2023 Edition

Background

Rwanda - a small and centralized country dominated by rugged hills and fertile volcanic soil - has exerted disproportionate influence over the African Great Lakes region for centuries. A Rwandan kingdom increasingly dominated the region from the mid-18th century onward, with the Tutsi monarchs gradually extending the power of the royal court into peripheral areas and expanding their borders through military conquest. While the current ethnic labels Hutu and Tutsi predate colonial rule, their flexibility and importance have varied significantly over time and often manifested more as a hierarchical class distinction than an ethnic or cultural distinction. The majority Hutu and minority Tutsi have long shared a common language and culture, and intermarriage was not rare. The Rwandan royal court centered on the Tutsi king (mwami), who relied on an extensive hierarchy of political, cultural, and economic relationships that intertwined Rwanda’s social groups. Social categories became more rigid during the reign of RWABUGIRI (1860-1895), who focused on aggressive expansion and solidifying Rwanda’s bureaucratic structures. German colonial conquest began in the late 1890s, but the territory was ceded to Belgian forces in 1916 during World War I. Both European nations quickly realized the benefits of ruling through the already centralized Rwandan Tutsi kingdom. Colonial rule reinforced existing trends toward autocratic and exclusionary rule, leading to the elimination of traditional positions of authority for Hutus and a calcification of ethnic identities. Belgian administrators significantly increased requirements for communal labor and instituted harsh taxes, increasing frustration and inequality. Changing political attitudes in Belgium contributed to colonial and Catholic officials shifting their support from Tutsi to Hutu leaders in the years leading up to independence. Newly mobilized political parties and simmering resentment of minority rule exploded in 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, when Hutus overthrew the Tutsi king. Thousands of Tutsis were killed over the next several years, and some 150,000 were driven into exile in neighboring countries. Army Chief of Staff Juvenal HABYARIMANA seized power in a coup in 1973 and ruled Rwanda as a single-party state for two decades. HABYARIMANA increasingly discriminated against Tutsi and extremist Hutu factions that gained prominence after multiple parties were introduced in the early 1990s. The children of Tutsi exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and began a civil war in 1990. The civil war exacerbated ethnic tensions and culminated in the shooting down of HABYARIMANA’s private jet in April 1994. The event sparked a state-orchestrated genocide in which Rwandans killed approximately 800,000 of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later that same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF, operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda, defeated the national army and Hutu militias and established an RPF-led government of national unity. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003, formalizing President Paul KAGAME’s de facto role as head of government. KAGAME was formally elected in 2010, and again in 2017 after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term.

Area

land

24,668 sq km

total

26,338 sq km

water

1,670 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

lowest point

Rusizi River 950 m

mean elevation

1,598 m

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is intensively cultivated and rugged with the population predominantly rural

Irrigated land

96 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burundi 315 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 221 km; Tanzania 222 km; Uganda 172 km

total

930 km

Land use

agricultural land

74.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 47% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)

forest

18% (2018 est.)

other

7.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Burundi

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Kivu (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 2,220 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Nile river source (shared with Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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 Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano

Natural resources

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Population distribution

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Age structure

0-14 years

37.95% (male 2,569,106/female 2,515,849)

15-64 years

59.1% (male 3,844,259/female 4,075,978)

65 years and over

2.95% (2023 est.) (male 158,647/female 236,702)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

25.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 18

0.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7.7% (2019/20)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

