Rwanda is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Congo, and Tanzania. The countryside of Rwanda is covered by grasslands and small farms. The eastern part of the country is referred to as "Land of a Thousand Hills" because it is covered with rolling hills extending to central uplands and reducing to plains, swamps and lakes. Rwanda is a tropical country with a temperate climate because of its high elevation. Due to the intense daily monsoons during the two rainy seasons, Rwanda is considered the lightning capital of the world.
The President serves a seven year term and the President and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies must be from different political parties. One third female representation is required in Parliament because it is believed that women will not allow the mass killings of the past to occur again. A local global survey showed that Rwanda had 49 percent female representation in Parliament, currently the highest in the world. The Senate has 26 members who serve an eight year term. Eight members are appointed by the president, twelve are elected from the eleven provinces, four members designated by the Forum of Political Organizations, one is a university lecturer or researcher elected by public universities, and one from private universities. The President designates 14 Supreme Court members and it is confirmed by the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies has 80 members who each serve a five year term. The oldest race on earth, the pygmy Twa, are inhabitants of Rwanda. They still pursue a hunger gatherer type of existence, although the majority have been forced into menial societal positions due to the loss of their land. Their rights are decreasing due to the new emphasis on "non-racialism" and they reside in the fringes of Rwandan society. The traditional Tutsi army, the "Ãntore," were trained as military, as well as in high jump and dance. The Intore dancers were know for their ability to jump over 7 feet, today this is part of the rich Rwandan folklore.
Quick Facts
Population: 11,689,696
Capital: Kigali
Per-capita GDP: $ 1400
Size: 26,338 km2
Time Zone: (GMT + 02:00 hours) Kaliningrad
Country information is adapted from public domain resources including the CIA World Fact Book and www.Wikipedia.org.
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University of Lynchburg Center for Global Education
