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
Executive branch:
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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); elections last held on 9 August 2010
(next to be held in 2017)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected to a second term as president;
Paul KAGAME 93.1%, Jean NTAWUKURIRYAYO 5.1%, Prosper HIGIRO 1.4%,
Alvera MUKABAR 0.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members
elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed
by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of
higher learning; members to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of
Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women
elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability
organizations; members to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional
government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last
held on 15 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%,
PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members
indirectly elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;
District Courts; mediation committees
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic
Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned);
Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
[Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned);
Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Solidarity and Prosperity Party or
PSP [Pheobe KANYANGE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James KIMONYO
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON
embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali
mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone: [250] 596-400
FAX: [250] 596-591
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; blue represents happiness and peace, yellow economic
development and mineral wealth, green hope of prosperity and natural
resources; the sun symbolizes unity, as well as enlightenment and
transparency from ignorance
National anthem:
name: "Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country)
lyrics/music: Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA
note: adopted 2001
Economy ::Rwanda
Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture and some mineral and
agro-processing. In 2008, minerals overtook coffee and tea as
Rwanda's primary foreign exchange earner. The 1994 genocide
decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the
population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled 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. GDP has rebounded and
inflation has been curbed. Nonetheless, a majority still live below
the poverty line of 250 Rwandan francs per day (about US$0.43).
Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not
keep pace with demand, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to
receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily
Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06.
Rwanda also received a Millennium Challenge Account Compact in 2008.
Africa's most densely populated country is trying to overcome the
limitations of its small, landlocked economy by leveraging regional
trade. Rwanda joined the East African Community and is aligning its
budget, trade, and immigration policies with its regional partners.
The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce
poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and
domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although
energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of
adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to
handicap growth. The global downturn hurt export demand and tourism,
but economic growth is recovering, driven in large part by the
services sector, and inflation has been contained. On the back of
this growth, government is gradually ending its fiscal stimulus
policy while protecting aid to the poor.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.84 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
$11.17 billion (2009 est.)
$10.69 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.693 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
4.5% (2009 est.)
11.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
$1,000 (2009 est.)
$1,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42.1%
industry: 14.3%
services: 43.6% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.446 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 81
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.8 (2000)
country comparison to the world: 35
28.9 (1985)
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
10.4% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11.25% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 29
12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
16.51% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$602.3 million (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 154
$537.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$1.243 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$1.068 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$600.4 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
$515.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),
bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - production:
120 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Electricity - consumption:
231.6 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - exports:
10 million kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports:
130 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Oil - imports:
5,623 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - proved reserves:
56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Current account balance:
-$489 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
-$379 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$226 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
$193 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:
Kenya 33.88%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 13.56%, Thailand
6.22%, China 5.49%, US 5.47%, Swaziland 5.43%, Belgium 5.19% (2009)
Imports:
$1.047 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
$961 million (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
cement and construction material
Imports - partners:
Kenya 16.53%, Uganda 14.92%, China 7.92%, UAE 6.89%, Belgium 5.54%,
Germany 5.19%, Tanzania 4.81%, Sweden 4% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$816 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$742.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 586.25 (2010), 568.176 (2009),
550 (2008), 585 (2007), 560 (2006)
Communications ::Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:
33,500 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 174
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.429 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 123
Telephone system:
general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system primarily
serves business, education, and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone
density has increased to about 25 telephones per 100 persons
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)
Broadcast media:
government owns and operates the only TV station; government-owned
and operated Radio Rwanda has a national reach; 9 private radio
stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are
available (2007)
Internet country code:
.rw
Internet hosts:
815 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 171
Internet users:
450,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118
Transportation ::Rwanda
Airports:
9 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 160
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 14,008 km
country comparison to the world: 125
paved: 2,662 km
unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)
Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2009)
Ports and terminals:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Military ::Rwanda
Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF), Rwandan Patriotic Air Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,573,834
females age 16-49: 2,553,707 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,641,563
females age 16-49: 1,696,514 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 98,164
female: 97,839 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Transnational Issues ::Rwanda
Disputes - international:
fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels,
armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region
transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago
due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts
by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000
Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including
Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to
escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts
investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border
verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the
border remains in place
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Saint Barthelemy (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Barthelemy
Background:
Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his
brother Bartolomeo, Saint Barthelemy was first settled by the French
in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed
the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and
made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply
center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France
repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the
administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free
port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish
street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of
arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from
Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas
collectivity.
Geography ::Saint Barthelemy
Location:
located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe
Geographic coordinates:
17 90 N, 62 85 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
21 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Climate:
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two
seasons (dry and humid)
Terrain:
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20
beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Natural resources:
has few natural resources, its beaches being the most important
Environment - current issues:
with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply,
especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water,
collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker
People ::Saint Barthelemy
Population:
7,406 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 227
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 734/female 696)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 2,855/female 2,402)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 378/female 383) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 39.9 years
female: 39.6 years (2010 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.053 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Ethnic groups:
white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness
Languages:
French (primary), English
Government ::Saint Barthelemy
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy
local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during
Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy
Day, 24 August
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007),
represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno
MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory,
economic, social, and cultural council
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council
elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the
Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July
2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%,
Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy
7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16,
Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1,
Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
note: Saint Barthelemy elects one seat to the French Senate;
election last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in
September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour
Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA
[Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
National anthem:
name: "L'Hymne a St. Barthelemy" (Hymn to St. Barthelemy)
lyrics/music: Isabelle Massart DERAVIN/Michael VALENTI
note: local anthem in use since 1999; as a collectivity of France,
"La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
Economy ::Saint Barthelemy
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and
duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North
America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year
with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and
high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and
public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of
tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be
imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods.
Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal.
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827
(2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Saint Barthelemy
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Broadcast media:
no local TV broadcasters; 3 FM radio channels (2 via repeater)
Internet country code:
.bl; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr,
the internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Transportation ::Saint Barthelemy
Airports:
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 226
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Gustavia
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana
International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten
Military ::Saint Barthelemy
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,543
females age 16-49: 1,303 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 21
female: 21 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha (Africa)
Introduction ::Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
Background:
Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint
Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da
Cunha.
Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile
from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of
call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During
the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners
were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.
Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered
and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the
island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It
served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa
Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty
control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena.
During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an
airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa
and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s
the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In
1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces
during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in
the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.
Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of
Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da
Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was
garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue
Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been
designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a
meteorological station on Gough Island.
Geography ::Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint
Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2,300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Geographic coordinates:
Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W
Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W
Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 308 sq km
country comparison to the world: 208
land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km;
Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: