Difference between revisions of "Rwanda" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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{{Infobox Country or territory
 
{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name             = {{lang|rw|''Repubulika y'u Rwanda''}}<br/>{{lang|fr|''République du Rwanda''}}
+
|native_name = {{lang|rw|''Repubulika y'u Rwanda''}}<br/>{{lang|fr|''République du Rwanda''}}
|conventional_long_name   = Republic of Rwanda
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|conventional_long_name = Republic of Rwanda
|common_name             = Rwanda
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|common_name = Rwanda
|image_flag               = Flag_of_Rwanda.svg
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|image_flag = Flag_of_Rwanda.svg
|image_coat               = Rwanda coa.gif
+
|image_coat = Rwanda coa.gif
|national_motto           = ''Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu''<br/>"Unity, Work, Patriotism"
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|national_motto = ''Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu''<br/>"Unity, Work, Patriotism"
|image_map               = LocationRwanda.png
+
|image_map = LocationRwanda.png
|national_anthem         = {{lang|rw|''Rwanda nziza''}}
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|national_anthem = {{lang|rw|''Rwanda nziza''}}
|official_languages       = Kinyarwanda, French, English
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|official_languages = Kinyarwanda, French, English
|capital                 = Kigali
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|capital = Kigali
 
|latd=1 |latm=57 |latNS=S |longd=30 |longm=4 |longEW=E
 
|latd=1 |latm=57 |latNS=S |longd=30 |longm=4 |longEW=E
|government_type         = Republic
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|government_type = Republic
|leader_title1           = President
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|leader_title1 = President
|leader_title2           = Prime Minister
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|leader_title2 = Prime Minister
|leader_name1             = Paul Kagame
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|leader_name1 = Paul Kagame
|leader_name2             = Bernard Makuza
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|leader_name2 = Bernard Makuza
|largest_city             = Kigali
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|largest_city = Kigali
|area                     = 26,338
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|area = 26,338
|areami²                 = 10,169 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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|areami² = 10,169 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
|area_rank               = 148th
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|area_rank = 148th
|area_magnitude           = 1 E10
+
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
|percent_water           = 5.3
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|percent_water = 5.3
|population_estimate     = 9,038,000<sup>1</sup>
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|population_estimate = 9,038,000<sup>1</sup>
 
|population_estimate_year = July 2005
 
|population_estimate_year = July 2005
 
|population_estimate_rank = 86th
 
|population_estimate_rank = 86th
|population_census       = 8,128,553
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|population_census = 8,128,553
|population_census_year   = 2002
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|population_census_year = 2002
|population_density       = 320
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|population_density = 320
|population_densitymi²   = 829 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
+
|population_densitymi² = 829 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
|population_density_rank = 27th
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|population_density_rank = 27th
|GDP_PPP_year             = 2005
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|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP                 = $11.24 billion <!--CIA—>
+
|GDP_PPP = $11.24 billion <!--CIA—>
|GDP_PPP_rank             = 130th
+
|GDP_PPP_rank = 130th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita       = $1,300
+
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,300
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 160th
+
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 160th
|HDI_year                 = 2004
+
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI                     = 0.450
+
|HDI = 0.450
|HDI_rank                 = 158th
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|HDI_rank = 158th
|HDI_category             = <font color="#e0584e">low</font>
+
|HDI_category = <font color="#e0584e">low</font>
|sovereignty_type         = Independence
+
|sovereignty_type = Independence
|sovereignty_note         = from Belgium
+
|sovereignty_note = from Belgium
|established_event1       = Date
+
|established_event1 = Date
|established_date1       = July 1, 1962
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|established_date1 = July 1, 1962
|currency                 = Rwandan franc
+
|currency = Rwandan franc
|currency_code           = RWF
+
|currency_code = RWF
|time_zone               = CAT
+
|time_zone = CAT
|utc_offset               = +2
+
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST           = ''not observed''
+
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST           = +2
+
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld                   = .rw
+
|cctld = .rw
|calling_code             = 250
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|calling_code = 250
|footnotes               = <sup>1</sup> Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.
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|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to [[AIDS]]; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.
 
}}  
 
}}  
'''Rwanda''', officially the '''Republic of Rwanda''', is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central [[Africa]], with great natural beauty but few exportable resources. Its hilly terrain, which gives it the title "Land of a Thousand Hills," supports the densest population in sub-Saharan Africa.
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'''Rwanda,''' officially the '''Republic of Rwanda,''' is a small landlocked country in the [[African Great Lakes|Great Lakes]] region of east-central [[Africa]], with great natural beauty but few exportable resources. Its hilly terrain, which gives it the title "Land of a Thousand Hills," supports the densest population in [[sub-Saharan Africa]].
 
 
The country is infamous for the 1994 [[genocide]] that resulted in the deaths of up to one million people. Since then, the government has been making efforts to bring the people together, but Rwanda still faces numerous problems. This nation, however, is at the forefront of a new concept of ensuring peace, through the implemenation of a law requiring a high percentage of women within the Parliament. This is based upon the idea that women will never allow the incidence of mass killing to be reproduced.
 
 
 
  
 +
The country is infamous for the 1994 [[genocide]] that resulted in the deaths of up to one million people. Since then, the government has been making efforts to bring the people together, but Rwanda still faces numerous problems. This nation, however, is at the forefront of a new concept of ensuring [[peace]] through the implementation of a law requiring a high percentage of women within the Parliament. This is based upon the idea that women will never allow the incidence of mass killing to be reproduced.
  
 
== Geography ==
 
== Geography ==
This small country is located near the center of [[Africa]], a few degrees south of the Equator. It is separated from the [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] by Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley to the west; it is bounded on the north by [[Uganda]], to the east by [[Tanzania]], and to the south by [[Burundi]]. The capital, Kigali, is located in the center of the country.
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Rwanda is located near the center of [[Africa]], a few degrees south of the equator. It is separated from the [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] by Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley to the west; it is bounded on the north by [[Uganda]], to the east by [[Tanzania]], and to the south by [[Burundi]]. The capital, Kigali, is located in the center of the country.
  
Rwanda's countryside is covered by grasslands and small farms extending over rolling hills, with areas of rugged mountains that extend southeast from a chain of [[volcano]]es in the northwest. The divide between the [[Congo River|Congo]] and [[Nile River|Nile]] drainage systems extends from north to south through western Rwanda at an average elevation of almost 9,000 feet (2,740&nbsp;m). On the western slopes of this ridgeline, the land slopes abruptly toward Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley and constitutes part of the [[Great Rift Valley]]. The eastern slopes are more moderate, with rolling hills extending across central uplands at gradually reducing altitudes, to the plains, swamps, and lakes of the eastern border region. Therefore the country is also known as "Land of a Thousand Hills." In 2006, a British-led exploration announced that they had located the longest headstream of the Nile River in Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda. <ref> March 31, 2006 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/4864782.stm Team reaches Nile's 'true source'], ''BBC News''. Retrieved April 5, 2007.</ref>
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Rwanda's countryside is covered by grasslands and small farms extending over rolling hills, with areas of rugged [[mountain]]s that extend southeast from a chain of [[volcano]]es in the northwest. The divide between the [[Congo River|Congo]] and [[Nile River|Nile]] drainage systems extends from north to south through western Rwanda at an average elevation of almost 9,000 feet (2,740&nbsp;m). On the western slopes of this ridgeline, the land slopes abruptly toward Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley and constitutes part of the [[Great Rift Valley]]. The eastern slopes are more moderate, with rolling hills extending across central uplands at gradually reducing altitudes, to the plains, [[swamp]]s, and [[lake]]s of the eastern border region. Therefore the country is also known as "Land of a Thousand Hills." In 2006, a British-led exploration announced that they had located the longest headstream of the Nile River in Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda.<ref> ''BBC News,'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/4864782.stm Team reaches Nile's 'true source'], March 31, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.</ref>
  
 
=== Climate ===
 
=== Climate ===
Though Rwanda is a tropical country, only two degrees south of the equator, its high elevation makes the climate temperate. In the mountains, frost and [[snow]] are possible. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of 4,800 feet (1,463&nbsp;m) is 73°F (23°C). Rwanda is considered the [[lightning]] capital of the world, due to intense daily thunderstorms during the two rainy seasons (February&ndash;May and September&ndash;December). <ref> Klinkenberg, Jeff. March 4, 2002. [http://www.sptimes.com/2002/03/04/Floridian/Real_Florida__Our_boa.shtml Real Florida: Our boast is toast], ''St. Petersburg Times''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
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Though Rwanda is a tropical country, only two degrees south of the equator, its high elevation makes the climate temperate. In the mountains, frost and [[snow]] are possible. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of 4,800 feet (1,463&nbsp;m) is 73°F (23°C). Rwanda is considered the [[lightning]] capital of the world, due to intense daily thunderstorms during the two rainy seasons (February&ndash;April and November&ndash;January).<ref>Jeff Klinkenberg, [http://www.sptimes.com/2002/03/04/Floridian/Real_Florida__Our_boa.shtml Real Florida: Our boast is toast], ''St. Petersburg Times,'' March 4, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
Annual rainfall averages 31 in. (830&nbsp;mm) but is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern [[savanna]]s.
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Annual rainfall averages 31 inches (830&nbsp;mm) but is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern [[savanna]]s.
 
 
  
 
=== Facts and figures ===
 
=== Facts and figures ===
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'''Natural resources:'''
 
'''Natural resources:'''
[[gold]], [[cassiterite]] (tin ore), [[wolframite]] (tungsten ore), [[methane]], [[hydropower]], arable land
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[[gold]], [[cassiterite]] ([[tin]] ore), [[wolframite]] ([[tungsten]] ore), [[methane]], [[hydropower]], arable land
  
 
'''Land use:'''
 
'''Land use:'''
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<br/>''permanent crops:'' 10.25%  
 
<br/>''permanent crops:'' 10.25%  
 
<br/>''other:'' 44.19% (2005)  
 
<br/>''other:'' 44.19% (2005)  
[[Image:Rwanda River border with Tanzania.jpg|thumb|225px|right| River border with Tanzania]]
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[[Image:Rwanda River border with Tanzania.jpg|thumb|225px|right|River border with Tanzania]]
 
'''Irrigated land:'''
 
'''Irrigated land:'''
 
40 km² (1998 est)  
 
40 km² (1998 est)  
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'''Environment - current issues:'''
 
'''Environment - current issues:'''
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
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deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of [[tree]]s for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; [[soil erosion]]; widespread poaching
  
 
'''Environment - international agreements:'''
 
'''Environment - international agreements:'''
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<br/>''signed, but not ratified:''
 
<br/>''signed, but not ratified:''
 
Law of the Sea
 
Law of the Sea
 
'''Geography - note:'''
 
landlocked; predominantly rural population
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
[[Image:Rwanda Road.jpg|thumb|left|225px|The road to Ruhengeri.]]
 
[[Image:Rwanda Road.jpg|thumb|left|225px|The road to Ruhengeri.]]
Although the Twa ([[Pygmy|pygmies]]) were the original people living in the area now known as Rwanda, possibly as far back as 30,000 B.C.E., by the fifteenth century the [[Hutu]] and [[Tutsi]] had moved in. The Hutus primarily were farmers who lived on hilltops, and the Tutsi were warriors and herders who lived on the hillsides and in the valleys. In the nineteenth century, that evolved into a [[feudalism|feudal]]-type system with sharp social divisons in which Tutsis dominated.  
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Although the Twa ([[Pygmy|pygmies]]) were the original people living in the area now known as Rwanda, possibly as far back as 30,000 B.C.E., by the fifteenth century the [[Hutu]] and [[Tutsi]] had moved in. The Hutus primarily were farmers who lived on hilltops, and the Tutsi were warriors and herders who lived on the hillsides and in the valleys. In the nineteenth century that evolved into a [[feudalism|feudal]]-type system with sharp social divisions in which Tutsis dominated.  
  
Because of its mountainous terrain, Rwanda was spared the onslaughts of invaders and [[slavery|slave]] traders. [[John Hanning Speke]] was the first [[Europe]]an to visit Rwanda. In 1895 the Rwandan king accepted [[Germany|German]] rule to maintain his power, and the area became part of German East Africa. The Germans did nothing to develop the country economically. They kept the indigenous administration system by applying the same type of indirect rule established by the [[British Empire]] in the [[Uganda|Ugandan]] kingdoms.
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Because of its mountainous terrain, Rwanda was spared the onslaughts of invaders and [[slavery|slave]] traders. [[John Hanning Speke]] was the first [[Europe]]an to visit Rwanda. In 1895 the Rwandan king accepted [[Germany|German]] rule to maintain his power, and the area became part of German East Africa. The Germans did nothing to develop the country economically. They kept the indigenous administration system by applying the same type of indirect rule established by the [[British Empire]] in the [[Uganda|Ugandan]] kingdoms.  
  
=== 20th century ===
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=== Twentieth century ===
After Germany's loss in [[World War I]], [[Belgium]] took over Rwanda with a [[League of Nations]] mandate. Belgian rule in the region was far more direct and harsh than German rule. The Belgian colonizers did realize the value of native rule, however. Backed by [[Christian]] churches, the Belgians favored the minority Tutsi upper class over lower classes of Tutsis and Hutus. Belgian forced-labor policies and stringent taxes were mainly enforced by the Tutsi upper class, whom the Belgians used as buffers against the people's anger, thus further polariZing the Hutu and the Tutsi. Many young peasants, to escape tax harassment and hunger, migrated to neighboring countries. They moved mainly to [[Democratic Republic of Congo|Congo]] but also to [[Uganda]]n plantations, looking for work.
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After [[Germany]]'s loss in [[World War I]], [[Belgium]] took over Rwanda with a [[League of Nations]] mandate. Belgian rule in the region was far more direct and harsh than German rule. The Belgian colonizers did realize the value of native rule, however. Backed by [[Christian]] churches, the Belgians favored the minority Tutsi upper class over lower classes of Tutsis and Hutus. Belgian [[forced labor]] policies and stringent taxes were mainly enforced by the Tutsi upper class, which the Belgians used as buffers against the people's anger, thus further polarizing the Hutu and the Tutsi. Many young peasants, to escape tax harassment and hunger, migrated to neighboring countries. They moved mainly to [[Democratic Republic of Congo|Congo]] but also to [[Uganda]]n plantations, looking for work.
  
After [[World War II]] Rwanda became a [[United Nations]] (UN) trust territory administered by Belgium. In 1959, King Mutara III Charles was assassinated and his younger brother became the Abega clan monarch, King Kigeli V. In 1961, King Kigeli V was in Kinshasa to meet with U.N. Secretary-General [[Dag Hammarskjöld]] when Dominique Mbonyumutwa, with the support of the Belgian government, led a coup d'état. The coup overthrew King Kigeli V and the Hutu gained more and more power. Upon Rwanda's independence on July 1, 1962, they virtually held it all.
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After [[World War II]], Rwanda became a [[United Nations]] (UN) trust territory administered by Belgium. In 1959, King Mutara III Charles was assassinated and his younger brother became the Abega clan monarch, King Kigeli V. In 1961, King Kigeli V was in Kinshasa to meet with U.N. Secretary-General [[Dag Hammarskjöld]] when Dominique Mbonyumutwa, with the support of the Belgian government, led a [[coup d'état]]. The coup overthrew King Kigeli V and the Hutu gained more and more power. Upon Rwanda's independence on July 1, 1962, the Hutu held virtually all power.
  
 
=== Independence and related conflicts ===
 
=== Independence and related conflicts ===
 
{{MapLibrary|Rwanda_sat.png|Rwanda}}
 
{{MapLibrary|Rwanda_sat.png|Rwanda}}
Gregoire Kayibanda was the first president (1962-1973), followed by Juvenal Habyarimana (1973-1994). The latter, whom many view as a ruthless dictator, was unable to find a solution to increasing social unrest, calls for democracy, and the long-running problem of Rwandan Tutsi refugees. By the 1990s, Rwanda had up to one million refugees scattered around neighboring countries, mostly in Uganda and [[Burundi]].
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Gregoire Kayibanda was the first president (1962–1973), followed by Juvenal Habyarimana (1973–1994). The latter, who many view as a ruthless dictator, was unable to find a solution to increasing social unrest, calls for [[democracy]], and the long-running problem of Rwandan Tutsi refugees. By the 1990s, Rwanda had up to one million refugees scattered around neighboring countries, mostly in [[Uganda]] and [[Burundi]].
  
