Environment - current issues:air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electricplants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improperapplication of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimesintense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination fromtoxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks ofobsolete pesticides
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note:largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorablylocated in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite itssize, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (eithertoo cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe'stallest peak
People Russia
Population:143,420,309 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,704,617/female 10,173,313)15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,429,716/female 52,799,740)65 years and over: 14.2% (male 6,405,027/female 13,907,896) (2005est.)
Median age: total: 38.15 years male: 34.99 years female: 41.03 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.37% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 67.1 yearsmale: 60.55 yearsfemale: 74.04 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:860,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:9,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Russian(s)adjective: Russian
Ethnic groups:Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)
Religions:Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Languages:Russian, many minority languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.6%male: 99.7%female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
Government Russia
Country name:conventional long form: Russian Federationconventional short form: Russialocal long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiyalocal short form: Rossiyaformer: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Government type:federation
Capital:Moscow
Administrative divisions:49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast(avtonomnaya oblast'): oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo,Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, 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': republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia(Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk): autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),Evenk (Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak(Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka),Ust'-Orda Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard): krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol': federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg): autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)note: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers (exceptions have the administrative centername following in parentheses)
Independence:24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Russia Day, 12 June (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 Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (actingpresident since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9March 2004)cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed ofthe premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected otherindividuals; all are appointed by the presidentnote: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that providesstaff and policy support to the president, drafts presidentialdecrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; aSecurity Council also reports directly to the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); note- no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannotexercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting presidentuntil a new presidential election is held, which must be withinthree months; premier appointed by the president with the approvalof the Dumaelection results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, NikolayKHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%
Legislative branch:bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of theFederation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials ineach of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities ofMoscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and theState Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently 225 seatselected by proportional representation from party lists winning atleast 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-memberconstituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be heldNA December 2007)election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by partiesclearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share ofthe 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other7, independents 65, repeat election required 3
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration;judges for all courts are appointed for life by the FederationCouncil on the recommendation of the president
Political parties and leaders:Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [GennadiyAndreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR[Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [DmitriyROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Right Forces orSPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, IrinaMutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [BorisVyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy AlekseyevichYAVLINSKIY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN(observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA,MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE,Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI,UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer),ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Economy Russia
Economy - overview:Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year of growth, averaging6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oilprices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers of thiseconomic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demandhave played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capitalinvestments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last fiveyears, and real personal incomes have realized average increasesover 12%. Russia has also improved its international financialposition since the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debtdeclining from 90% of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earningshave allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from only $12billion to some $120 billion at yearend 2004. These achievements,along with a renewed government effort to advance structuralreforms, have raised business and investor confidence in Russia'seconomic prospects. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Economicgrowth slowed down in the second half of 2004 and the Russiangovernment forecasts growth of only 4.5% to 6.2% for 2005. Oil,natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% ofexports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced ormodernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth.Other problems include a weak banking system, a poor businessclimate that discourages both domestic and foreign investors,corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. Inaddition, a string of investigations launched against a majorRussian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in thefall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that PresidentPUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his governmentthat desire to reassert state control over the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.408 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 33.9% services: 61.2% (2004 est.)
Labor force:71.83 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.3% plus considerable underemployment (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:25% (January 2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.9% highest 10%: 47% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:39.9 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $106.4 billionexpenditures: $93.33 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk
Industries:complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building fromrolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;defense industries including radar, missile production, and advancedelectronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportationequipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating andtransmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumerdurables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:6.4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:915 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003)
Electricity - consumption:894.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:20.7 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:12.65 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:8.42 million bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:2.31 million bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:6.11 million bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:69 billion bbl (2003 est.)
Natural gas - production:578.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:405.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:171 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports:32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:47 trillion cu m (2003)
Current account balance:$46.04 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$162.5 billion (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and woodproducts, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian andmilitary manufactures
Exports - partners:Netherlands 9.1%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 6.4%, Italy 6.2%, China 6%,US 5%, Switzerland 4.7%, Turkey 4.3% (2004)
Imports:$92.91 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,semifinished metal products
Imports - partners:Germany 15.3%, Ukraine 8.8%, China 6.9%, Japan 5.7%, Kazakhstan 5%,US 4.6%, Italy 4.6%, France 4.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$124.5 billion (3 December 2004 e)
Debt - external:$169.6 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million innon-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000est.)
