uganda 6.4%, France 5% (2003)
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$215 million (2003)
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Debt - external:
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$1.3 billion (2000 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$372.9 million (1999)
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Currency:
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Rwandan franc (RWF)
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Currency code:
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RWF
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Exchange rates:
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Rwandan francs per US dollar - 537.658 (2003), 476.327 (2002), 442.801 (2001), 389.696 (2000), 333.942 (1999)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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23,200 (2002)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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134,000
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2003)
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Telephone system:
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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: country code - 250; 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)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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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)
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA
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Internet country code:
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.rw
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Internet hosts:
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1,495 (2003)
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Internet users:
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25,000 (2002)
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Disputes - international:
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Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, 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
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1997-1999; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)
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This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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