In 1990, the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) invaded Rwanda from Uganda. During the fighting, top Rwandan government officials, mainly Hutu, began secretly training young men into informal armed bands called ''Interahamwe'' (a Kinyarwanda term roughly meaning "those who fight together"). Government officials also launched a radio station that began anti-Tutsi propaganda. The military government of Habyarimana responded to the RPF invasion with [[pogroms]] against Tutsis, whom it claimed were trying to re-enslave the Hutus. In August 1993 the government and the RPF signed a cease-fire agreement known as the Arusha accords in Arusha, [[Tanzania]], to form a power-sharing government, but fighting between the two sides continued. The UN sent a peacekeeping force known as the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). UNAMIR was vastly underfunded and understaffed.  
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In 1990, the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) invaded Rwanda from Uganda. During the fighting, top Rwandan government officials, mainly Hutu, began secretly training young men into informal armed bands called ''Interahamwe'' (a Kinyarwanda term roughly meaning "those who fight together"). Government officials also launched a radio station that began anti-Tutsi [[propaganda]]. The military government of Habyarimana responded to the RPF invasion with [[pogroms]] against Tutsis, whom it claimed were trying to re-enslave the Hutus. In August 1993, the government and the RPF signed a cease-fire agreement known as the Arusha Accords in Arusha, [[Tanzania]], to form a power-sharing government, but fighting between the two sides continued. The [[United Nations]] sent a peacekeeping force known as the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). UNAMIR was vastly underfunded and understaffed.  
  
During the armed conflict, the RPF was blamed for the bombing of the capital Kigali. These attacks were actually carried out by the Hutu army as part of a campaign to create a reason for a political crackdown and ethnic violence. On April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana was assassinated when his Falcon 50 trijet was shot down while landing in Kigali. <ref> April 27, 2005,  [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/rwanda.htm Rwanda Civil War], ''GlobalSecurity.org''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref> It remains unclear who was responsible for the assassination &mdash; most credible sources point to the Presidential Guard, spurred by Hutu nationalists fearful of losing power, but others believe that Tutsi rebels were responsible, possibly with the help of Belgian mercenaries.
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During the armed conflict, the RPF was blamed for the bombing of the capital Kigali. These attacks were actually carried out by the Hutu army as part of a campaign to create a reason for a political crackdown and ethnic violence. On April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana was [[assassination|assassinated]] when his [[airplane]] was shot down while landing in Kigali. <ref>''GlobalSecurity.org,'' [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/rwanda.htm Rwanda Civil War], April 27, 2005. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref> It remains unclear who was responsible for the assassination&mdash;most credible sources point to the Presidential Guard, spurred by Hutu nationalists fearful of losing power, but others believe that Tutsi rebels were responsible, possibly with the help of Belgian mercenaries.
  
 
Over the next three months, with logistical and military assistance and training from [[France]], the military and Interahamwe militia groups killed between half a million and one million Tutsis and Hutu moderates in the Rwandan [[genocide]]. The RPF continued to advance on the capital, and occupied the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the country by June. Thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict. U.N. member states refused to answer UNAMIR's requests for increased troops and money. Meanwhile, French troops were dispatched to stabilize the situation, but this only exacerbated the situation, with the evacuation limited to foreign nationals.  
 
Over the next three months, with logistical and military assistance and training from [[France]], the military and Interahamwe militia groups killed between half a million and one million Tutsis and Hutu moderates in the Rwandan [[genocide]]. The RPF continued to advance on the capital, and occupied the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the country by June. Thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict. U.N. member states refused to answer UNAMIR's requests for increased troops and money. Meanwhile, French troops were dispatched to stabilize the situation, but this only exacerbated the situation, with the evacuation limited to foreign nationals.  
  
On July 4, 1994, the war ended as the RPF entered Kigali. Over two million Hutus fled the country, fearing Tutsi retribution. Most have since returned, but some remained in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], including some militia members who later took part in the First and Second Congo Wars. After repeated unsuccessful appeals to the [[United Nations]] and the international community to deal with the security threat posed by the remnants of the defeated genocidal forces on its eastern border, in 1996 Rwanda invaded eastern [[Zaire]] in an effort to eliminate the Interahamwe groups operating there. This action, and a simultaneous one by Ugandan troops, contributed to the outbreak of the First Congo War and the eventual fall of longtime dictator [[Mobutu Sese Seko]].  
+
On July 4, 1994, the war ended as the RPF entered Kigali. Over two million Hutus fled the country, fearing Tutsi retribution. Most have since returned, but some remain in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], including some militia members who later took part in the First and Second Congo Wars. After repeated unsuccessful appeals to the United Nations and the international community to deal with the security threat posed by the remnants of the defeated genocidal forces on its eastern border, in 1996, Rwanda invaded eastern [[Zaire]] in an effort to eliminate the Interahamwe groups operating there. This action, and a simultaneous one by Ugandan troops, contributed to the outbreak of the First Congo War and the eventual fall of longtime dictator [[Mobutu Sese Seko]].  
  
Rwanda today struggles to heal and rebuild, and shows signs of rapid development, but some Rwandans continue to struggle with the legacy of genocide and war. In 2004, a ceremony was held in Kigali at the Gisozi Memorial (sponsored by the Aegis Trust and attended by many foreign dignitaries) to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the genocide, and the country observes a national day of mourning each year on April 7. Rwandan genocidal leaders are on trial at the [[International Criminal Tribunal]], in the Rwandan National Court system, and, most recently, through the informal Gacaca village justice program. Recent reports highlight a number of reprisal killings of survivors for providing evidence at gacaca. <ref> McVeigh, Karen, December 3, 2006, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/rwanda/story/0,,1962910,00.html Spate of killings obstructs Rwanda's quest for justice], Guardian Unlimited - The Observer. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
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Rwanda today struggles to heal and rebuild, and shows signs of rapid development, but some Rwandans continue to struggle with the legacy of genocide and war. In 2004, a ceremony was held in Kigali at the Gisozi Memorial (sponsored by the Aegis Trust and attended by many foreign dignitaries) to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the genocide. The country observes a national day of mourning each year on April 7. Rwandan genocidal leaders were put on trial at the [[International Criminal Tribunal]], in the Rwandan National Court system and through the informal Gacaca village justice program. Recent reports highlight a number of reprisal killings of survivors for providing evidence at Gacaca.<ref>Karen McVeigh, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/rwanda/story/0,,1962910,00.html Spate of killings obstructs Rwanda's quest for justice], ''The Observer,'' December 3, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
  
The current Rwandan government, led by Paul Kagame, has been praised by many for establishing security and promoting reconciliation and economic development, but is also criticized by some for being too militant and opposing dissent.  
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The current Rwandan government has been praised by many for establishing security and promoting reconciliation and economic development, but is also criticized by some for being too militant and opposing dissent.  
  
With new independent radio stations and other media arising, Rwanda is attempting a free press, but there are reports of journalists disappearing and being apprehended whenever articles question the government. <ref> February 5, 2003, [http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=6437 Rwanda - 2003 Annual Report], ''Reporters Without Borders''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
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With new independent radio stations and other media arising, Rwanda is attempting a free press, but there are reports of journalists disappearing and being apprehended whenever articles question the government. <ref>Reporters Without Borders, [http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=6437 Rwanda - 2003 Annual Report], February 5, 2003. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
  
 
== Government ==
 
== Government ==
 
[[Image:Rw-map.png|thumb|Map of Rwanda]]
 
[[Image:Rw-map.png|thumb|Map of Rwanda]]
After its military victory in July 1994, the Rwandan Patriotic Front organized a coalition government based on the 1993 Arusha accords and political declarations by the parties. The National Movement for Democracy and Development &ndash; Habyarimana's party that instigated and implemented the [[Genocide|genocidal]] ideology &ndash; along with the CDR (another Hutu extremist party) were banned, with most of its leaders either arrested or in exile.
+
After its military victory in July 1994, the Rwandan Patriotic Front organized a coalition government based on the 1993 Arusha accords and political declarations by the parties. The National Movement for Democracy and Development&mdash;Habyarimana's party that instigated and implemented the [[Genocide|genocidal]] ideology&mdash;along with the CDR (another Hutu extremist party) were banned, with most of its leaders either arrested or in exile.
  
After the 1994 genocide, General Kagame took power and became a Tutsi president. The Hutu people living in refugee camps were attacked by Tutsi forces.  
+
After the 1994 genocide, the Hutu people living in refugee camps were attacked by Tutsi forces.  
  
 
A new constitution was adopted by referendum and promulgated in 2003. The first postwar presidential and legislative elections were held in August and September 2003, respectively. The RPF-led government has continued to promote reconciliation and unity among all Rwandans as enshrined in the new constitution that forbids any political activity or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion.
 
A new constitution was adopted by referendum and promulgated in 2003. The first postwar presidential and legislative elections were held in August and September 2003, respectively. The RPF-led government has continued to promote reconciliation and unity among all Rwandans as enshrined in the new constitution that forbids any political activity or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion.
  
