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Compare Rwanda (2003) - Lesotho (2003)

Compare Rwanda (2003) z Lesotho (2003)

 Rwanda (2003)Lesotho (2003)
 RwandaLesotho
Administrative divisions 12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,667,128; female 1,651,422)


15-64 years: 54.8% (male 2,128,495; female 2,148,694)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,576; female 128,741) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)


15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 9 (2002) 28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 26,338 sq km


land: 24,948 sq km


water: 1,390 sq km
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maryland
Background In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.
Birth rate 40.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $199.3 million


expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY 99/00 est.)
Capital Kigali Maseru
Climate temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form: Rwandese Republic


conventional short form: Rwanda


local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda


local short form: Rwanda


former: Ruanda
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency Rwandan franc (RWF) loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate 21.72 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.3 billion (2000 est.) $735 million (2002)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 312666


FAX: [266] 310116
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA


chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882


FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Disputes - international Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources - government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts none
Economic aid - donor - ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient $372.9 million (1999) $41.5 million (2000)
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. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.
Electricity - consumption 140 million kWh (2001) 40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 50 million kWh (2001) 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production 96.78 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 2.3%


hydro: 97.7%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m


highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1% Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Rwandan francs per US dollar - 475.37 (2002), 442.99 (2001), 389.7 (2000), 333.94 (1999), 312.31 (1998) maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)


election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile


head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, tea, hides, tin ore manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners Indonesia 30.8%, Germany 14.6%, Hong Kong 9%, South Africa 5.5% (2002) US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $8.92 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 45%


industry: 20%


services: 35% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 20%


industry: 46%


services: 34% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 9.7% (2002 est.) 4% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 2 00 S, 30 00 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Highways total: 12,000 km


paved: 996 km


unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)
total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4.2%


highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)
lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners Kenya 21.8%, Germany 8.4%, Belgium 7.9%, Israel 4.3% (2002) Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)
Independence 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (2001 est.) 15.5% (1999)
Industries cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 102.61 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 107.66 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 97.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.5% (2002 est.) 10% (2002 est.)
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 ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2002) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1998 est.) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force 4.6 million (2000) 838,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 90% 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total: 893 km


border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land: 32.43%


permanent crops: 10.13%


other: 57.44% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Languages Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
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 based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats; members elected by direct vote)


elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)


election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR 40, PSD 7, PL 6
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.33 years


male: 38.51 years


female: 40.18 years (2003 est.)
total population: 36.94 years


male: 36.76 years


female: 37.13 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 70.4%


male: 76.3%


female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military - note - the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $59.57 million (FY02) $34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (FY02) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,932,637 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 982,909 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Rwandan(s)


adjective: Rwandan
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo periodic droughts
Natural resources gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
People - note Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa -
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] Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders IBUKA - association of genocide survivors NA
Population 7,810,056


note: 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 (July 2003 est.)
1,861,959


note: 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 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2001 est.) 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 1.84% (2003 est.) 0.19% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye none
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program), shortwave 1 (2002) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways 0 km total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa


narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Religions Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001) Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
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: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal adult 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and government


domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone


international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
general assessment: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 600,000 note - 90% in Kigali (2002) 22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 81,000 (2001)


note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2002)
21,600 (2000)
Television broadcast stations NA 1 (2000)
Terrain mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 45% (2002)
Waterways note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft none
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