Rwanda -- Communication
and Mass Media
Telephone and Telecommunications
Before
the war there were 12,600 telephone
lines in Rwanda, over 90% of which
were in Kigali, the capitol city.
The Japanese company Nikkon agreed
in April 1997 to help rehabilitate
and develop Rwanda's telecommunications
system.
Postal
Service Rwanda has 27 post offices
which handle about 16,489 pieces
of mail annually. This is an 1988
estimate.
Radio,
Television and Film Radio is an
important medium for the dissemination
of news in Rwanda. Even though
Radio Rwanda is state controlled,
it is sufficiently independent
to broadcast allegations against
ministers.
Publishing
and Press The written press is
largely confined to Kigali. Its
operation is limited by the high
cost of paper and ink as well
as by the poverty of its prospective
readership. In spite of these
difficulties, over 15 newspapers
have appeared, most of these since
1994. These include the English
language paper Rwanda Time, L'Arc-en-ciel,
Le Messager, a newspaper dominated
by the Mouvement Democrate Republican
(MDR) that has been highly critical
of the RPF and the army.
Telephone
system: Telephone system does
not provide service to the general
public but is intended for business
and government use. domestic:
the capital, Kigali, is connected
to the centers of the prefectures
by microwave radio relay; the
remainder of the network depends
on wire and HF radiotelephone
international: international connections
employ microwave radio relay to
neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant
countries; satellite earth stations1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali
(includes telex and telefax service)
Telephones:
6,400 (1983 est.)
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1,
shortwave 0
Radios:
630,000 (1993 est.)
Television
broadcast stations: 1
Televisions:
NA
Source:
CIA World Fact Book 1999