By law, at least a third of the Parliament representation must be female. It is believed that women will not allow the mass killings of the past to be repeated. Rwanda topped a recently conducted global survey on the percentage of women in Parliament with as much as 49 percent female representation. <ref> Bouta, Tsjeard, and Georg Frerks. 2005. Gender, conflict, and development. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. p56 </ref>
+
By law, at least a third of the Parliament representation must be female. It is believed that women will not allow the mass killings of the past to be repeated. Rwanda topped a recently conducted global survey on the percentage of women in Parliament with as much as 49 percent female representation.<ref> Tsjeard Bouta and Georg Frerks, ''Gender, Conflict, and Development'' (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005), 56. </ref>  
 
 
  
 
=== Administrative divisions ===
 
=== Administrative divisions ===
Line 183: Line 176:
 
* West Province
 
* West Province
 
* Kigali Province
 
* Kigali Province
 
  
 
=== Military ===
 
=== Military ===
Rwanda's armed forces an army consisting of mostly infantry and an air force. In 2002, there were a reported 15,000–20,000 troops stationed in the [[Democratic Republic of Congo|Congo]]. The paramilitary consists of national police and local defense forces.  
+
Rwanda's armed forces consist of mostly infantry and an air force. In 2002, there were a reported 15,000–20,000 troops stationed in the [[Democratic Republic of Congo|Congo]]. The paramilitary consists of national police and local defense forces.  
  
Opposition forces may number around 15,000 in the ''Army for the Liberation of Rwanda'' which consists of Hutu rebels. The civil war of 1994 weakened the government armed forces, who could not stop the Hutu–Tutsi tribal conflict. <ref> [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Rwanda-ARMED-FORCES.html Rwanda Armed Forces], ''Thomson Corporation - Encyclopedia of the Nations''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
+
Opposition forces may number around 15,000 in the ''Army for the Liberation of Rwanda,'' which consists of Hutu rebels. The civil war of 1994 weakened the government armed forces, which could not stop the Hutu–Tutsi tribal conflict.<ref> ''Encyclopedia of the Nations,'' [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Rwanda-ARMED-FORCES.html Rwanda Armed Forces]. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
  
 
=== Foreign relations ===
 
=== Foreign relations ===
Rwanda was granted [[United Nations]] membership on September 18, 1962. It is a member of the African Development Bank, G-77, and the African Union. It is also a signatory of the Law of the Sea and a member of the World Trade Organization.
+
Rwanda was granted [[United Nations]] membership on September 18, 1962. It is a member of the [[African Development Bank]], [[G-77]], and the [[African Union]]. It is also a signatory of the [[Law of the Sea]] and a member of the [[World Trade Organization]].
  
In 1976, Rwanda joined [[Burundi]] and [[Zaire]] (now known as the [[Democratic Republic of Congo]]) in the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries, formed to develop the economic potential of the basin of Lakes Kivu and Tanganyika. In 1977, Rwanda joined Burundi and [[Tanzania]] in forming an economic community for the management and development of the Kagera River Basin. [[Uganda]] became a part of the community in 1980. Its headquarters are in Kigali. <ref> [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Rwanda-INTERNATIONAL-COOPERATION.html Rwanda International Cooperation], ''Thomson Corporation - Encyclopedia of the Nations''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
+
In 1976, Rwanda joined [[Burundi]] and [[Zaire]] (now known as the [[Democratic Republic of Congo]]) in the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries, formed to develop the economic potential of the basin of lakes [[Lake Kivu|Kivu]] and [[Lake Tanganyika|Tanganyika]]. In 1977, Rwanda joined Burundi and [[Tanzania]] in forming an economic community for the management and development of the Kagera River basin. [[Uganda]] became a part of the community in 1980. Its headquarters are in Kigali. <ref>''Encyclopedia of the Nations,'' [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Rwanda-INTERNATIONAL-COOPERATION.html Rwanda International Cooperation]. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
  
 
== Economy ==
 
== Economy ==
 
[[Image:Rwanda market cloth.jpg|thumb|225px|right|A Rwandan market.]]
 
[[Image:Rwanda market cloth.jpg|thumb|225px|right|A Rwandan market.]]
Rwanda is a rural country with about 90 percent of the population engaged in [[subsistence agriculture]]. It is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. <ref> [http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=646 Where we work - Rwanda], ''World Food Programme''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
+
Rwanda is a rural country with about 90 percent of the population engaged in [[subsistence agriculture]]. It is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry.<ref> World Food Programme, [http://www.wfp.org/country_brief/indexcountry.asp?country=646 Where we work - Rwanda]. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>  
  
Primary exports are [[coffee]] and [[tea]], with the addition in recent years of minerals (mainly [[Coltan]], used in the manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones) and flowers. Tourism also is a growing sector, notably around ecotourism (Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu) and the world-famous and unique [[mountain gorilla]]s in the Virunga park. It has a low gross national product (GNP), and it has been identified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). In 2005, its economic performance and governance achievements prompted international funding institutions to cancel nearly all its debts.
+
Primary exports are [[coffee]] and [[tea]], with the addition in recent years of [[mineral]]s (mainly [[Coltan]], used in the manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones) and [[flower]]s. [[Tourism]] is also a growing sector, notably around ecotourism (Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu) and the world-famous and unique mountain [[gorilla]]s in the Virunga park. It has a low gross national product (GNP), and it has been identified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). In 2005, its economic performance and governance achievements prompted international funding institutions to cancel nearly all its debts.
  
According to the World Food Program, it is estimated that 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 10-12 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity every year.  
+
According to the [[World Food Programme]], it is estimated that 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 10–12 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity every year.  
  
In 2006, [[People's Republic of China|China]] proposed funding a study for building a railway link from Bujumbura in [[Burundi]] to Kigali in Rwanda to Isaki in [[Tanzania]]. China has also offered economic cooperation in [[agriculture]], energy, education, and industry.
+
In 2006, [[People's Republic of China|China]] proposed funding a study for building a railway link from Bujumbura in [[Burundi]] to Kigali in Rwanda to Isaki in [[Tanzania]]. China has also offered economic cooperation in [[agriculture]], [[energy]], [[education]], and [[industry]].
  
 
== Demographics ==
 
== Demographics ==
Most Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda. It is difficult to establish exactly what words like "Tutsi" and "Hutu" meant before the arrival of European colonists, because there was no written history. In the twenty-first century a number of Rwandans reject the idea of sub-races and simply identify themselves as "Rwandans."
+
Most Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda. It is difficult to establish exactly what words like "Tutsi" and "Hutu" meant before the arrival of European colonists, because there was no written history. In the twenty-first century a number of Rwandans rejected the idea of sub-races and simply identify themselves as "Rwandans."
  
Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa at 590 people per square mile (230/km²). This country has few villages, and nearly every family lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers.
+
Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 [[genocide]], is among the highest in [[sub-Saharan Africa]] at 590 people per square mile (230/km²). The country has few villages, and nearly every family lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers.
  
The indigenous population consists of three ethnic groups. The [[Hutu]]s, who comprise the majority of the population (85%), are farmers of [[Bantu]] origin. The [[Tutsi]]s (14% before the Genocide, probably less than 10% now) are a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the 15th century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a [[feudal system]] based on cattleholding. The [[Pygmy|"Twa" or pygmies]], (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region.  
+
The indigenous population consists of three [[ethnic group]]s. The [[Hutu]]s, who comprise the majority of the population (85 percent), are farmers of [[Bantu]] origin. The [[Tutsi]]s (14 percent before the genocide, less than 10 percent now) are a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the fifteenth century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a [[feudal system]] based on cattleholding. The [[Pygmy|"Twa" or pygmies]], (1 percent) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region.  
  
 
=== Education ===
 
=== Education ===
Over half of the adult population is literate, but no more than 5% have received secondary education. During 1994-95, most primary schools and more than half of pre–war secondary schools reopened. The national university in Butare reopened in April 1995; enrollment is over 7,000. Rebuilding the educational system continues to be a high priority of the Rwandan Government.  
+
Over half of the adult population is [[literacy|literate]], but no more than 5 percent have received [[secondary education]]. During 1994–1995, most primary schools and more than half of pre-war secondary schools reopened. The national university in Butare reopened in April 1995; enrollment is over 7,000. Rebuilding the [[education]]al system continues to be a high priority of the Rwandan government.  
  
