Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA];
Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [J. Damascene NTAWUKURIRYAYO];
Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO]; Party
for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and
Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwanda Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul
KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 57 2128
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and
green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue
band
Economy Rwanda
Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely
populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources
and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee
and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,
severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded
the country's ability to attract private and external investment.
However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and
rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty
levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been
curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage
prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts
to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as
flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate
transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem,
food production often does not keep pace with population growth,
requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive
substantial amounts of aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank
Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late
2000. But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between
the government and international donors and lending agencies.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.92 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.7% (2002 est.)