Currency (code):Russian ruble (RUR)
Currency code:RUR
Exchange rates:Russian rubles per US dollar - 28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003), 31.349(2002), 29.169 (2001), 28.129 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Russia
Telephones - main lines in use:35.5 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:17,608,800 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: the telephone system underwent significantchanges in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensedto offer communication services; access to digital lines hasimproved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mailservices are improving; Russia has made progress toward building thetelecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfieddomestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from SaintPetersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; thetelephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digitalinfrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, areavailable in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services arestill outdated, inadequate, and low densityinternational: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationallyby three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in severalcities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems
Radio broadcast stations:AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)
Radios:61.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7,306 (1998)
Televisions:60.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" thatwas allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status andownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, andseveral Russian commercial entities
Internet hosts:560,874 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):300 (June 2000)
Internet users:6 million (2002)
Transportation Russia
Railways:total: 87,157 kmbroad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serveindustries (2004)
Highways:total: 537,289 kmpaved: 362,133 kmunpaved: 175,156 km (2001)
Waterways:96,000 kmnote: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, WhiteSea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)
Pipelines:condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined products13,771 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy
Merchant marine:total: 1,194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472 GRT/5,505,118 DWTby type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 45, cargo 767, chemicaltanker 20, combination ore/oil 48, container 21, passenger 11,passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 213, refrigerated cargo 46, rollon/roll off 12, specialized tanker 2foreign-owned: 56 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 2, Germany 1, HongKong 1, Latvia 3, Norway 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 28, Ukraine 10, UnitedKingdom 2, United States 4)registered in other countries: 326 (2005)
Airports:2,586 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 577over 3,047 m: 552,438 to 3,047 m: 1971,524 to 2,437 m: 128914 to 1,523 m: 98under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 2,009over 3,047 m: 142,438 to 3,047 m: 301,524 to 2,437 m: 111914 to 1,523 m: 257under 914 m: 1,597 (2004 est.)
Heliports:36 (2004 est.)
Military Russia
Military branches:Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops(VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) areindependent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the threebranches
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by 2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts (August 2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 35,247,049 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 21,049,651 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 1,286,069 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Russia
Disputes - international:in 2004, China and Russia divided up the islands in the Amur,Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old border dispute; thesovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri,Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "NorthernTerritories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by theSoviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed byJapan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treatyformally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agreeon delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small,strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCEobservers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in theAkhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant seabedtreaties were signed and ratified with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan inthe Caspian Sea but no consensus exists on dividing the water columnamong the littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their maritimelimits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyondSvalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone;various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and otherareas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War butthe Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in 1996, theEstonia-Russia technical border agreement was initialed but bothhave been hesitant to sign and ratify it, with Russia asserting thatEstonia needs to better assimilate Russian-speakers and Estoniangroups advocating realignment of the boundary based more closely onthe 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnicSetu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; theLatvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned andunratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment ofethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreementto a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the SecondWorld War and other issues; in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land andmaritime boundary treaty was ratified and a transit regimeestablished through Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningradcoastal exclave, leaving only improvements to the border demarcationin 2005; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is complete, butstates have agreed to defer demarcation; Russia and Ukraine continuetalks but still dispute the alignment of a maritime boundary throughthe Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov; Kazakhstan and Russia continuedemarcation of their long border; Russian Duma has not yet ratified1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2004)
Illicit drugs:limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy andproducer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;government has active illicit crop eradication program; used astransshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin Americancocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extentWestern and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major sourceof heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime arekey concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Rwanda
Introduction Rwanda
Background:In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majorityethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over thenext several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children ofthese exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front(RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with severalpolitical and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsisand moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime andended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Huturefugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboringBurundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most ofthe refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remainin the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed anextremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF triedin 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and politicalreforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 andits first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections inAugust and September 2003, respectively - the country continues tostruggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnicreconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsipolitical dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization andintolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency acrossthe border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years inthe neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinderRwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Geography Rwanda
Location:Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 26,338 sq kmland: 24,948 sq kmwater: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:total: 893 kmborder countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
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
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Rusizi River 950 mhighest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Natural resources:gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,hydropower, arable land
Land use:arable land: 40.54%permanent crops: 12.16%other: 47.3% (2001)
Irrigated land:40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in thenorthwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
Environment - current issues:deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with thepopulation predominantly rural
People Rwanda
Population:8,440,820note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,777,178/female 1,762,252)15-64 years: 55.5% (male 2,328,686/female 2,356,572)65 years and over: 2.6% (male 87,155/female 128,977) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.48 yearsmale: 18.26 yearsfemale: 18.7 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.43% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:40.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:16.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 91.23 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 85.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.96 yearsmale: 45.92 yearsfemale: 48.03 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:22,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malaria (2004)
Nationality:noun: Rwandan(s)adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups:Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Languages:Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used incommercial centers
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 70.4%male: 76.3%female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
People - note:Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Government Rwanda
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Rwandaconventional short form: Rwandalocal long form: Republika y'u Rwandalocal short form: Rwandaformer: Ruanda
Government type:republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital:Kigali
Administrative divisions:12 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; inKinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); Butare, Byumba,Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, KigaliRurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri
Independence:1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:new constitution adopted 4 June 2003
Legal system:based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March2000)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first directpopular vote; Paul KAGAME 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 Chamber ofDeputies - NA 2008; Senate - NA 2011)election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF40, PSD 7, PL 6
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]; DemocraticPopular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; DemocraticRepublican 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 PatrioticFront or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [VincentBIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
International organization participation: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
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGAchancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires HendersonPATRICKembassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigalimailing address: B. P. 28, Kigalitelephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03FAX: [250] 57 2128
Flag description:three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, andgreen, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blueband
Economy Rwanda
Economy - overview:Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the populationengaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most denselypopulated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resourcesand minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffeeand tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and erodedthe country's ability to attract private and external investment.However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing andrehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although povertylevels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has beencurbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverageprices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. DespiteRwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pacewith population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues toreceive substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World BankHeavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late2000. Kigali's high defense expenditures have caused tension betweenthe government and international donors and lending agencies. Anenergy shortage and instability in neighboring states may slowgrowth in 2005, while the lack of adequate transportation linkagesto other countries continues to handicap export growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$10.43 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41.1% industry: 21.2% services: 37.7% (2004 est.)