 
=== Religion ===
 
=== Religion ===
Most Rwandans (56.5 percent) are [[Roman Catholic]]. Other Christians make up another 37 percent. [[Muslim]]s now comprise 14 percent of the population. Due to the widespread involvement of both Roman Catholic and [[Protestant]] clergy in the Rwandan [[genocide]] and the shelter and protection given to members of both ethnic groups of all religions by Muslims, widespread conversion occurred, causing the Muslim population to jump from 4 to 14 percent. <ref> Wax, Emily. September 23, 2002. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53018-2002Sep22.html Islam Attracting Many Survivors of Rwanda Genocide], ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
+
Most Rwandans (56.5 percent) are [[Roman Catholic]]. Other [[Christian]]s make up another 37 percent. [[Muslim]]s now comprise 14 percent of the population. Due to the widespread involvement of both Roman Catholic and [[Protestant]] clergy in the Rwandan [[genocide]] and the shelter and protection given to members of both [[ethnic group]]s of all [[religion]]s by Muslims, widespread conversion occurred, causing the Muslim population to jump from 4 to 14 percent.<ref> Emily Wax, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53018-2002Sep22.html Islam Attracting Many Survivors of Rwanda Genocide], ''Washington Post,'' September 23, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2007. </ref>
  
 
=== Facts and figures ===
 
=== Facts and figures ===
Line 225: Line 217:
  
 
'''Age structure:'''
 
'''Age structure:'''
<br/>''0-14 years:''
+
<br/>''0–14 years:''
41.9% (male 1,558,730; female 1,548,175)
+
41.9 percent (male 1,558,730; female 1,548,175)
<br/>''15-64 years:''
+
<br/>''15–64 years:''
55.6% (male 1,943,268; female 1,971,542)
+
55.6 percent (male 1,943,268; female 1,971,542)
 
<br/>''65 years and over:''
 
<br/>''65 years and over:''
2.5% (male 83,699; female 123,715) (2006 est.)
+
2.5 percent (male 83,699; female 123,715) (2006 est.)
  
 
'''Population growth rate:'''
 
'''Population growth rate:'''
2.43% (2006 est.)
+
2.43 percent (2006 est.)
  
 
'''Birth rate:'''
 
'''Birth rate:'''
Line 249: Line 241:
 
<br/>''under 15 years:''
 
<br/>''under 15 years:''
 
1.01 male(s)/female
 
1.01 male(s)/female
<br/>''15-64 years:''
+
<br/>''15–64 years:''
 
0.99 male(s)/female
 
0.99 male(s)/female
 
<br/>''65 years and over:''
 
<br/>''65 years and over:''
Line 280: Line 272:
 
Rwandan
 
Rwandan
  
'''Ethnic groups:'''
+
'''[[Ethnic group]]s:'''
Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%, 16,000 South Asians (mostly Indians) Arabs 9,300, French 2,500, British 300, Belgian 100
+
Hutu 84 percent, Tutsi 15 percent, Twa (Pygmoid) 1 percent, 16,000 South Asians (mostly Indians), Arabs 9,300, French 2,500, British 300, Belgian 100
  
 
'''Religions:'''
 
'''Religions:'''
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)  
+
Roman Catholic 56.5 percent, Protestant 26 percent, Adventist 11.1 percent, Muslim 4.6 percent, indigenous beliefs 0.1 percent, none 1.7 percent (2001)  
  
 
'''Languages:'''
 
'''Languages:'''
Line 293: Line 285:
 
age 15 and over can read and write
 
age 15 and over can read and write
 
<br/>''total population:''
 
<br/>''total population:''
70.4%
+
70.4 percent
 
<br/>''male:''
 
<br/>''male:''
76.3%
+
76.3 percent
 
<br/>''female:''
 
<br/>''female:''
64.7% (2003 est.)
+
64.7 percent (2003 est.)
  
 
== Society and culture ==
 
== Society and culture ==
 
[[Image:TaxiBusesKigali.jpg|thumb|left|A row of minibus share taxis, the principal form of public transport, waiting to depart in Kigali.]]
 
[[Image:TaxiBusesKigali.jpg|thumb|left|A row of minibus share taxis, the principal form of public transport, waiting to depart in Kigali.]]
  
The family unit, or ''inzu'', is the most important unit in Rwandan culture. Usually its members live together on a rural homestead. [[Marriage]] has a high value, with many [[Arranged marriage|arranged]] by families. The groom's family must pay a [[dowry]] to the bride's family.
+
The family unit, or ''inzu,'' is the most important unit in Rwandan [[culture]]. Usually its members live together on a rural homestead. [[Marriage]] has a high value, with many [[Arranged marriage|arranged]] by families. The groom's family must pay a [[dowry]] to the bride's family.
  
A rich oral tradition has been passed on through epic poetry, storytelling, and public speaking. Nearly every celebration has music and dancing.
+
A rich oral tradition has been passed on through epic [[poetry]], storytelling, and public speaking. Nearly every celebration has [[music]] and [[dancing]].
  
 
Women weave mats and baskets, while men make drums, pipes, bowls, and other useful items out of wood.
 
Women weave mats and baskets, while men make drums, pipes, bowls, and other useful items out of wood.
  
 
[[Soccer]] is the most popular sport.
 
[[Soccer]] is the most popular sport.
 
  
 
===Rwanda in Films===
 
===Rwanda in Films===
*''Gorillas in the Mist'' (1988): Feature film dramatizing the work of American [[ethnology|ethnologist]] [[Dian Fossey]], who studied [[gorilla]]s in Rwanda's mountain forests until her murder there in 1985.
+
*''Gorillas in the Mist'' (1988): Feature film dramatizing the work of [[United States|American]] [[ethnology|ethnologist]] [[Dian Fossey]], who studied [[gorilla]]s in Rwanda's mountain [[forest]]s until her [[murder]] there in 1985.
* ''Hotel Rwanda'' (2004): Feature film dramatizing the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand threatened Tutsi refugees during the 1994 genocide.
+
* ''Hotel Rwanda'' (2004): Feature film dramatizing the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand threatened Tutsi refugees during the 1994 [[genocide]].
[[Image:I'm sooooo tired.jpg|thumb|225px|Mountain gorilla in Rwanda]]
+
*''100 Days of Slaughter'' (2004).
 +
[[Image:I'm sooooo tired.jpg|thumb|225px|Mountain gorilla in Rwanda]]
 +
*''Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire'' (2004): Documentary chronicling Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire's perspective on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda ten years later. Dallaire returns to Rwanda to reflect on the changes since his last stay there.
 
*''Shooting Dogs'' (2005): Dramatic feature film based on the true story of a Catholic priest and a young idealistic English teacher caught in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
 
*''Shooting Dogs'' (2005): Dramatic feature film based on the true story of a Catholic priest and a young idealistic English teacher caught in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
*''Sometimes In April'' (2005): Dramatic feature film focusing on the experiences of an intermarried Hutu-Tutsi family during the 1994 genocide.
+
*''Sometimes In April'' (2005): Dramatic feature film focusing on the experiences of an intermarried Hutu–Tutsi family during the 1994 genocide.
 
*''Un dimanche à Kigali'' (2006).
 
*''Un dimanche à Kigali'' (2006).
*''100 Days of Slaughter'' (2004).
 
*''Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire'' (2004): Documentary chronicling Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire's perspective on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda ten years later. Dallaire returns to Rwanda to reflect on the changes since his last stay there.
 
 
*''Shake Hands with the Devil'' (2006): Dramatic feature film adaptation of the autobiographical book by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire.
 