64.1% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

7.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Rwanda’s fertility rate declined sharply during the last decade, as a result of the government’s commitment to family planning, the increased use of contraceptives, and a downward trend in ideal family size. Increases in educational attainment, particularly among girls, and exposure to social media also contributed to the reduction in the birth rate. The average number of births per woman decreased from a 5.6 in 2005 to 4.5 in 2016 and 3.3 in 2022. Despite these significant strides in reducing fertility, Rwanda’s birth rate remains very high and will continue to for an extended period of time because of its large population entering reproductive age. Because Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, its persistent high population growth and increasingly small agricultural landholdings will put additional strain on families’ ability to raise foodstuffs and access potable water. These conditions will also hinder the government’s efforts to reduce poverty and prevent environmental degradation. The UNHCR recommended that effective 30 June 2013 countries invoke a cessation of refugee status for those Rwandans who fled their homeland between 1959 and 1998, including the 1994 genocide, on the grounds that the conditions that drove them to seek protection abroad no longer exist. The UNHCR’s decision is controversial because many Rwandan refugees still fear persecution if they return home, concerns that are supported by the number of Rwandans granted asylum since 1998 and by the number exempted from the cessation. Rwandan refugees can still seek an exemption or local integration, but host countries are anxious to send the refugees back to Rwanda and are likely to avoid options that enable them to stay. Conversely, Rwanda itself hosts approximately 125,000 refugees as of 2022; virtually all of them fleeing conflict in neighboring Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.4

potential support ratio

18.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

72.5

youth dependency ratio

67.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 80.7% of population

improved: total

total: 82.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 19.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 17.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.7% of population

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Hutu, Tutsi, Twa

Gross reproduction rate

1.59 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

23.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

28.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Kinyarwanda (official, universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%, French (official) <0.1, English (official) <0.1, Swahili/Kiswahili (official, used in commercial centers) <0.1, more than one language, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2002 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Inkoranya nzimbuzi y'isi, isoko fatizo y'amakuru y'ibanze. (Kinyarwanda)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.2 years

male

64.2 years

total population

66.2 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

73.3% (2021)

male

78.7%

total population

75.9%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

1.248 million KIGALI (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

259 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

21.2 years

male

19.8 years

total

20.5 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23 years (2019/20 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Rwandan

noun

Rwandan(s)

Net migration rate

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.12 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

13,400,541 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.68% (2023 est.)

Religions

Protestant 57.7% (includes Adventist 12.6%), Roman Catholic 38.2%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1% (includes traditional, Jehovah's Witness), none 1.1% (2019-20 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 83.2% of population

improved: total

total: 84.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 89.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 15.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 10.9% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2019)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.67 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

7.2% (2020 est.)

male

20.1% (2020 est.)

total

13.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.23 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.9% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)

Capital

etymology

the city takes its name from nearby Mount Kigali; the name "Kigali" is composed of the Bantu prefix ki and the Rwandan gali meaning "broad" and likely refers to the broad, sprawling hill that has been dignified with the title of "mount"

geographic coordinates

1 57 S, 30 03 E

name

Kigali

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Rwanda; if the father is stateless or unknown, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic (with Council of Ministers approval) or by two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote in both houses; changes to constitutional articles on national sovereignty, the presidential term, the form and system of government, and political pluralism also require approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015

history

several previous; latest adopted by referendum 26 May 2003, effective 4 June 2003

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form

Rwanda

etymology

the name translates as "domain" in the native Kinyarwanda language

former

Kingdom of Rwanda, Ruanda, German East Africa

local long form

Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form

Rwanda

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Eric KNEEDLER (since 3 October 2023)

email address and website

consularkigali@state.govhttps://rw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali

FAX

[250] 252 580-325

mailing address

2210 Kigali Place, Washington DC  20521-2210

telephone

[250] 252 596-400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW,  Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Mathilde MUKANTABANA (since 18 July 2013)

email address and website

info@rwandaembassy.orghttps://rwandaembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4544

telephone

[1] (202) 232-2882

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)

election results

2017: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent), other 1.2%2010: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 93.1%, Jean NTAWUKURIRYAYO (PSD) 5.1%, other 1.8%   

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular -vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); note - a constitutional amendment approved in December 2016 reduced the presidential term from 7 to 5 years but included an exception that allowed President KAGAME to serve another 7-year term in 2017, potentially followed by two additional 5-year terms; election last held on 4 August 2017 (next to be held in 15 July 2024); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Edouard NGIRENTE (since 30 August 2017)

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 development and mineral wealth, green hope of prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity, as well as enlightenment and transparency from ignorance

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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 a minimum of 24 judges and organized into 5 chambers)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the president after consultation with the Cabinet and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (SCJ), a 27-member body of judges, other judicial officials, and legal professionals) and approved by the Senate; chief and deputy chief justices appointed for 8-year nonrenewable terms; tenure of judges NA; High Court president and vice president appointed by the president of the republic upon approval by the Senate; judges appointed by the Supreme Court chief justice upon approval of the SCJ; judge tenure NA

note

 

subordinate courts

High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts

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

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 Forum - a body of registered political parties, and 2 selected by institutions of higher learning; members serve 8-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (80 seats; 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 24 women selected by special interest groups, and 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 17, women 9, percent of women 34.6%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition 40, PSD 5, PL 4, other 4 indirectly elected 27; composition - men 31, women 49, percent of women 54.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 54.7%  

elections

Senate - last held on 16-18 September 2019 (next to be held in 2027)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 September 2018 (next to be held 15 July 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA

name

"Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country)

note

note: adopted 2001

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

National symbol(s)

traditional woven basket with peaked lid; national colors: blue, yellow, green

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Green Party of Rwanda or DGPR [Frank HABINEZA]Liberal Party or PL [Donatille MUKABALISA]Party for Progress and Concord or PPC [Dr. Alivera MUKABARAMBA]Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition (includes RPF, PPC) [Paul KAGAME]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]Social Party Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri [Christine MUKABUNANI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava, potatoes, plantains, beans, maize, gourds, milk, taro

Budget

expenditures

$2.919 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$2.393 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B+ (2014)

Moody's rating

B2 (2016)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2019)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.231 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.228 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.209 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.611 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$3.258 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

fast-growing Sub-Saharan economy; major public investments; trade and tourism hit hard by COVID-19; increasing poverty after 2 decades of declines; Ugandan competition for regional influence; major coffee exporter; contested GDP figures

Exchange rates

Currency

Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

831.554 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

861.093 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

899.351 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

943.278 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

988.625 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.255 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.929 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$2.11 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, refined petroleum, coffee, tea, tin (2019)

Exports - partners

United Arab Emirates 35%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 28%, Uganda 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

18.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

15.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

75.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-32.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

30.9% (2017 est.)

industry

17.6% (2017 est.)

services

51.5% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.136 billion (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

43.7 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

43.2% (2011 est.)

lowest 10%

2.1%

Imports

Imports 2019

$3.737 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$3.578 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$3.856 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, gold, raw sugar, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Imports - partners

China 17%, Kenya 10%, Tanzania 9%, United Arab Emirates 9%, India 7%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

13.4% (2021 est.)

Industries

cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

3.35% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

9.85% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

-0.39% (2021 est.)

Labor force

6.776 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

38.2% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

37.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

40.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$28.127 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$27.182 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$30.141 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

9.46% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-3.36% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.88% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$2,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$2,100 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$2,200 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$1.465 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$1.806 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$1.895 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.06% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

1.1% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

1.49% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

1.61% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

3.6%

male

2.2%

total

2.9% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.189 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.189 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1,007,300,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

4.5 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

93.96 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

265,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

142 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

38.1% (2021)

electrification - total population

48.7% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

97.9% (2021)

population without electricity

5.8 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

39% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

53.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

6.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

1.704 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

56.634 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

8,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,628 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.1 (2020 est.)

total

17,685 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

13 TV stations; 35 radio stations registered, including international broadcasters, government owns most popular TV and radio stations; regional satellite-based TV services available

Internet country code

.rw

Internet users

percent of population

30% (2021 est.)

total

3.9 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone density is 81 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Rwanda was slow to liberalize the mobile sector; there was effective competition among three operators; the fixed broadband sector has suffered from limited fixed-line infrastructure and high prices; operators are rolling out national backbone networks which also allow them to connect to the international submarine cables on Africa’s east coast; these cables gave the entire region greater internet bandwidth and ended the dependency on satellites; while the country also has a new cable link with Tanzania, and via Tanzania’s national broadband backbone it has gained connectivity to the networks of several other countries in the region; the number of subscribers on LTE infrastructure has increased sharply, helped by national LTE coverage achieved in mid-2018; mobile remains the dominant platform for voice and data services; the regulator noted that the number of mobile subscribers increased 2.7% in 2021, year-on-year; there was a slight fall in the beginning of 2022 (2022)

international

country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service); international submarine fiber-optic cables on the African east coast has brought international bandwidth and lessened the dependency on satellites

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

11,893 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

81 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

10,902,989 (2021 est.)

Airports

7 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

4

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

3

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9XR

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,073,528 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

12

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

lake port(s)

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye (Lake Kivu)

Roadways

paved

1,207 km (2012)

total

4,700 km (2012)

unpaved

3,493 km (2012)

Waterways

90 km (2022) (Lake Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft)

Military - note

the RDF is lightly equipped and widely regarded as one of East Africa’s best trained, experienced, and most professional militaries; the Army is relatively large with 4 divisions that are mostly comprised of light infantry brigades; it also has separate artillery, presidential guard, and special operations brigades; the Air Force has a small inventory of combat helicopters and a handful of transport aircraft the RDF’s principle responsibilities are ensuring territorial integrity and national sovereignty and preventing infiltrations of illegal armed groups from neighboring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); since 2021, Rwanda has deployed troops to the border with the DRC to combat the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which it has accused the DRC of backing; the RDF has been accused by the DRC Government of making incursions into the DRC and providing material support to the March 23 Movement (M23, aka Congolese Revolutionary Army) rebel group, which has been fighting with DRC troops and UN peacekeeping forces; the RDF also participates in UN and regional military operations; over 6,000 RDF personnel are deployed in the Central African Republic, Mozambique, and South Sudan  the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) were established following independence in 1962; after the 1990-1994 civil war and genocide, the victorious Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front's military wing, the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), became the country's military force; the RPA participated in the First (1996-1997) and Second (1998-2003) Congolese Wars; the RPA was renamed the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) in 2003, by which time it had assumed a more national character with the inclusion of many former Hutu officers as well as newly recruited soldiers (2023)

Military and security forces

Rwanda Defense Force (RDF; Ingabo z’u Rwanda): Rwanda Army (Rwanda Land Force), Rwanda Air Force (Force Aerienne Rwandaise, FAR), Rwanda Reserve Force, Special UnitsMinistry of Internal Security: Rwanda National Police (2023)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 33,000 active RDF personnel (32,000 Army; 1,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

4,000 Central African Republic (approximately 2,800 for MINUSCA, including 700 police; an additional 1,200 troops sent separately under a bilateral arrangement to support and train Central African military forces); up to 3,000 Mozambique (deployed mid-2021 under a bilateral agreement to assist with combating an insurgency; includes both military and police forces); 2,600 (plus about 400 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RDF's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era and older Western--largely French and South African--equipment; in recent years, Russia has been the top supplier of arms to Rwanda (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription; Rwandan citizenship is required; enlistment is either as contract (5-years, renewable twice) or career (2023)

note

note: as of 2022, women comprised approximately 6% of the Rwanda Defense Force

Disputes - international

Rwanda-Burundi: Burundi's Ngozi province and Rwanda's Butare province dispute the two-kilometer-square hilly farmed area of Sabanerwa in the Rukurazi Valley where the Akanyaru/Kanyaru River shifted its course southward after heavy rains in 1965 around Kibinga Hill in Rwanda's Butare ProvinceRwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): the 2005 DRC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in placeRwanda-Uganda: a joint technical committee established in 2007 to demarcate sections of the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

79,606 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 48,300 (Burundi) (2023)

stateless persons

9,500 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Rwanda Space Agency (RSA; established 2020 and approved by legislature in 2021)  (2023)

Space program overview

has a small program focused on developing and utilizing space technologies, such as satellite imagery for socioeconomic development and security purposes; operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; the RSA is responsible for regulating and coordinating the country’s space activities and encouraging commercial and industrial development; has established ties with the space agencies or industries of several countries, including France, Israel, Japan, the UAE, and the US (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.11 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.92 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

35.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Environment - current 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 biodiversity; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Land use

agricultural land

74.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 47% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)

forest

18% (2018 est.)

other

7.5% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Kivu (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 2,220 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Nile river source (shared with Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

3.75% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

13.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

360 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.9% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4,384,969 tons (2016 est.)