Long-form name: Republic of Rwanda

Type: republic; presidential system in which military leaders hold key offices; on 31 December 1990, the government announced a National Political Charter to serve as a basis for transition to a presidential/parliamentary political system; the charter will be voted upon in a national referendum to be held June 1991

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)

Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Development Council (Conseil National de Developpement)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session)

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Maj. Gen. Juvenal HABYARIMANA (since 5 July 1973)

Political parties and leaders: only party--National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND), Maj. Gen. Juvenal HABYARIMANA; note--the MRND is officially a development movement, not a party

Suffrage: universal adult, exact age NA

Elections: President--last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results--President Maj. Gen. Juvenal HABYARIMANA reelected; National Development Council--last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results--MRND is the only party; seats--(70 total); MRND 70

Communists: no Communist party

Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Aloys UWIMANA; Chancery at 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 232-2882; US--Ambassador Robert A. FLATEN; Embassy at Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali (mailing address is B. P. 28, Kigali); telephone [250] 75601 through 75603 or 72126 through 72128

Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R 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 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Rwanda Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Rwanda Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.