@Reunion:People
Population: 666,067 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32% (female 104,924; male 109,972)15-64 years: 62% (female 210,762; male 203,774)65 years and over: 6% (female 21,606; male 15,029) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.98% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.59 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.46 years male: 71.39 years female: 77.67 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic divisions: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani,Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982)total population: 79%male: 76%female: 80%
Labor force: NAby occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
@Reunion:Government
Names:conventional long form: Department of Reunionconventional short form: Reunionlocal long form: nonelocal short form: Ile de la Reunion
Digraph: RE
Type: overseas department of France
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)head of government: Prefect of Reunion Island Hubert FOURNIER (sinceNA)cabinet: Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral RegionalCouncilGeneral Council: elections last held March 1994 (next to be held NA);results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) PCR 12, PS12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7Regional Council: elections last held 25 June 1993 (next to be heldNA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (45 total) UPF 17,Free-Dom Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be heldNA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR 1,FRA 1, independent 1French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993(next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA;seats - (5 total) PS 1, PCR 1, UPF 1, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR), AlainDEFAUD; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert GERARD; CommunistParty of Reunion (PCR), Elie HOARAU;; France-Reunion Future (FRA),Andre THIEN AH KOON; Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; SocialDemocrats (CDS), leader NA; Union for France (UPF - including RPR andUDF); Free-Dom Movement, Marguerite SUDRE
Member of: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation: none (overseas department of France)
Flag: the flag of France is used
@Reunion:Economy
Overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $3,900 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 35% (February 1991)
Budget:revenues: $358 millionexpenditures: $914 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1986 est.)
Exports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1988)commodities: sugar 75%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 4%,lobster 3%, vanilla and tea 1%partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988)commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machineryand transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum productspartners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 180,000 kW production: 1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,454 kWh (1993)
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing handicraft items
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of labor force; dominant sector ofeconomy; cash crops - sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco; food crops -tropical fruits, vegetables, corn; imports large share of food needs
Economic aid:recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateralcommitments (1970-89), $14.8 billion
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.2943 (January 1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Reunion:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,800 km paved: 2,200 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 600 km
Ports: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: none
Airports:total: 2with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Reunion:Communications
Telephone system: 85,900 telephones; adequate system; principal centerSaint-Denislocal: NAintercity: modern open-wire and microwave networkinternational: radiocommunication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; newmicrowave route to Mauritius; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 18)televisions: NA
@Reunion:Defense Forces
Branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 173,693; males fit for military service 89,438; males reach military age (18) annually 5,781 (1995 est.)
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
________________________________________________________________________
@Romania:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, betweenBulgaria and Ukraine
Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe
Area:total area: 237,500 sq kmland area: 230,340 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total 2,508 km, Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km,Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia),Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine - including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina - are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania; this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use: arable land: 43% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 28% other: 7%
Irrigated land: 34,500 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; airpollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danubedelta wetlandsnatural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest;geologic structure and climate promote landslidesinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,Moldova, and Ukraine
@Romania:People
Population: 23,198,330 (July 1995 est.) note: the Romanian census of January 1992 gives the population for that date as 22.749 million; the government estimates that population declined in 1993 by 0.3%
Age structure:0-14 years: 21% (female 2,413,933; male 2,534,019)15-64 years: 67% (female 7,737,531; male 7,732,038)65 years and over: 12% (female 1,604,210; male 1,176,599) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 13.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.24 years male: 69.31 years female: 75.35 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian
Ethnic divisions: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%,Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%
Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% areUniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992)total population: 97%male: 98%female: 95%
Labor force: 11.3 million (1992)by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)
@Romania:Government
Names:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Romanialocal long form: nonelocal short form: Romania
Digraph: RO
Type: republic
Capital: Bucharest
Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau,Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj,Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures,Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu,Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)
Constitution: 8 December 1991
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and Communist legal theory; is now based on the Constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 June 1990, previouslyPresident of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December1989); election last held 27 September 1992, with runoff between toptwo candidates on 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results -Ion ILIESCU 61.4%, Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6%head of government: Prime Minister Nicolae VACAROIU (since November1992)cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate (Senat): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.3%, CDR 18.2%, DP-FSN 12.6%, others 34.9%; seats - (143 total) PSDR 49, CDR 26, DP-FSN 18, PUNR 13, UDMR 12, PRM 6, PAC 6, PDAR 5, PSM 5, PL-93 2 other 1 House of Deputies (Adunarea Deputatilor): elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.0%, CDR 16,4%, DP-FSN 12.3%, others 37.3%; seats - (341 total) PSDR 116, CDR 56, DP-FSN 42, PUNR 29, UDMR 27, PL-93 19, PRM 15, PSM 13, PAC 5, other 19
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (DP-FSN), Petre ROMAN;Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSDR), Adrian NASTASE; DemocraticUnion of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Bela MARKO; National LiberalParty (PNL), Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS; National Peasants' Christian andDemocratic Party (PNTCD), Corneliu COPOSU; Romanian National UnityParty (PUNR), Gheorghe FUNAR; Socialist Labor Party (PSM), IlieVERDET; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania (PDAR), Victor SURDU; TheDemocratic Convention (CDR), Emil CONSTANTINESCU; Romania Mare Party(PRM), Corneliu Vadim TUDOR; Civic Alliance Party (PAC), NicolaeMANOLESCU, chairmannote: numerous other small parties exist but almost all failed to gainrepresentation in the most recent election
Other political or pressure groups: various human rights andprofessional associations
Member of: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI (associate members), EBRD,ECE, FAO, G- 9, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM(observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE,PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WEU(associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihai Horia BOTEZ chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, Bucharest; APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad
@Romania:Economy
Overview: Despite the continuing difficulties in moving away from the former command system, the Romanian economy seems to have bottomed out in 1993-94. Market oriented reforms have been introduced fitfully since the downfall of CEAUSESCU in December 1989, with the result a growing private sector, especially in services. The slow pace of structural reform, however, has exacerbated Romania's high inflation rate and eroded real wages. Agricultural production rebounded in 1993 from the drought-reduced harvest of 1992. The economy continued its recovery in 1994, further gains being realized in agriculture, construction, services, and trade. Food supplies are adequate but expensive. Romania's infrastructure had deteriorated over the last five years due to reduced levels of public investment. Residents of the capital reported frequent disruptions of heating and water services. The slow and painful process of conversion to a more open economy will continue in 1995.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $64.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3.4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,790 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 62% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 10.9% (December 1994)
Budget:revenues: $8.3 billionexpenditures: $9.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1995 est.)
Exports: $6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)commodities: metals and metal products 17.6%, mineral products 11.9%,textiles 18.5%, electric machines and equipment 8.4%, transportmaterials 6.5% (1994)partners: EC 36.1%, developing countries 27.4%, East and CentralEurope 14.9%, EFTA 5.1%, Russia 5%, Japan 1.4%, US 1.3% (1993)
Imports: $6.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: minerals 21.1%, machinery and equipment 19.7%, textiles 11.5%, agricultural goods 9.2% (1994) partners: EC 45.8%, East and Central Europe 8.6%, developing countries 22.6%, Russia 11%, EFTA 6.2%, US 5.0%, Japan 0.8% (1993)
External debt: $4.4 billion (1994)
Industrial production: growth rate -1% (1993 est.); accounts for 45% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 22,180,000 kW production: 50.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,076 kWh (1993)
Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining
Agriculture: accounts for 18% of GDP and 28% of labor force; majorwheat and corn producer; other products - sugar beets, sunflower seed,potatoes, milk, eggs, meat, grapes
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin andLatin American cocaine transiting the Balkan route
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani
Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1 - 1,776.00 (January 1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991), 22.432 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Romania:Transportation
Railroads:total: 11,365 kmbroad gauge: 45 km 1.524-m gaugestandard gauge: 10,893 km 1.435-m gauge (3,723 km electrified; 3,060km double track)narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)
Highways:total: 461,880 kmpaved: 235,559 km (113 km of expressways)unpaved: 226,321 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 1,724 km (1984)
Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)
Ports: Braila, Constanta, Galatz, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Merchant marine:total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,528,971 GRT/3,849,943DWTships by type: bulk 46, cargo 167, container 2, oil tanker 14,passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7note: in addition, Romania owns 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling1,207,388 DWT that operate under Liberian, Maltese, Cypriot, andBahamian registry
Airports:total: 156with paved runways over 3,047 m: 4with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17with unpaved runways under 914 m: 108
@Romania:Communications
Telephone system: about 2.3 million telephones; 99 telephones/1,000persons; 89% of phone network is automatic; poor service; cable andopen wirelocal: NAintercity: trunk network is microwave; roughly 3,300 villages with noservice (February 1990)international: 1 INTELSAT earth station; new digital internationaldirect dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993)
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 13 (1990)televisions: NA
@Romania:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces,Civil Defense
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 5,934,524; males fit formilitary service 5,002,287; males reach military age (20) annually196,587 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 1,260 billion lei, 3% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
@Russia:Geography
Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean
Map references: Asia
Area:total area: 17,075,200 sq kmland area: 16,995,800 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than 1.8 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: total 20,139 km, Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km
Coastline: 37,653 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: inherited disputes from former USSR including: sections of the boundary with China; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; maritime dispute with Norway over portion of the Barents Sea; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined; potential dispute with Ukraine over Crimea; Estonia claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions; the Abrene section of the border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation
Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast
Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources
Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 45% other: 42%
Irrigated land: 56,000 sq km (1992)
Environment:current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions ofcoal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities;industrial and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improperapplication of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimesintense radioactive contaminationnatural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impedimentto development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes andearthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsulainternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty,Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling;signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture
@Russia:People
Population: 149,909,089 (July 1995 est.) note: official Russian statistics put the population at 148,200,000 for 1994
Age structure:0-14 years: 22% (female 16,208,640; male 16,784,017)15-64 years: 66% (female 50,711,209; male 48,247,101)65 years and over: 12% (female 12,557,447; male 5,400,675) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 0.2% (1995 est.)note: official Russian statistics put the population growth rate at-6.0% for 1994
Birth rate: 12.64 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)note: official Russian statistics put the birth rate at 9.5 births perl,000 population for 1994
Death rate: 11.36 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: official Russian statistics put the death rate at 15.5 deaths per l,000 population in 1994
Net migration rate: 0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 26.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) note: official Russian statistics put the infant mortality rate at 19.9 deaths per l,000 live births in 1994
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.1 yearsmale: 64.1 yearsfemale: 74.35 years (1995 est.)note: official Russian statistics put life expectancy at birth as 64years for total population in 1994
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian
Ethnic divisions: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%
Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Languages: Russian, other
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)total population: 98%male: 100%female: 97%
Labor force: 85 million (1993) by occupation: production and economic services 83.9%, government 16.1%
@Russia:Government
Names:conventional long form: Russian Federationconventional short form: Russialocal long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiyalocal short form: Rossiyaformer: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Digraph: RS
Type: federation
Capital: Moscow
Administrative divisions: 21 autonomous republics (avtomnykhrespublik, singular - avtomnaya respublika); Adygea (Maykop),Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatia (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy),Chuvashia (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Gorno-Altay(Gorno-Altaysk), Ingushetia (Nazran'), Kabardino-Balkaria (Nal'chik),Kalmykia (Elista), Karachay-Cherkessia (Cherkessk), Karelia(Petrozavodsk), Khakassia (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mari El(Yoshkar-Ola), Mordovia (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz),Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tuva (Kyzyl), Udmurtia (Izhevsk), Yakutia - alsoknown as Sakha (Yakutsk); 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast');Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk,Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka(Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk,Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk,Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orel, Orenburg, Penza,Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara,Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula,Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh,Yaroslavl'; 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray); Altay (Barnaul),Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Primorskiy (Vladivostok),Stavropol'; 10 autonomous okrugs; Aga (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),Evenkia (Tura), Khantia-Mansia (Khanty-Mansiysk), Koryakia (Palana),Nenetsia (Nar'yan-Mar), Permyakia (Kudymkar), Taymyria (Dudinka),Ust'-Onda (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalia (Salekhard); 1 autonomous oblast(avtomnykh oblast'); Birobijannote: the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia wereformerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the boundarybetween Chechenia and Ingushetia has yet to be determined); the citiesof Moscow and St. Petersburg are federal cities; an administrativedivision has the same name as its administrative center (exceptionshave the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1990)
Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN (since 12 June1991); election last held 12 June 1991 (next to be held NA 1996);results - percent of vote by party NA; note - no vice president; ifthe president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because ofill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; thepremier serves as acting president until a new presidential electionis held, which must be within three monthshead of government: Premier and Chairman of the Council of MinistersViktor Stepanovich CHERNOMYRDIN (since 14 December 1992); First DeputyChairmen of the Council of Ministers Oleg SOSKOVETS (since 30 April1993) and Anatoliy CHUBAYS (since 5 November 1994)Security Council: originally established as a presidential advisorybody in June 1991, but restructured in March 1992 with responsibilityfor managing individual and state securityPresidential Administration: drafts presidential edicts and providesstaff and policy support to the entire executive branchcabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the presidentGroup of Assistants: schedules president's appointments, processespresidential edicts and other official documents, and houses thepresident's press service and primary speechwritersCouncil of Heads of Republics: includes the leaders of the 21ethnic-based RepublicsCouncil of Heads of Administrations: includes the leaders of the 66autonomous territories and regions, and the mayors of Moscow and St.PetersburgPresidential Council: prepares policy papers for the president
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly Federation Council: elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA); results - two members elected from each of Russia's 89 territorial units for a total of 176 deputies; 2 seats unfilled as of 15 May 1994 (Chechnya did not participate in the election); Speaker Vladimir SHUMEYKO (Russia's Democratic Choice) State Duma: elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (450 total) Russia's Democratic Choice 78, New Regional Policy 66, Liberal Democrats 63, Agrarian Party 55, Communist Party of the Russian Federation 45, Unity and Accord 30, Yavlinskiy-Boldyrev-Lukin Bloc (Yabloko) 27, Women of Russia 23, Democratic Party of Russia 15, Russia's Path 12, other parties 23, affiliation unknown 12, unfilled (as of 13 March 1994; Chechnya did not participate in the election) 1; Speaker Ivan RYBKIN (Agrarian Party); note - as of 11 April 1995, seats were as follows: Russia's Democratic Choice 54, New Regional Policy 32, Liberal Democrats 54, Agrarian Party 51, Communist Party of the Russian Federation 45, Unity and Accord 25, Yavlinskiy-Boldyrev-Lukin Bloc (Yabloko) 28, Liberal Democratic Union of 12 December 9, Women of Russia 22, Democratic Party of Russia 10, Russia's Path 12, Duma 96 23, Russia 35, Stability 36, affiliation unknown 14
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (highest courtfor criminal, civil, and administrative cases), Superior Court ofArbitration (highest court that resolves economic disputes)
Political parties and leaders:pro-market democrats: Party of Russian Unity and Accord, SergeySHAKHRAY; Russia's Democratic Choice Party, Yegor GAYDAR; RussianMovement for Democratic Reforms, Anatoliy SOBCHAK;Yavlinskiy-Boldyrev-Lukin Bloc (Yabloko), Grigoriy YAVLINSKIY; LiberalDemocratic Union of 12 December, Boris FEDOROVcentrists/special interest parties: Civic Union for Stability,Justice, and Progress, Arkadiy VOL'SKIY; Democratic Party of Russia,Sergey GLAZ'YEV; Women of Russia, Alevtina FEDULOVA; Social DemocraticPeoples' Party, Vasiliy LIPITSKIY; New Regional Policy (NRP), VladimirMEDVEDEVanti-market and/or ultranationalist parties: Agrarian Party, MikhailLAPSHIN; Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennadiy ZYUGANOV;Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY; Derzhava,Aleksandr RUTSKOYnote: more than 20 political parties and associations tried to gatherenough signatures to run slates of candidates in the 12 December 1993legislative elections, but only 13 succeeded
Other political or pressure groups: NA
Member of: BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE (guest), CERN (observer), CIS, EBRD,ECE, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO,NACC, NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council,UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMOZ,UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sergey LAVROV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700 through 5704 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING embassy: Novinskiy Bul'var 19/23, Moscow mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 252-24-51 through 59 FAX: [7] (095) 956-42-61 consulate(s) general: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
@Russia:Economy
Overview: Russia, a vast country with a wealth of natural resources, a well-educated population, and a diverse industrial base, continues to experience formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. President YEL'TSIN's government has made substantial strides in converting to a market economy since launching its economic reform program in January 1992 by freeing nearly all prices, slashing defense spending, eliminating the old centralized distribution system, completing an ambitious voucher privatization program, establishing private financial institutions, and decentralizing foreign trade. Russia, however, has made little progress in a number of key areas that are needed to provide a solid foundation for the transition to a market economy. Financial stabilization has remained elusive, with wide swings in monthly inflation rates. Only limited restructuring of industry has occurred so far because of a scarcity of investment funds and the failure of enterprise managers to make hard cost-cutting decisions. In addition, Moscow has yet to develop a social safety net that would allow faster restructuring by relieving enterprises of the burden of providing social benefits for their workers and has been slow