*''Shake Hands with the Devil'' (2006): Dramatic feature film adaptation of the autobiographical book by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire.
*''Back Home'' (2006): Documentary directed by J.B. Rutagarama, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A personal journey toward understanding what led to the genocide and forgiving those who murdered his family.
+
*''Back Home'' (2006): Documentary directed by J. B. Rutagarama, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A personal journey toward understanding what led to the genocide and forgiving those who murdered his family.
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
Line 327: Line 318:
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
*Philip Curtin et al., ''African History: From Earliest Times to Independence'', 2nd ed., 1995. Addison Wesley Longman, New York, NY. ISBN 0582050707
+
* Bouta, Tsjeard, and Georg Frerks. ''Gender, Conflict, and Development.'' Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005.  
* John Iliffe, ''Africans: The History of a Continent'', 1996. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. ISBN 0521484227
+
* Carr, Rosamond Halsey, and Ann Howard Halsey. ''Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda.'' New York: Viking, 1999. ISBN 0670887803
* Christina Fisanick, ed., ''The Rwanda Genocide'', 2004. Greenhaven Press, Farmington Hills, MI. ISBN 0737719869
+
*Curtin, Philip, et al. ''African History: From Earliest Times to Independence,'' 2nd ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1995. ISBN 0582050707
* Louise Mushikiwabo and Jack Kramer, ''Rwanda Means the Universe: A Native's Memoir of Blood and Bloodlines'', 2006. St. Martin's Press, New York, NY. ISBN 9780312209599
+
* Cutter, Charles H. ''Africa: 2006,'' 41st ed. Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications, 2006. ISBN 1887985727
* Charles H. Cutter, ''Africa: 2006'', 41st ed., 2006. Stryker-Post Publications, Harpers Ferry, WV. ISBN 1887985727
+
* Eighth Annual Policy Forum, [http://www.huntalternatives.org/pages/630_eighth_annual_policy_forum.cfm Women in Government: Securing the Future]. ''Hunt Alternatives Fund,'' January 16, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
* Bouta, Tsjeard, and Georg Frerks. 2005. Gender, conflict, and development. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. ISBN 1417554711 and ISBN 9781417554713
+
* Fisanick, Christina, ed. ''The Rwanda Genocide.'' Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2004. ISBN 0737719869
* Eighth Annual Policy Forum, January 16, 2007, [http://www.huntalternatives.org/pages/630_eighth_annual_policy_forum.cfm Women in Government: Securing the Future], ''Hunt Alternatives Fund''. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
* Guillebaud, Meg. ''Rwanda: The Land God Forgot? Revival, Genocide and Hope.'' London: Monarch Books, 2002.  
* Carr, Rosamond Halsey, and Ann Howard Halsey. 1999. ''Land of a thousand hills: my life in Rwanda''. New York: Viking. ISBN 0670887803 and ISBN 9780670887804
+
* Ilibagiza, Immaculée, and Steve Erwin. ''Left to Tell: Discovering God amidst the Rwandan Holocaust.'' Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2006. ISBN 1401908969  
* Guillebaud, Meg. 2002. ''Rwanda: the land God forgot?: revival, genocide and hope''. London: Monarch Books.  
+
* Iliffe, John. ''Africans: The History of a Continent.'' New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 0521484227
 
+
* Mushikiwabo, Louise, and Jack Kramer, ''Rwanda Means the Universe: A Native's Memoir of Blood and Bloodlines.'' New York: St. Martin's Press, 2006. ISBN 9780312209599
* Ilibagiza, Immaculée, and Steve Erwin. 2006. ''Left to tell: discovering God amidst the Rwandan holocaust''. Carlsbad, Calif: Hay House. ISBN 1401908969 and ISBN 9781401908966
 
 
 
  
 
{{Countries of Central Africa}}
 
{{Countries of Central Africa}}
Line 345: Line 334:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
*[http://www.rwandaparliament.gov.rw/ Rwanda Parliament] ([[Kinyarwanda]], [[French language|French]], English) official site, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
All links retrieved October 18, 2007.
*[http://allafrica.com/rwanda/ AllAfrica.com &mdash; ''Rwanda''] news headline links, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
;Government
*[http://www.irinnews.org/frontpage.asp?SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=Rwanda IRIN News for Rwanda, from the United Nations], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
*[http://www.rwandaparliament.gov.rw/ Rwanda Parliament] official site
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1070265.stm BBC News Country Profile &mdash; ''Rwanda''], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
 
*[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rw.html CIA World Factbook &mdash; ''Rwanda''], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
;News
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/rwanda/0,14451,1183763,00.html Guardian Unlimited &mdash; ''Special Report: Rwanda''], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
*[http://allafrica.com/rwanda/ AllAfrica.com Rwanda]  
*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Africa/Rwanda Open Directory Project &mdash; ''Rwanda''] directory category, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
+
*[http://www.irinnews.org/frontpage.asp?SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=Rwanda IRIN News for Rwanda]  
*[http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/search.tkl?q=rwanda&search_crit=fulltext&search=Search&date1=Anytime&date2=Anytime&type=form US Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports &mdash; ''Rwanda''], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2861.htm US State Department &mdash; ''Rwanda''] includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.lafrique.com L'Afrique dot com] Hundreds of photos and articles (French Language), Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.rwandatourism.com Rwanda National Tourist Board (ORTPN)] official site, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.guideforafrica.com/rwanda/index.php Rwanda Safari and Travel Guide] Guide for Africa, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.museum.gov.rw National Museum of Rwanda] official site, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.chawbacon.org The Rwanda Online Video Guide] Chawbacon.org allows you to download and watch video clips (129) about Rwanda. Retrieved April 5, 2007. 
 
*[http://www.voicesofrwanda.org/ Voices of Rwanda] Rwanda Testimony Film Project, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.survivors-fund.org.uk/ Survivors Fund] Representing and supporters survivors of the Rwandan genocide, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.lafrique.com/afrique/articles/2/ Photos of Miss Rwanda], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.rwanda-online.org/ Rwanda online] Rwanda directory and Portal, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.ictr.org/ International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Africa/Rwanda.asp Global Issues &mdash; Conflict in Rwanda], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.rwandagateway.org/ Rwanda Development Gateway], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.assist.st-concordia.de/ ASSIST a.s.b.l.] Rwandan NGO serving vulnerable children and youth, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.antiochinternational.org/800000.asp Global Strategic Alliance - The 800,000 Project],  Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.projectrwanda.org Project Rwanda]Furthering the economic development of Rwanda, Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://www.hivaids.nairobi-unesco.org/  UNESCO Nairobi office on HIV/AIDS in Rwanda], Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
*[http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr470082004 RWANDA The enduring legacy of the genocide and war], ''Amnesty International'', Retrieved April 5, 2007.
 
  
 +
;Overviews
 +
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1070265.stm BBC News Country Profile &ndash; ''Rwanda'']
 +
*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rw.html CIA World Factbook &ndash; ''Rwanda'']
 +
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/rwanda/0,14451,1183763,00.html ''Guardian Unlimited'' &ndash; Special Report: Rwanda]
 +
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2861.htm US State Department &ndash; ''Rwanda'']
  
 +
;Tourism
 +
*[http://www.rwandatourism.com Rwanda National Tourist Board (ORTPN)] official site
  
 +
;Other
 +
*[http://www.projectrwanda.org Project Rwanda] Furthering the economic development of Rwanda
 +
*[http://www.ictr.org/ International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda]
 +
*[http://www.hivaids.nairobi-unesco.org/ UNESCO Nairobi office on HIV/AIDS in Rwanda]
 +
*[http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr470082004 RWANDA The enduring legacy of the genocide and war] ''Amnesty International''
 +
*[http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Africa/Rwanda.asp Global Issues &mdash; Conflict in Rwanda]
 +
*[http://www.antiochinternational.org/800000.asp Global Strategic Alliance - The 800,000 Project]
 +
*[http://www.voicesofrwanda.org/ Voices of Rwanda] Rwanda Testimony Film Project
 +
*[http://www.survivors-fund.org.uk/ Survivors Fund] Representing and supporting survivors of the Rwandan genocide
 +
*[http://www.rwandagateway.org/ Rwanda Development Gateway]
 +
*[http://www.museum.gov.rw National Museum of Rwanda] official site
 +
*[http://www.guideforafrica.com/africa-travel-guide/rwanda Rwanda Safari and Travel Guide]
 +
*[http://www.lafrique.com L'Afrique.com] Hundreds of photos and articles (French language)
 +
*[http://www.lafrique.com/afrique/articles/2/ Photos of Miss Rwanda]
 +
*[http://www.chawbacon.org The Rwanda Online Video Guide]
 +
*[http://www.rwanda-online.org/ Rwanda online] Rwanda directory and portal
 +
*[http://www.assist.st-concordia.de/ ASSIST a.s.b.l.] Rwandan NGO serving vulnerable children and youth
  
<!--Categories—>
 
 
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[[Category:Geography]]
 
[[Category:Geography]]
 
[[Category:African nations]]
 
[[Category:African nations]]

Revision as of 16:24, 18 October 2007

Repubulika y'u Rwanda
République du Rwanda

Republic of Rwanda
Flag of Rwanda Coat of arms of Rwanda
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu
"Unity, Work, Patriotism"
Anthem: Rwanda nziza
Location of Rwanda
Capital
(and largest city)
Kigali
1°57′S 30°4′E
Official languages Kinyarwanda, French, English
Government Republic
 - President Paul Kagame
 - Prime Minister Bernard Makuza
Independence from Belgium 
 - Date July 1, 1962 
Area
 - Total 26,338 km² (148th)
10,169 sq mi 
 - Water (%) 5.3
Population
 - July 2005 estimate 9,038,0001
 - 2002 census 8,128,553
 - Density 320/km²
829/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
 - Total $11.24 billion
 - Per capita $1,300
HDI  (2004) 0.450 (low)
Currency Rwandan franc (RWF)
Time zone CAT (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+2)
Internet TLD .rw
Calling code +250
1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, with great natural beauty but few exportable resources. Its hilly terrain, which gives it the title "Land of a Thousand Hills," supports the densest population in sub-Saharan Africa.

