Rwanda Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central Africa.

Area
26,338 sq km (10,169 sq miles).

Population
8.6 million (UN, 2005).

Population Density
326.52 per sq km.

Capital
Kigali.
Population: 800,000 (estimate 2005).

Government
Republic since 1962. Gained independence from Belgium in 1962. 
Recent history: Domestically, the Government faced a formidable task of reconstruction and reconciliation. The architects of the 1994 genocide have been (and still are being) tried before a UN- run tribunal based in Tanzania. Lesser offenders are dealt with in Rwanda. The Government, led by former army chief Paul Kagame, has a fairly impressive record under extremely difficult circumstances. The country relies heavily on western aid to sustain its economy. However, there are signs of an increasingly dictatorial attitude on the part of the Government, manifested in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections held in the summer of 2003: amid numerous allegations of intimidation and ballot rigging, Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front won both polls with a huge majority. Given the Tutsi dominance of the RPF, there is a clear danger of a future repeat of the ethnic violence which has disfigured Rwanda since Independence.
Executive power is held by the President, who is directly elected to serve a seven-year term. The legislature is the bicameral National Assembly. This comprises the 80-member Umutwe w’Abadepite (Chamber of Deputies) and the 26-member Umutwe wa Sena (Senate). The Chamber of Deputies serves a five-year term: 53 members are elected by proportional representation, 24 seats are reserved for women, two for the National Youth Council and the remaining seat for the disabled. Members of the Senate serve an eight-year term: eight are appointed by the President; the remainder are indirectly elected.

Language
The official languages are Kinyarwanda, French and English. Kiswahili is used for trade and commerce.

Religion
Animist (50 per cent), Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) and an Islamic minority.

Time
GMT + 2.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Bernard Makuza since 2000.

Head of State
President Paul Kagame since 2000.

Telephone
There are no area codes. There is International Direct Dialling but this may be subject to occasional disruptions.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with one international mobile phone company. Handsets can be hired. Coverage is quite unreliable.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in Kigali, including one at the airport.

Media
Many of Rwanda’s broadcasters are government-owned. The first private radio station was launched in 2004.


Post
Post office hours (Kigali): Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1700, Sat 0800-1200. Airmail to Western Europe takes approximately two weeks.

Press
There is a growing number of English-language newspapers such as The New Times, Rwanda Herald and Rwanda Newsline. Umesco is a Kinyarwanda-language publication. Publications in French or Kinyarwanda are fortnightly or quarterly.

Radio
Radio Rwanda is state-owned and operates in English, French, Kinyarwanda and Swahili. Priate radio stations include Radio 10, Flash FM, Contact FM, City Radio, Radio Izuba and Radio Maria.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
28 Jan Democracy Day.
7 Apr Genocide Memorial Day.
1 May Labor Day.
1 Jul Independence Day.
4 Jul Liberation Day.
1 Aug Harvest Festival.
15 Aug Assumption.
8 Sep Culture Day.
25 Sep Republic Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
28 Jan Democracy Day.
7 Apr Genocide Memorial Day.
1 May Labor Day.
1 Jul Independence Day.
4 Jul Liberation Day.
1 Aug Harvest Festival.
15 Aug Assumption.
8 Sep Culture Day.
25 Sep Republic Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Contact Information:

Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN)
Street address: Boulevard de la Révolution no.1, Kigali, Rwanda
Postal address: BP 905, Kigali, Rwanda
Tel: 576 514 or 573 396.
Website: www.rwandatourism.com

Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the UK
120-22 Seymour Place, London W1H 1NR, UK
Tel: (020) 7224 9832.
Website: www.ambarwanda.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 0900-1300 (visa section)

Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the USA
1714 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 232 2882-4.
Website: www.rwandaembassy.org


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