nacular, French
(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial
centers

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.5%
male: 69.8%
female: 51.6% (1995 est.)

@Rwanda:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda

Data code: RW

Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital: Kigali

Administrative divisions: 12 prefectures (in French - prefectures,
singular - prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular -
prefegitura); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama,
Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962); Liberation Day, 4
July (1994)

Constitution: on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly
adopted a new constitution which included elements of the constitution
of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord
and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: normally the president is elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; special election for new president by deputies of the
National Assembly and governmental ministers held 17 April 2000 (next
regular election to be held NA 2002); prime minister is appointed by
the president
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in a special
parliamentary vote receiving 81 of a possible 86 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional National Assembly or
Assemblee Nationale de Transition (a power-sharing body with 70 seats
established on 12 December 1994 following a multiparty protocol of
understanding; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord)
elections: the last national legislative elections were held 16
December 1988 for the National Development Council (the legislature
prior to the advent