The country is infamous for the 1994 genocide that resulted in the deaths of up to one million people. Since then, the government has been making efforts to bring the people together, but Rwanda still faces numerous problems. This nation, however, is at the forefront of a new concept of ensuring peace through the implementation of a law requiring a high percentage of women within the Parliament. This is based upon the idea that women will never allow the incidence of mass killing to be reproduced.

Geography

Rwanda is located near the center of Africa, a few degrees south of the equator. It is separated from the Democratic Republic of Congo by Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley to the west; it is bounded on the north by Uganda, to the east by Tanzania, and to the south by Burundi. The capital, Kigali, is located in the center of the country.

Rwanda's countryside is covered by grasslands and small farms extending over rolling hills, with areas of rugged mountains that extend southeast from a chain of volcanoes in the northwest. The divide between the Congo and Nile drainage systems extends from north to south through western Rwanda at an average elevation of almost 9,000 feet (2,740 m). On the western slopes of this ridgeline, the land slopes abruptly toward Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley and constitutes part of the Great Rift Valley. The eastern slopes are more moderate, with rolling hills extending across central uplands at gradually reducing altitudes, to the plains, swamps, and lakes of the eastern border region. Therefore the country is also known as "Land of a Thousand Hills." In 2006, a British-led exploration announced that they had located the longest headstream of the Nile River in Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda.[1]

Climate

Though Rwanda is a tropical country, only two degrees south of the equator, its high elevation makes the climate temperate. In the mountains, frost and snow are possible. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of 4,800 feet (1,463 m) is 73°F (23°C). Rwanda is considered the lightning capital of the world, due to intense daily thunderstorms during the two rainy seasons (February–April and November–January).[2] Annual rainfall averages 31 inches (830 mm) but is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern savannas.

Facts and figures

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2°00′S 30°00′E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 26,338 km²
land: 24,948 km²
water: 1,390 km²

Land boundaries:
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Ruzizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 45.56%
permanent crops: 10.25%
other: 44.19% (2005)

River border with Tanzania

Irrigated land: 40 km² (1998 est)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Birunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

History

The road to Ruhengeri.

Although the Twa (pygmies) were the original people living in the area now known as Rwanda, possibly as far back as 30,000 B.C.E., by the fifteenth century the Hutu and Tutsi had moved in. The Hutus primarily were farmers who lived on hilltops, and the Tutsi were warriors and herders who lived on the hillsides and in the valleys. In the nineteenth century that evolved into a feudal-type system with sharp social divisions in which Tutsis dominated.

Because of its mountainous terrain, Rwanda was spared the onslaughts of invaders and slave traders. John Hanning Speke was the first European to visit Rwanda. In 1895 the Rwandan king accepted German rule to maintain his power, and the area became part of German East Africa. The Germans did nothing to develop the country economically. They kept the indigenous administration system by applying the same type of indirect rule established by the British Empire in the Ugandan kingdoms.

Twentieth century

After Germany's loss in World War I, Belgium took over Rwanda with a League of Nations mandate. Belgian rule in the region was far more direct and harsh than German rule. The Belgian colonizers did realize the value of native rule, however. Backed by Christian churches, the Belgians favored the minority Tutsi upper class over lower classes of Tutsis and Hutus. Belgian forced labor policies and stringent taxes were mainly enforced by the Tutsi upper class, which the Belgians used as buffers against the people's anger, thus further polarizing the Hutu and the Tutsi. Many young peasants, to escape tax harassment and hunger, migrated to neighboring countries. They moved mainly to Congo but also to Ugandan plantations, looking for work.

After World War II, Rwanda became a United Nations (UN) trust territory administered by Belgium. In 1959, King Mutara III Charles was assassinated and his younger brother became the Abega clan monarch, King Kigeli V. In 1961, King Kigeli V was in Kinshasa to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld when Dominique Mbonyumutwa, with the support of the Belgian government, led a coup d'état. The coup overthrew King Kigeli V and the Hutu gained more and more power. Upon Rwanda's independence on July 1, 1962, the Hutu held virtually all power.

Independence and related conflicts

Satellite image of Rwanda, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Gregoire Kayibanda was the first president (1962–1973), followed by Juvenal Habyarimana (1973–1994). The latter, who many view as a ruthless dictator, was unable to find a solution to increasing social unrest, calls for democracy, and the long-running problem of Rwandan Tutsi refugees. By the 1990s, Rwanda had up to one million refugees scattered around neighboring countries, mostly in Uganda and Burundi.

In 1990, the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) invaded Rwanda from Uganda. During the fighting, top Rwandan government officials, mainly Hutu, began secretly training young men into informal armed bands called Interahamwe (a Kinyarwanda term roughly meaning "those who fight together"). Government officials also launched a radio station that began anti-Tutsi propaganda. The military government of Habyarimana responded to the RPF invasion with pogroms against Tutsis, whom it claimed were trying to re-enslave the Hutus. In August 1993, the government and the RPF signed a cease-fire agreement known as the Arusha Accords in Arusha, Tanzania, to form a power-sharing government, but fighting between the two sides continued. The United Nations sent a peacekeeping force known as the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). UNAMIR was vastly underfunded and understaffed.

During the armed conflict, the RPF was blamed for the bombing of the capital Kigali. These attacks were actually carried out by the Hutu army as part of a campaign to create a reason for a political crackdown and ethnic violence. On April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana was assassinated when his airplane was shot down while landing in Kigali. [3] It remains unclear who was responsible for the assassination—most credible sources point to the Presidential Guard, spurred by Hutu nationalists fearful of losing power, but others believe that Tutsi rebels were responsible, possibly with the help of Belgian mercenaries.

Over the next three months, with logistical and military assistance and training from France, the military and Interahamwe militia groups killed between half a million and one million Tutsis and Hutu moderates in the Rwandan genocide. The RPF continued to advance on the capital, and occupied the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the country by June. Thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict. U.N. member states refused to answer UNAMIR's requests for increased troops and money. Meanwhile, French troops were dispatched to stabilize the situation, but this only exacerbated the situation, with the evacuation limited to foreign nationals.

On July 4, 1994, the war ended as the RPF entered Kigali. Over two million Hutus fled the country, fearing Tutsi retribution. Most have since returned, but some remain in the Congo, including some militia members who later took part in the First and Second Congo Wars. After repeated unsuccessful appeals to the United Nations and the international community to deal with the security threat posed by the remnants of the defeated genocidal forces on its eastern border, in 1996, Rwanda invaded eastern Zaire in an effort to eliminate the Interahamwe groups operating there. This action, and a simultaneous one by Ugandan troops, contributed to the outbreak of the First Congo War and the eventual fall of longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Rwanda today struggles to heal and rebuild, and shows signs of rapid development, but some Rwandans continue to struggle with the legacy of genocide and war. In 2004, a ceremony was held in Kigali at the Gisozi Memorial (sponsored by the Aegis Trust and attended by many foreign dignitaries) to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the genocide. The country observes a national day of mourning each year on April 7. Rwandan genocidal leaders were put on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal, in the Rwandan National Court system and through the informal Gacaca village justice program. Recent reports highlight a number of reprisal killings of survivors for providing evidence at Gacaca.[4]

The current Rwandan government has been praised by many for establishing security and promoting reconciliation and economic development, but is also criticized by some for being too militant and opposing dissent.

With new independent radio stations and other media arising, Rwanda is attempting a free press, but there are reports of journalists disappearing and being apprehended whenever articles question the government. [5]

Government

Map of Rwanda

After its military victory in July 1994, the Rwandan Patriotic Front organized a coalition government based on the 1993 Arusha accords and political declarations by the parties. The National Movement for Democracy and Development—Habyarimana's party that instigated and implemented the genocidal ideology—along with the CDR (another Hutu extremist party) were banned, with most of its leaders either arrested or in exile.

After the 1994 genocide, the Hutu people living in refugee camps were attacked by Tutsi forces.

