RwandaBrianna Vear, Laura Laureano, Greg Sachetti, Doug Champigny

Location: Central Africa

Borders Burundi, Democratic Republic of the

Congo Tanzania and Uganda 893 km of border

Area 26,338 sq km

Land 24,668 sq km

155 Largest country in the world

Landlocked

Slighlty larger then maryland

Natural Resources!!!goldcassiterite(tin ore)wolframite (tungsten ore) methanehydro-power arable land

Environmental issues

Deforestationovergrazing

soil exhaustion and erosionWidespread poaching

Natural HazardsPeriodic droughts

Volcanic Varunga mountains

Cli

mate

Temperate

Two rainy seasons February to April; November to January

Mild in Mountains; Some Frost and snow possible

CULTURE!!!

The People

Nationality Rwandan(s)

Population(2008) 10,180,000

Ethnic Groups Hutu 85% Tutsi 14% Twa 1%

Religions Christiona 93% Muslim 4.6% Non-claimed 1.7% traditional African .1%

Languages Kinyarwanda, French, English

Life Expecentcy 49.5 years

● 150,000 people living with HIV/AIDS

● 7800 deaths occur due to HIV/AIDS

● High Risk of Major Infectious Disease such as Malaria, Typhoid fever, rabies

● 70.4% adults are literate

FlagThree Horizontal Bands of sky blue yellow and green with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band

This flag was adopted on October 25, 2001

Designed by a local artist

Green is symbolic of the country’s prosperity

Yellow is symbolic of potential and real economic development

Blue is a symbolic of happiness and peace

The Sun and Rays represent Englightment

ECONOMY

Rwanda is a poor rural country

90% of population engages in subsistence farming, or farming for the family

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

It is landlocked and has few natural resources

Primary Foreign export is coffee and Tea

The genocide and civil war depleted Rwanda’s fragile economy even farther increased the poverty rate

It destroyed the country’s ability to attract private and external investment

Rwanda is making great progress stabilizing and reconstructing the economy back to its pre 1994 state

Poverty levels are still alarmingly high, but inflation has been curbered and the GDP(gross national Product) is on the rise again

● Rwanda has very fertile soil but food production can not keep up with the pace that population growth is setting

● This then calls need for food imports● Rwanda is still being given substantial amounts

of aid from foreign Countries● Government is attempting to reduce the poverty

by improving education, infrastructure and foreign and domestic Investment.

● Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states and lack of adequate transportation to other countries is continuing to hinder growth.

HISTORY

Folklore

● Tutsi Cattle breeders came to the Horn of Africa in the 15 century

● Made Hutu their subjects over time

● Some areas Hutu’s were dominant others Tutsi and Hutu lived together under the control of Tutsi Kings

Gregoire Kayibanda who led the Parmehutu Party became Rwanda’s first president of the one party government

Ideals of the Kayibanda regime included peaceful negotiation of international problem social and economic elevation of the masses and integrated development of Rwanda.

● In 1894 Count Von Goetzen a German was the first European to visit

● He was followed by Missionaries known as the “White Fathers”

● After WWI the league of nations combine Rwanda and Burundi to become Ruanda-Urundi a given to Belgium.

● After WWII it became a UN territory under Belgium administration

Under Belgium rule Democratic political instutioins were encouraged but they met great resistance from the Tutsi Tradistionalists who found it a threat to Tutdi rule.

During revolt 160,000 Tutsi fled to other countries.

The Parmehutu government was formed during the election in 1961

Belgium granted internal autonomy to the government on January 1 1962.

July 1 1962 the UN Granted Rwanda as well as Burundi its complete independence

In the First 10 years relations with 43 countries was established

During the mid 60’s coruption began to occur within the government

On July 5 1973 the military took power under Major General Juvnal Habyarimana disbanding the National Assembly and all political activity

• President Habyarimana forms the National Revolutionary movement for Development

• Goals are to promote peace unity and national development under a one party state

• In December 1978 country endorses a new constitution and confirms Habyarimana as president

• Is “Re elected” in 83 and 88 as he is the only candidate

• Due to public pressure in 1990 he announces to change Rwanda from a one party state

On October 1, 1990 Rwanda exiles join in Force to create the Rwandan Patriotic Front

They invade Rwanda from there exile in Uganda.

War continues for 2 years until a cease fire on July 12 1992

On April 1994 an airplane that President Habyarimana is on is shot down while preparing to land in Kigali

Military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis and political moderates

● The prime minister and her 10 body guards were first victims

● Killing spread from Kigali to all corners of the Country

● Between April 6 and the beginning of July a genocide left over a Million Tutsis and Hutu moderates dead

● Citizens were called on to kill their neighbors

The RDF in Kigali came under attack as soon as the president’s plane was shot down.

They fought there way out of the capital and met up with its comrades from the north. They continued there invasion

France landed in “Zone Turquoise” to help end the genocide.

With France’s help the RPF took Kigali on July 4th 1994 and the war ended on July 16 1994

The RPF took control of the damaged country 1 million were murder and 2 million had fled the country and another million had fled within the country.

The biggest international humanitarian response was mounted.

In November of ‘96 600,000 Rwandan refuges return in a two week span of time.

RPF Organized a coalition government that resembled

Called the Board Bases Government of National Unity

Based on a mixture of the 1991 Constitution, the Arusha accords and political declarations by the parties.

National Revolutionary Movement for Development Party was banned

Government

● In April 2003 The national assembly recommended dissolving the Democratic Republican Party(MDR)

● Human rights groups noticed the disappearance of assorted MDR figure heads.

● On May 26 2003 Rwanda adopted a new Constitution that eliminated any references to Ethnicity and paved the way for the elections that would be held in September 2003

● The Seven remaining Political parties all supported Paul Kagame who was elected on a 7yr term.

● In the Spring of 2006 elections were held to elect mayors and small councils

● The Chamber of Deputies was elected in the fall of 2008

● 42 of the 53 seats went to the RPF

● 24 seats went to women.

● Women currently hold 45 of the 80 seats

Promoting Further democratization and judicial reform

Completion of prosecution of those hundred thousands of people being charged with crimes relating to the Genocide

Preventing another revolt but the Ex- military and Militia

Long term development planning

GOVERNMENT PLANS

Executive Branch

Chief of state President

Head of government Prime Minister

Cabinet Council of Ministers

Elections 18 yrs of age, Gender and ethnicity is not a factor

Legislative Branch

Parliament Consists of

Senate 26 seats; 12 elected by local councils, 8 by the president, 4 by the Political Organization Forum; 2 by institutions of higher learning; severs an 8 yr term

Chamber of Deputies 80 members, 53 members are elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 members are selected by youth and disability organizations; serve 5 years

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

High Courts of the Republic

Provincial Courts

District Courts

Mediation Committees

Political Parties

Centrist Democratic Party

Democratic popular Union of Rwanda

Democratic Republican Movement

Islamic Democratic Party

Party got Democratic Renewal

Rwanda Patriotic Front

Social Democratic Party

Current Government Officials

President Paul Kagame

Prime Minister Bernard Makuza

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosemary Musemenali

Ambassador to the United States James Kimonyo

Ambassador to the UN Joseph Nsengemana

DefenseWell trained army and a small rotary-wing air force

Takes a large proportion of the National Budget fur to the security problems with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.

After security problems are over Rwanda is intended to have a small army of 25 000

Foreign RelationsRwanda is an active member of the UN

Most of the UN development and humanitarian agencies have had a large presence in Rwanda

At the peak of the crisis 200 nongovernmental organizations were aiding in Rwanda

Rwanda also aids in peace keeping missions

They have 4 battalions in Darfur and one in Southern Sudan

In Jan 2009 forces entered the Congo and began to help the Congolese forces

Rwanda disbanded diplomatic relations with France after France charged senior Rwandan officials of shooting down the plane in 1994; Rwanda denies these charges