Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system
National capital: Kigali
Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura in
Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama,
Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Ruhengeri
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution which included elements of the constitution of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord and the November 1994 multi-party protocol of understanding
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since 1 September 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections : current president installed by force by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front; normally the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held NA (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (70 seats; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord to serve NA-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 1988 ( next to be held NA); note - the Transitional National Assembly is a power-sharing body established on 12 December 1994 following a multi-party protocol of understanding election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2; note - the distribution of seats was predetermined