to develop the legal framework necessary to fully support a market economy and to encourage foreign investment. As a result, output has continued to fall. According to Russian official data, which probably overstate the fall, GDP declined by 15% in 1994 compared with a 12% decline in 1993. Industrial output in 1994 fell 21% with all major sectors taking a hit. Agricultural production in 1994 was down 9%. The grain harvest totaled 81 million tons, some 15 million tons less than in 1993. Unemployment climbed to an estimated 6.6 million or about 7% of the work force by yearend 1994. Floundering Russian firms have already had to put another 4.8 million workers on involuntary, unpaid leave or shortened workweeks. Government fears of large-scale unemployment continued to hamper industrial restructuring efforts. According to official Russian data, real per capita income was up nearly 18% in 1994 compared with 1993, in part because many Russians are working second jobs. Most Russians perceive that they are worse off now because of growing crime and health problems and mounting wage arrears. Russia has made significant headway in privatizing state assets, completing its voucher privatization program at midyear 1994. At least a portion of about 110,000 state enterprises were transferred to private hands by the end of 1994. Including partially privatized firms, the private sector accounted for roughly half of GDP in 1994. Financial stabilization continued to remain a challenge for the government. Moscow tightened financial policies in late 1993 and early 1994, including postponing planned budget spending, and succeeded in reducing monthly inflation from 18% in January to about 5% in July and August. At midyear, however, the government relaxed austerity measures in the face of mounting pressure from industry and agriculture, sparking a new round of inflation; the monthly inflation rate jumped to roughly 15% per month during the fourth quarter. In response, Moscow announced a fairly tight government budget for 1995 designed to bring monthly inflation down to around 1% by the end of 1995. According to official statistics, Russia's 1994 trade with nations outside the former Soviet Union produced a $12.3 billion surplus, up from $11.3 billion in 1993. Foreign sales - comprised largely of oil, natural gas, and other raw materials - grew more than 8%. Imports also were up 8% as demand for food and other consumer goods surged. Russian trade with other former Soviet republics continued to decline. At the same time, Russia paid only a fraction of the roughly $20 billion in debt that came due in 1994, and by the end of the year, Russia's hard currency foreign debt had risen to nearly $100 billion. Moscow reached agreement to restructure debts with Paris Club official creditors in mid-1994 and concluded a preliminary deal with its commercial bank creditors late in the year to reschedule debts owed them in early 1995. Capital flight continued to be a serious problem in 1994, with billions of additional dollars in assets being moved abroad, primarily to bank accounts in Europe. Russia's physical plant continues to deteriorate because of insufficient maintenance and new construction. Plant and equipment on average are twice the age of the West's. Many years will pass before Russia can take full advantage of its natural resources and its human assets.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $721.2 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
National product real growth rate: -15% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $4,820 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% per month (average 1994)
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (December 1994) with considerable additional underemployment
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $48 billion (f.o.b., 1994)commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood andwood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian andmilitary manufacturespartners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries, Cuba
Imports: $35.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries, Cuba
External debt: $95 billion-$100 billion (yearend 1994)
Industrial production: growth rate -21% (1994)
Electricity: capacity: 213,100,000 KW production: 876 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,800 kWh (1994)
Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; ship- building; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables
Agriculture: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, meat, milk, vegetables, fruits; because of its northern location does not grow citrus, cotton, tea, and other warm climate products
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostlyfor domestic consumption; government has active eradication program;used as transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugsto Western Europe and Latin America
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1990-94), $15 billion;other countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1990-93), $120billion
Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks
Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 3,550 (29 December 1994), 1,247 (27 December 1993); nominal exchange rate still deteriorating but real exchange rate holding steady
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Russia:Transportation
Railroads:total: 154,000 km; note - 87,000 km in common carrier service (49,000km diesel; and 38,000 km electrified); 67,000 km serve specificindustries and are not available for common carrier usebroad gauge: 154,000 km 1.520-m gauge (1 January 1994)
Highways:total: 934,000 km (445,000 km serve specific industries or farms andare not available for common carrier use)paved and graveled: 725,000 kmunpaved: 209,000 km (1 January 1994)
Inland waterways: total navigable routes in general use 101,000 km; routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet 95,900 km; of which routes with night navigational aids 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes 16,900 km (1 January 1994)
Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; naturalgas 140,000 km (30 June 1993)
Ports: Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Kaliningrad, Kazan', Khabarovsk,Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk,Novorossiysk, Petropavlovsk, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Sochi, Tuapse,Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg
Merchant marine:total: 800 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,295,109 GRT/10,128,579DWTships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk cargo 26, cargo 424, chemicaltanker 7, combination bulk 22, combination ore/oil 16, container 81,multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 111, passenger 4,passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 19, roll-on/roll-off cargo 62,short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2note: in addition, Russia owns 235 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling5,084,439 DWT that operate under Maltese, Cypriot, Liberian,Panamanian, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduran, MarshallIslands, Bahamian, and Vanuatu registry
Airports:total: 2,517with paved runways over 3,047 m: 54with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 202with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 108with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 115with paved runways under 914 m: 151with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 25with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 45with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 134with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 291with unpaved runways under 914 m: 1,392
@Russia:Communications
Telephone system: 24,400,000 telephones; 20,900,000 telephones inurban areas and 3,500,000 telephones in rural areas; of these, totalinstalled in homes 15,400,000; total pay phones for long distant calls34,100; about 164 telephones/1,000 persons; Russia is enlistingforeign help, by means of joint ventures, to speed up themodernization of its telecommunications system; in 1992, only 661,000new telephones were installed compared with 855,000 in 1991, and in1992 the number of unsatisfied applications for telephones reached11,000,000; expanded access to international E-mail service availablevia Sprint network; the inadequacy of Russian telecommunications is asevere handicap to the economy, especially with respect tointernational connectionslocal: NMT-450 analog cellular telephone networks are operational andgrowing in Moscow and St. Petersburgintercity: intercity fiberoptic cable installation remains limitedinternational: international traffic is handled by an inadequatesystem of satellites, land lines, microwave radio relay and outdatedsubmarine cables; this traffic passes through the internationalgateway switch in Moscow which carries most of the internationaltraffic for the other countries of the Commonwealth of IndependentStates; a new Russian Raduga satellite will link Moscow and St.Petersburg with Rome from whence calls will be relayed to destinationsin Europe and overseas; satellite earth stations - INTELSAT,Intersputnik, Eutelsat (Moscow), INMARSAT, Orbita
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 1,050, FM 1,050, shortwave 1,050radios: 48.8 million (radio receivers with multiple speaker systemsfor program diffusion 74,300,000)
Television: broadcast stations: 7,183 televisions: 54.2 million
@Russia:Defense Forces
Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces,Strategic Rocket Forces
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 38,264,699; males fit for military service 29,951,977; males reach military age (18) annually 1,106,176 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP note: the Intelligence Community estimates that defense spending in Russia fell about 15% in real terms in 1994, reducing Russian defense outlays to about one-fourth of peak Soviet levels in the late 1980s; although Russia may still spend as much as 10% of its GDP on defense, this is significantly below the 15% to 17% burden the former USSR carried during much of the 1980s; conversion of military expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
@Rwanda:Geography
Location: Central Africa, east of Zaire
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 26,340 sq kmland area: 24,950 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total 893 km, Burundi 290 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda169 km, Zaire 217 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November toJanuary); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous withaltitude declining from west to east
Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungstenore), natural gas, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 10% other: 32%
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting oftrees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosionnatural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains arein the northwest along the border with Zaireinternational agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear TestBan; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law ofthe Sea
Note: landlocked; predominantly rural population
@Rwanda:People
Population: 8,605,307 (July 1995 est.)note: the demographic estimates were prepared before civil strife,starting in April 1994, set in motion substantial and continuingpopulation changes
Age structure:0-14 years: 51% (female 2,184,549; male 2,201,049)15-64 years: 47% (female 2,034,278; male 1,968,298)65 years and over: 2% (female 126,255; male 90,878) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.67% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 48.52 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 21.82 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: since April 1994, more than one million refugees have fled the civil strife between the Hutu and Tutsi factions in Rwanda and crossed into Zaire, Burundi, and Tanzania; close to 350,000 Rwandan Tutsis who fled civil strife in earlier years are returning to Rwanda and a few of the recent Hutu refugees are going home despite the danger of doing so; the ethnic violence continues and in 1995 could produce further refugee flows as well as deter returns
Infant mortality rate: 118.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.33 years male: 38.5 years female: 40.19 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 8.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic divisions: Hutu 90%, Tutsi 9%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenousbeliefs and other 25%
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili usedin commercial centers
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population: 50%male: 64%female: 37%
Labor force: 3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2%
@Rwanda:Government
Names:conventional long form: Republic of Rwandaconventional short form: Rwandalocal long form: Republika y'u Rwandalocal short form: Rwanda