Labor force:4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 90%
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:28.9 (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $354.5 millionexpenditures: $385 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:166.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:195 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:40 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-212.5 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$69.78 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:Indonesia 64.2%, China 3.6%, Germany 2.7% (2004)
Imports:$260 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,cement and construction material
Imports - partners:Kenya 24.4%, Germany 7.4%, Belgium 6.6%, Uganda 6.3%, France 5.1%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$210.9 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$1.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$372.9 million (1999)
Currency (code):Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code:RWF
Exchange rates:Rwandan francs per US dollar - 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33(2002), 442.8 (2001), 393.44 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:23,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:134,000note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and severalprovincial capitals (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business andgovernmentdomestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of theprovinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellulartelephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HFradiotelephoneinternational: country code - 250; international connections employmicrowave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellitecommunications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefaxservice)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system ofrepeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, andDeutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (2004)
Televisions:NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.rw
Internet hosts:1,495 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2002)
Internet users:25,000 (2002)
Transportation Rwanda
Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 996 km unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2004)
Ports and harbors:Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Airports:9 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 5914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Rwanda
Military branches:Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 2,004,750 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,103,823 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$50.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.2% (2004)
Transnational Issues Rwanda
Disputes - international:Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic groups,associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various governmentforces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending theboundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, andUganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources -government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violencecontinues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; DROC and Rwandaestablished a border verification mechanism in 2005 to addressaccusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and theCongo providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means andbases to attack Rwandan forces; as of 2004, Rwandan refugees livedin the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Zambia
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of theCongo)IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, 1997-99; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Saint Helena
Introduction Saint Helena
Background:Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, SaintHelena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. Itacquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of calldeclined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. AscensionIsland is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; GoughIsland has a meteorological station.
Geography Saint Helena
Location:islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between SouthAmerica and Africa
Geographic coordinates:15 56 S, 5 42 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 410 sq kmland: 410 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island groupof Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:60 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds;Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Terrain:Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plainsnote: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m
Natural resources:fish
Land use:arable land: 12.9%permanent crops: 0%other: 87.1% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in theworld; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns
People Saint Helena
Population:7,460 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18.8% (male 715/female 691)15-64 years: 71.3% (male 2,745/female 2,575)65 years and over: 9.8% (male 330/female 404) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 35.4 yearsmale: 35.61 yearsfemale: 35.21 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.59% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:12.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.04 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 22.74 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 15.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.76 yearsmale: 74.86 yearsfemale: 80.81 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Saint Helenian(s)adjective: Saint Helenian
Ethnic groups:African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Religions:Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Languages:English
Literacy:definition: age 20 and over can read and writetotal population: 97%male: 97%female: 98% (1987 est.)
Government Saint Helena
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK
Government type:NA
Capital:Jamestown
Administrative divisions:1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, SaintHelena, Tristan da Cunha*
Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:1 January 1989
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:NA years of age
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY(since 15 October 2004)cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officioofficers, and six elected members of the Legislative Councilelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed bythe monarch
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popularvote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:ICFTU, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Economy Saint Helena
Economy - overview:The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half ofannual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income fromfishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because thereare few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment onAscension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$18 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA
Labor force:3,500note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%,services 46% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate:14% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.2% (1997 est.)
Budget:revenues: $11.2 millionexpenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA(FY92/93)
Agriculture - products:corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan daCunha)
Industries:construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:5 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.65 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$17 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,handicrafts
Exports - partners:Tanzania 30.3%, US 23.8%, Japan 10.4%, UK 7.1%, Spain 6.3% (2004)
Imports:$42 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, buildingmaterials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners:UK 35.7%, US 17.6%, South Africa 17.5%, Tanzania 10.4%, Australia5.5%, Spain 4.1% (2004)
Debt - external:NA (1996)
Economic aid - recipient:$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)
Currency (code):Saint Helenian pound (SHP)
Currency code:SHP
Exchange rates:Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Saint Helena
Telephones - main lines in use:2,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: can communicate worldwidedomestic: automatic networkinternational: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from SaintHelena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cablerelay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earthstations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satelliteand distributed by cable (2002)
Televisions:2,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:500 (2002)
Communications - note:Gough Island has a meteorological station
Transportation Saint Helena
Highways:total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan daCunha 20 km)paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha10 km)unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha10 km) (2000)
Ports and harbors:Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown