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Administrative divisions 4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	1 57 S, 30 04 E
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Constitution new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Corruption	3.1		[84th of 160]
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address	B. P. 28, Kigali
Source: Transparency International
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Executive branch > Chief of state President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Flag description three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Government type republic; presidential, multiparty system
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Independence 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Judicial branch Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
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
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; to serve five-year terms)
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Parliamentary seats > Female	17%		[33rd of 143]
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Political parties and leaders Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Source: United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Status	transition
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Source: electionworld.org
Time required to start a business > days	16 days		[146th of 171]
Source: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Trademarks, residents	5		[85th of 98]
Source: World Development Indicators database
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place
Source: World Development Indicators database

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