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Rwanda
Rwanda
Population
14.3M
Rank #76Source: World Bank
Capital
Kigali
Source: REST Countries
Region
Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$14.25B
Rank #140Source: World Bank
Land Area
26.3K km²
Rank #145Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
67.785 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 26,338 km²
Landlocked: Yes
Independent: Yes
Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
Elevation: mean elevation: 1,598 m lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Natural Hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congovolcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic...
Environmental Issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; land degradation; soil erosion; a decline in soil fertility (soil exhaustion); wetland degradation and loss of...
Land Use: agricultural land: 74.5% (2011 est.) forest: 18% (2011 est.) other: 7.5% (2011 est.)
Geography Note: landlocked; most of the country is intensively cultivated and rugged with the population predominantly rural
Natural Resources
goldcassiterite (tin ore)wolframite (tungsten ore)methanehydropowerarable land
People & Society
Fertility Rate
3.70
Population
14.3M
Religions
Protestant 49.5% (includes Adventist (11.8%)and other Protestant (37.7%)Roman Catholic (43.7%)Muslim (2%)other (0.9%)none (2.5%)unspecified (1.3%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$999.655
GDP per Capita PPP
3,710.86
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
1,040
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
39.4
(2023)
(2023)
Unemployment
11.331%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
1.77%
(2024)
(2024)
Public Debt
Not Available
Energy
Electricity Access
63.9%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
79.9%
(2022)
(2022)
CO₂ Emissions
2.311 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
3.51 MJ/$
(2022)
(2022)
Renewable Electricity
60.998%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
11.309% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
34.201%
(2023)
(2023)
Mobile Penetration
91.462%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
0.446%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
Not Available
Container Port Traffic
Not Available
Airports
14,403
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
N/A
Military
Military Forces
Rwanda Defense Force (RDF): Rwanda Army (Rwanda Land Force), Rwanda Air Force (Force Aerienne Rwandaise, FAR), Rwanda Reserve Force
Personnel Strength
the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) has approximately 32,500 active personnel (32,000 Army; 500 Air Force)
Military Expenditure (USD)
$0.18B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
1.25%
Military Expenditure History
1.2% of GDP (2019) 1.2% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.3% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015)
Deployments
1,370 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,090 Sudan (UNAMID); 2,750 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2020)
Equipment & Inventories
the RDF's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era and older Western - mostly French and South African - equipment; Russia is the largest supplier of equipment to the RDF since 2010 (2019 est.)
Service Age & Obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; Rwandan citizenship is required, as is a 9th-grade education for enlisted recruits and an A-level certificate for officer candidates;...
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
28.2%
(2021)
(2021)
Primary Enrollment
149.572%
(2024)
(2024)
Secondary Enrollment
48.79%
(2024)
(2024)
Tertiary Enrollment
9.412%
(2024)
(2024)
Education Spending
4.691% of GDP
(2024)
(2024)
Adult Literacy Rate
78.76%
(2022)
(2022)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
59.509:1
(2018)
(2018)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
0.09
(2022)
(2022)
Safe Water Access
61.392%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
Not Available
Under-5 Mortality
40 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
18.521 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
67.542
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
59
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
98%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
38.6%
(2023)
(2023)
Food Insecurity
24.4%
(2023)
(2023)
Youth NEET Rate
16.559%
(2024)
(2024)
Governance
Women in Government
63.75%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
-0.90
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Political Stability
0.11
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
0.39
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
0.13
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Rule of Law
0.20
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
0.67
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
presidential republic
Legal System
mixed legal system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Edouard NGIRENTE (since 30 August 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the...
Legislative Branch
description: bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Senat (26 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 15 judges; normally organized into 3-judge panels); High Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and...
National Symbols
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; blue represents happiness and peace, yellow economic...
National Symbols
traditional woven basket with peaked lid; national colors: blue, yellow, green
National Anthem
name: "Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country) lyrics/music: Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA note: adopted 2001
Safety
Homicide Rate
3.612 per 100,000
(2020)
(2020)
Travel Information
Language(s): English, French, Kinyarwanda
Currency: RWF (Fr)
Timezone(s): UTC+02:00
Landlocked: Yes
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +250
Car Sign: RWA
Week Starts: Monday
Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data