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| Country Guide > Africa > Rwanda |
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General Information
Area 26,338 sq km (10,169 sq miles). Population 8,272,000 (2002). Population Density 314.1 per sq km. Capital Kigali. Population: 233,640 (1991). Geography Rwanda is a small mountainous country in central Africa, bordered to the north by Uganda, to the east by Tanzania, to the south by Burundi and to the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is divided by great peaks of up to 3000m (9842ft), which run across the country from north to south. The Virunga volcanoes, rising steeply from Lake Kivu in the west, slope down first to a hilly central plateau and further eastwards to an area of marshy lakes around the upper reaches of the A’Kagera River, where the A’Kagera National Park is situated. Government Republic since 1962. Gained independence from Belgium in 1962. Head of State: President Paul Kagame since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bernard Makuza since 2000. 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. Communications Telephone Country code: 250. There are no area codes. There is International Direct Dialling but this may be subject to occasional disruptions. Mobile telephone GSM 900/1800 network. Network operators include MTN Rwandacell (website: www.mtnrwandacell.co.rw). Handsets can be hired. Internet ISPs include Rwandatel (website: www.rwandatel.rw). There are Internet cafes in Kigali. Telegram Facilities are available in Kigali and main hotels. 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. Publications are also in French or Kinyarwanda and are fortnightly or quarterly. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |
