1. A Look at Rwanda By
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2. Fact Sheet Official name: Republic of Rwanda Capital: Kigali
National Day: Independence Day, July 1st
Religions: Roman Catholic, Islam, traditional African
Languages: English, Kinyarwanda, French, Swahili
Population: approximately 8 million

3. Geography Location: central Africa Land area: 26, 340 sq. km
Rainfall: rainy seasons-March through May and October through November
Average temperature: 24.6 to 27.6 degrees Celsius
Main bodies of water: Lake Kivu, Lake Mukazi, Lake Ihema, Lake Bulera, Lake Ruhondo, Lake Mugesera
Vegetation: ranges from dense equatorial forest in northwest of the country to tropical savannah in the east

4. Geography (Cont’d) Highest point: Karisimbi volcano (4, 507 m)
Borders: Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west

5. Government Government type: republic, presidential, multiparty system
Administrative divisions: 12 prefectures
Independence: July 1st, 1962 from Belgium
Constitution: established May 5, 1995; consists of the constitution of June 18, 1999, the 1993 Arusha Peace Accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda patriotic Front and the November multiparty protocol
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal adult

6. Government (Cont’d)
Executive branch: president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government) and cabinet
Legislative branch: the Transitional National Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, communal and appeals courts
Political parties: about ten including the Centrist Democratic party and the Rwandan Patriotic Front

7. Economy GDP: $7.2 million (2001 est.) Labor force: 3.6 million
Labor force-by occupation: agriculture 90%
Budget: revenues-$199.3 million, expenditures-$445 million (2001 est.)

8. Economy (Cont’d)
Industries: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)
Agricultural products: coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)