A new constitution was adopted by referendum and promulgated in 2003. The first postwar presidential and legislative elections were held in August and September 2003, respectively. The RPF-led government has continued to promote reconciliation and unity among all Rwandans as enshrined in the new constitution that forbids any political activity or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion.

By law, at least a third of the Parliament representation must be female. It is believed that women will not allow the mass killings of the past to be repeated. Rwanda topped a recently conducted global survey on the percentage of women in Parliament with as much as 49 percent female representation.[6]

Administrative divisions

Prior to January 1, 2006, Rwanda was composed of twelve provinces, but these were abolished in full and redrawn as part of a program of decentralization and reorganization.

Rwanda is divided into five provinces and subdivided into thirty districts. The provinces are:

  • North Province
  • East Province
  • South Province
  • West Province
  • Kigali Province

Military

Rwanda's armed forces consist of mostly infantry and an air force. In 2002, there were a reported 15,000–20,000 troops stationed in the Congo. The paramilitary consists of national police and local defense forces.

Opposition forces may number around 15,000 in the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda, which consists of Hutu rebels. The civil war of 1994 weakened the government armed forces, which could not stop the Hutu–Tutsi tribal conflict.[7]

Foreign relations

Rwanda was granted United Nations membership on September 18, 1962. It is a member of the African Development Bank, G-77, and the African Union. It is also a signatory of the Law of the Sea and a member of the World Trade Organization.

In 1976, Rwanda joined Burundi and Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) in the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries, formed to develop the economic potential of the basin of lakes Kivu and Tanganyika. In 1977, Rwanda joined Burundi and Tanzania in forming an economic community for the management and development of the Kagera River basin. Uganda became a part of the community in 1980. Its headquarters are in Kigali. [8]

Economy

A Rwandan market.

Rwanda is a rural country with about 90 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture. It is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry.[9]

Primary exports are coffee and tea, with the addition in recent years of minerals (mainly Coltan, used in the manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones) and flowers. Tourism is also a growing sector, notably around ecotourism (Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu) and the world-famous and unique mountain gorillas in the Virunga park. It has a low gross national product (GNP), and it has been identified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). In 2005, its economic performance and governance achievements prompted international funding institutions to cancel nearly all its debts.

According to the World Food Programme, it is estimated that 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 10–12 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity every year.

In 2006, China proposed funding a study for building a railway link from Bujumbura in Burundi to Kigali in Rwanda to Isaki in Tanzania. China has also offered economic cooperation in agriculture, energy, education, and industry.

Demographics

Most Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda. It is difficult to establish exactly what words like "Tutsi" and "Hutu" meant before the arrival of European colonists, because there was no written history. In the twenty-first century a number of Rwandans rejected the idea of sub-races and simply identify themselves as "Rwandans."

Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa at 590 people per square mile (230/km²). The country has few villages, and nearly every family lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers.

The indigenous population consists of three ethnic groups. The Hutus, who comprise the majority of the population (85 percent), are farmers of Bantu origin. The Tutsis (14 percent before the genocide, less than 10 percent now) are a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the fifteenth century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattleholding. The "Twa" or pygmies, (1 percent) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region.

Education

Over half of the adult population is literate, but no more than 5 percent have received secondary education. During 1994–1995, most primary schools and more than half of pre-war secondary schools reopened. The national university in Butare reopened in April 1995; enrollment is over 7,000. Rebuilding the educational system continues to be a high priority of the Rwandan government.

Religion

Most Rwandans (56.5 percent) are Roman Catholic. Other Christians make up another 37 percent. Muslims now comprise 14 percent of the population. Due to the widespread involvement of both Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy in the Rwandan genocide and the shelter and protection given to members of both ethnic groups of all religions by Muslims, widespread conversion occurred, causing the Muslim population to jump from 4 to 14 percent.[10]

Facts and figures

Population: 8,648,248
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. This disease can result in lower life expectancy, population, and growth rates; higher infant mortality and death rates; and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0–14 years: 41.9 percent (male 1,558,730; female 1,548,175)
15–64 years: 55.6 percent (male 1,943,268; female 1,971,542)
65 years and over: 2.5 percent (male 83,699; female 123,715) (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.43 percent (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 40.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 16.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
male: 94.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.3 years
male: 46.26 years
female: 48.38 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups: Hutu 84 percent, Tutsi 15 percent, Twa (Pygmoid) 1 percent, 16,000 South Asians (mostly Indians), Arabs 9,300, French 2,500, British 300, Belgian 100

Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5 percent, Protestant 26 percent, Adventist 11.1 percent, Muslim 4.6 percent, indigenous beliefs 0.1 percent, none 1.7 percent (2001)

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.4 percent
male: 76.3 percent
female: 64.7 percent (2003 est.)

Society and culture

A row of minibus share taxis, the principal form of public transport, waiting to depart in Kigali.

The family unit, or inzu, is the most important unit in Rwandan culture. Usually its members live together on a rural homestead. Marriage has a high value, with many arranged by families. The groom's family must pay a dowry to the bride's family.

A rich oral tradition has been passed on through epic poetry, storytelling, and public speaking. Nearly every celebration has music and dancing.

Women weave mats and baskets, while men make drums, pipes, bowls, and other useful items out of wood.

Soccer is the most popular sport.

Rwanda in Films

  • Gorillas in the Mist (1988): Feature film dramatizing the work of American ethnologist Dian Fossey, who studied gorillas in Rwanda's mountain forests until her murder there in 1985.
  • Hotel Rwanda (2004): Feature film dramatizing the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand threatened Tutsi refugees during the 1994 genocide.
  • 100 Days of Slaughter (2004).
Mountain gorilla in Rwanda
  • Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire (2004): Documentary chronicling Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire's perspective on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda ten years later. Dallaire returns to Rwanda to reflect on the changes since his last stay there.
  • Shooting Dogs (2005): Dramatic feature film based on the true story of a Catholic priest and a young idealistic English teacher caught in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
  • Sometimes In April (2005): Dramatic feature film focusing on the experiences of an intermarried Hutu–Tutsi family during the 1994 genocide.
  • Un dimanche à Kigali (2006).
  • Shake Hands with the Devil (2006): Dramatic feature film adaptation of the autobiographical book by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire.
  • Back Home (2006): Documentary directed by J. B. Rutagarama, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A personal journey toward understanding what led to the genocide and forgiving those who murdered his family.

Notes

  1. BBC News, Team reaches Nile's 'true source', March 31, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  2. Jeff Klinkenberg, Real Florida: Our boast is toast, St. Petersburg Times, March 4, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  3. GlobalSecurity.org, Rwanda Civil War, April 27, 2005. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  4. Karen McVeigh, Spate of killings obstructs Rwanda's quest for justice, The Observer, December 3, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  5. Reporters Without Borders, Rwanda - 2003 Annual Report, February 5, 2003. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  6. Tsjeard Bouta and Georg Frerks, Gender, Conflict, and Development (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005), 56.
  7. Encyclopedia of the Nations, Rwanda Armed Forces. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  8. Encyclopedia of the Nations, Rwanda International Cooperation. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  9. World Food Programme, Where we work - Rwanda. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  10. Emily Wax, Islam Attracting Many Survivors of Rwanda Genocide, Washington Post, September 23, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2007.

Sources and further reading

  • Bouta, Tsjeard, and Georg Frerks. Gender, Conflict, and Development. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005.
  • Carr, Rosamond Halsey, and Ann Howard Halsey. Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda. New York: Viking, 1999. ISBN 0670887803
  • Curtin, Philip, et al. African History: From Earliest Times to Independence, 2nd ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1995. ISBN 0582050707
  • Cutter, Charles H. Africa: 2006, 41st ed. Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications, 2006. ISBN 1887985727
  • Eighth Annual Policy Forum, Women in Government: Securing the Future. Hunt Alternatives Fund, January 16, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  • Fisanick, Christina, ed. The Rwanda Genocide. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2004. ISBN 0737719869
  • Guillebaud, Meg. Rwanda: The Land God Forgot? Revival, Genocide and Hope. London: Monarch Books, 2002.
  • Ilibagiza, Immaculée, and Steve Erwin. Left to Tell: Discovering God amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2006. ISBN 1401908969
  • Iliffe, John. Africans: The History of a Continent. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 0521484227
  • Mushikiwabo, Louise, and Jack Kramer, Rwanda Means the Universe: A Native's Memoir of Blood and Bloodlines. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2006. ISBN 9780312209599





External links

All links retrieved October 18, 2007.

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