Digraph: RW
Type: republic; presidential system note: after genocide and civil war in April 1994, the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front, in July 1994, took power and formed a new government
Capital: Kigali
Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular -prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura inKinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama,Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Ruhengeri
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 18 June 1991
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: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); tookoffice following the siezure of the government by the Tutsi RwandanPatriotic Front and the exiling of interim President Dr. TheodoreSINDIKUBWABO; no future election dates have been sethead of government: Prime Minister Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU (since thesiezure of power by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front in July 1994)cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameralNational Development Council: (Conseil National de Developpement)elections last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held NA 1995);results - MRND was the only party; seats - (70 total) MRND 70
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court consists of the Court ofCassation and the Council of State in joint session
Political parties and leaders: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), AlexisKANYARENGWE, Chairman; National Revolutionary Movement for Democracyand Development (MRND); significant independent parties include:Democratic Republican Movement (MDR); Liberal Party (PL); Democraticand Socialist Party (PSD); Coalition for the Defense of the Republic(CDR); Party for Democracy in Rwanda (PADER); Christian DemocraticParty (PDL)note: formerly a one-party state, Rwanda legalized independent partiesin mid-1991
Other political or pressure groups: Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), theRPF military wing, Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander;
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT,IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT,INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Joseph W.MUTABOBAchancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
US diplomatic representation: note: US Embassy closed indefinitely chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 756 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 721 28
Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band
@Rwanda:Economy
Overview: Rwanda is a poor African nation suffering bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. Almost 50% of GDP comes from the agricultural sector; coffee and tea make up 80%-90% of total exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to create problems. The industrial sector in Rwanda is small, contributing only 17% to GDP. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. The Rwandan economy remains dependent on coffee/tea exports and foreign aid. Weak international prices since 1986 have caused the economy to contract and per capita GDP to decline. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Ethnic-based insurgency since 1990 has devastated wide areas, especially in the north, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but massive resumption of civil warfare in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere has been taking thousands of lives and severely affecting short-term economic prospects. The economy suffers massively from failure to maintain the infrastructure, looting, neglect of important cash crops, and lack of health care facilities.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.9 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: -8% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $950 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $350 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Exports: $44 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: coffee 63%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum partners: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Uganda, UK, France, US
Imports: $250 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material partners: US, Belgium, Germany, Kenya, Japan
External debt: $873 million (1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate -2.2% (1991); accounts for 17% ofGDP
Electricity:capacity: 60,000 kWproduction: 190 million kWhconsumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)
Industries: mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, agricultural processing, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Agriculture: cash crops - coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums); main food crops - bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; stock raising
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $128 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $2 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $45 million;Communist countries (1970-89), $58 millionnote: in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Programwith the IMF; since September 1991, the EC has given $46 million andthe US $25 million in support of this program (1993)
Currency: 1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1 - 144.3 (3rd quarter 1994), 144.25 (1993), 133.35 (1992), 125.14 (1991), 82.60 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Rwanda:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,885 km paved: 880 km unpaved: gravel, sand and gravel 1,305 km; unimproved earth 2,700 km
Inland waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
Ports: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Airports:total: 7with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2with paved runways under 914 m: 3with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Rwanda:Communications
Telephone system: NA telephones; telephone system does not provideservice to the general public but is intended for business andgovernment uselocal: NAintercity: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of theprefectures by microwave radio relay; the remainder of the networkdepends on wire and high frequency radiointernational: international connections employ microwave radio relayto neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distantcountries; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) and 1 SYMPHONIE earth station inKigali (includes telex and telefax service)