Country name:
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital:
Kigali
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as
Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the
1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda
Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of
understanding
Legal system:
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (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 (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Legislative branch:
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 - FPR
40, PSD 7, PL 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA];
Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [J. Damascene NTAWUKURIRYAYO];
Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO]; Party
for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and
Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul
KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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
Flag description:
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