Rwanda
Rwanda is a small landlocked country in East Africa. It is situated slightly below the equator. Rwanda lies south of Uganda, west of Tanzania, north of Burundi, and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Rwanda's territory covers 26,338 square kilometers (10,166 square miles). This means that Rwanda is about the size of Maryland or Vermont and slightly larger than Massachusetts. The terrain is quite hilly, ranging between roughly 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) to 4,500 meters (14,765 feet) above sea level, and is, given the plentiful grassland, verdant. There is considerable deforestation owing to extensive cutting of trees for fuel and to clear land.
Principal economic activities include agriculture (tea, coffee, sorghum, and bananas) and mining. The vast majority (90%) of the labor force is engaged in agriculture, mostly at the subsistence level. Because food production often does not keep pace with population growth, considerable amounts of food must be imported. The Rwandan economy is susceptible to price fluctuations in international commodities markets.
Population
Rwanda's population was estimated at 7,810,056 in July 2003, and 42.5 percent of Rwandans are under age fifteen. The country's median age is eighteen years. In 2003 life expectancy at birth was estimated at about thirty-nine years (men: 38.5 years; women: 40 years).
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