| 
The Republic
of Rwanda is located in Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo; in a region called "The Great Lakes" because of
the presence of the most important Africa's natural lakes: Victoria, Kivu, George,
Albert, Tanganyika, Kyoga and others.
The hilly landscape has earned
the country the name of "The land of a thousand hills".
With its
temperate climate (mild in mountains with frost and snow possible); grassy
uplands and hills, Rwanda is a beautiful country known worldwide for its wildlife
- in particular the mountain gorillas living in the volcano areas of Mount
Karisimbi 4,519 m
Total area: 26,338 sq.
km (land: 24,948 sq. km water: 1,390 sq. km)
Bordering
countries: Burundi over 290 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo over
217 km, Tanzania over 217 km, Uganda
over 169 km
Population: 8,129,129 Population
(2000); 7,810,056 (July 2003 est.);
growth rate: 1.14% (2000); 1.84% (2003 est.) One of the most crowded
African country (290 people/sq. km)
Capital:
Kigali
Independence from Belgium (United
Nations granted controlling mandate): July 1, 1962
National
holiday: Independence Day: July 1
Liberation
Day: July 4 (1994)
Constitution: on May
5, 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution which included
elements of the constitution of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993
Arusha peace accord and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding
Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore),
wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower.
Agriculture
productions: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),
bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industrial
productions: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes Industrial production growth
rate: 8.7% (one of the highest in Africa; but the country is just playing
catch-up with lost attrition / war years)
Rwanda is a war torn, psychically
wounded nation.
A bit of history is necessary
to "understand" the social, cultural and political situation prevailing
now in that country.
Rwanda was an ancient kingdom dating back
to the sixteen century, under the rule of Tutsi kings, which became
Germany colony / protectorate in 1907. Belgium took over, in 1916, during the
first world war; and administrated the territory of Rwanda-Urundi (Urundi
is current Burundi) till the independence
of Rwanda and Burundi in 1962.
Three years before independence, the majority
ethnic group, the Hutus - 85% of the population - overthrew the ruling
Tutsi king. Thousands of Tutsis were killed; some 150,000 fleeing into exile
in neighboring countries: Uganda, Congo-Kinshasa,
Tanzania).
The emigrants'
children to Uganda played - between 1982-1986 - an important role in helping Yoweri
Museveni grasping state power in Uganda. In 1986, when Museveni achieved his ambition
and became Uganda's president, some of these people were rewarded with decision
making positions in Uganda state's machine. That position of power helps them
later in structuring a rebel group: "The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)
" which engineered a civil war - in 1990 - on Rwanda's Northern region.
The civil war aggravated ethnic tensions between Tutsis and Hutus.
On June 6, 1994, Presidents Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Cyprien
Ntaryamira of Burundi (both ethnic Hutu) were killed;
their plane was shot down - few minutes before landing at Kigali's airport. They
were returning from a peace-talk session in Arusha - Tanzania.
That tragic event immediately triggered a wave of ethnic violence, a genocide
- the worst ever in Africa - in which roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus
were killed. Click
here for The Path of Genocide / The Rwandan Crisis From Uganda to Zaire.
The Tutsi rebels won the civil war in July 1994. Approximately 2 million
Hutu fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of
the Congo (Click here and
choose a country to review countries' briefs). End of 1996 most of the refugees
returned to Rwanda. Except the so-called "Hutus rebels / extremists"
who keep on skirmishing - alongside Rwanda - Congo-Kinshasa - Burundi borders
and inside Rwanda's territory - against Rwanda's national army.
On July 30, 2000 Congo's. Kabila
and Rwanda's Kagame signed a peace agreement, which finality is structured as
follows:
| 1 - The
pull-out of Rwandan invading troops from the eastern territory of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, within a period of 90 days
2 - Together with the disarmament
of the Hutu guerillas / activists established on said territory;
3 - Followed
by 30 days of inspection by the international community. | And
on October 5, 2002, Rwanda completed the pull out of the last of its soldiers
from the eastern region of the Democratic Republic Of The Congo. Click
here for more.
However, since April / May 2004 there are still some
attacks of Hutu "rebels" inside Rwanda from Congo's Kivu region. Rwanda's
authorities are threathening to send back Rwanda Army to the Democratic Republic
of the Congo if said attacks are not quelled by Congo. Click
here fore the latest about Rwanda / Congo events
The 1994 genocide
decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base. Agriculture production was severely
disrupted and the rural population further impoverished (90 % of the total of
the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture) .
The government
is doing its best to reestablish law and order; to boost investment and agricultural
output. The end of Congo "military adventure" is doubtless a welcome
event and asset. Twenty three percent of the national budget was allocated to
military expenses that could now be diverted to productive economic activities
unless the persisting problem of political battle between the Tutsi led government
of Kigali and the so-called "extremists" Hutu leads to the resumption
of war in Eastern Congo.
Indeed, adamant Hutu rebels, ready to
match Kagame's Tutsi led government uncompromising / defiant political attitude
and actions, will continue to hinder Rwanda's economic development efforts if
the reconciliation process collapses.
Click
here to visit Rwanda's Ministry of Finance and Economy Planning
Click
here for dynamic news headlines on Rwanda.
TOP
|
|
GNP: purchasing
power parity: US$ 2.37
billion (2000); 2.5
billion (2001); 2.62 billion (2002); .2.87
billion (2003)
GNP-real
growth rate: 5.4% (2000);
5% (2001); 9.7% (2002);
5% (2003)
GNP-per
capita: US$ 292 (2000);
368 (2003)
Click
here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power
GNP-composition
by sector
-
agriculture:
45%
- industry:
20%
- services:
35%
Exports:
US$ 68.4 million
(f.o.b. 2000); 68 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities:
coffee, tea, hides,
tin ore.
Exports - partners:
Brazil, Belgium, Pakistan, Spain, Kenya,
Indonesia 30.8%, Germany 14.6%, Hong Kong 9%, South
Africa 5.5% (2002)
Imports:
US$ 245.9 million
(f.o.b. 2000); 253 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery
and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material.
Imports
- partners: Imports - partners: Kenya
21.8%, Germany 8.4%, Belgium 7.9%, Israel 4.3% (2002)
FOR CURRENCY EQUIVALENCE CLICK
HERE
TOP |
- REPUBLIC OF RWANDA - BRIEFS
. -
