Long-form name: Republic of Rwanda; note--may be changed to Rwandese Republic

Type: republic; presidential system in which military leaders hold key offices

Capital: Kigali

Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular--prefecture in French; plural--NA, singular--prefegitura in Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Rigali, Ruhengeri

Constitution: 17 December 1978

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Branches: executive--president, 16-member Cabinet; legislative--unicameral National Development Council; judicial--four senior courts, magistrates

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government President Maj. Gen. Juvenal HABYARIMANA (since 5 July 1973)

Suffrage: universal adult

Elections: national elections including constitutional referendum and presidential plebiscite, held December 1988; National Development Council elected and President Habyarimana reelected in December 1988

Political parties and leaders: National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND), General Habyarimana (officially a development movement, not a party)

Communists: no Communist party

Member of: AfDB, EAMA, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA; Chancery at 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 232-2882; US--Ambassador Leonard H. O. SPEARMAN, Sr.; Embassy at Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali (mailing address is B. P. 28, Kigali); telephone Õ205å 75601 through 75603 or 72126 through 72128

Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter @m5R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band

NOTE: The information regarding Rwanda on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Rwanda Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Rwanda Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.