Country Trading Profiles Rwanda - General information

Political outline

Main political parties: Rwanda is a one-party dominant state with the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front – a Tutsi party which overthrew the Hutu-led government in Rwanda) in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. Some of the other important political parties are:
- MDR (Democratic Republican Movement) - primarily a Hutu party,
- Christian Democratic Party - follows Christian democratic ideology,
- Islamic Democratic Party - advocates Islamic ideology,
- Rwandan Socialist Party - a socialist part, favors land reforms.
Current political leaders: President: Paul KAGAME (since April 2000, re-elected in August 2003- relected in 2007) – RPF
Prime Minister: Bernard MAKUZA (since March 2000) - MDR
Next election dates: Presidential: August 2017
Senate: Year 2011

Health precautions: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required from all travelers older than one year. The risk of malaria mainly in the malignant form P. falciparum exists all year throughout the country. Reports relating to strains of P. falciparum highly resistant to chloroquine and resistant to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Recommended prophylaxis: MEF.
For further information on sanitary conditions
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Type of climate: Rwanda has three main seasons: a short dry season in January, the major rainy season from February through May, and another dry period from May to late September. The average yearly rainfall is 790 mm (31 in) and is heaviest in the western and northwestern mountain regions. Wide temperature variations occur because of elevation differences. The average daily temperature in the Lake Kivu area is 23°C (73°F). In the mountains in the northwest, frost occurs at night. Despite its proximity to the Equator the climate in Rwanda is cooled by the high altitude.

Telephone codes: To make a call from the Rwanda to Greece: dial 00 (or +) 30
To make a call to in Rwanda from Greece: dial 00 (or +) +250
Mobile telephone standards
Internet suffix: .rw