Rwanda
Country Guide

Explore Rwanda

Rwanda with its capital Kigali is located in Africa (Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It covers some 26,339 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Maryland) with 11,901,500 citizens. Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili are the common languages used in Rwanda (consider regional differences). Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Uganda are bordering countries.

Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is relatively easy, safe and simple to travel around. Parc National des Volcans, home of the mountain gorillas, and the setting for Gorillas in the Mist author Dian Fossey's research. If you can afford it it's an excellent experience... even possible as a daytrip from Kigali.

Popular Destinations in Rwanda

Administrative regions of Rwanda

• Eastern Province
• Kigali
• Northern Province
• Southern Province
• Western Province

About the country

The topography is mostly grassy uplands and hills with relief being mountainous with altitude declining from west to east. The average density of population is about 452 per km². The climate in Rwanda can be described as temperatetwo rainy seasons (February to April, November to January), mild in mountains with frost and snow possible. Potential natural disasters are periodic droughts, the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo and Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano.

To reach someone Rwanda dial +250 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".rw". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, J). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is RWF.

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.

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in a state-orchestrated genocide, in which Rwandans killed up to a million 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. Approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF did in 1990. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003. Rwanda in 2009 staged a joint military operation with the Congolese Army in DRC to rout out the Hutu extremist insurgency there, and Kigali and Kinshasa restored diplomatic relations. Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth in late 2009 and assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2013-14 term.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 149)	26,338	sq km
Land (World Rank: 148)	24,668	sq km
Water (World Rank: 94)	1,670	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 105)	17.40	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland
Landborder
930
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 2)	950	m
Highest point (World Rank: 35)	4,519	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 16)	74.50	%
Arable (World Rank: 9)	47.00	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 32)	10.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 105)	17.40	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 143)	96	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel - overgrazing - soil erosion - soil exhaustion - widespread poaching
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Ozone Layer Protection - Wetlands
Agreement signed	Law of the Sea
Hazzards	- periodic droughts - the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo - Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano
Location
Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Burundi
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 76)	11,901,500
Deathrate (World Rank: 146)	0.64	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 34)	3.07	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 23)	2.45	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 66)	0.02	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 37)	3.87	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 204)	18.30
Female (World Rank: 198)	19.80
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 70)	2,485,390
0 14 female (World Rank: 70)	2,439,100
15 24 male (World Rank: 75)	1,151,660
15 24 female (World Rank: 74)	1,149,930
25 54 male (World Rank: 91)	1,845,500
25 54 female (World Rank: 83)	2,054,410
55 64 male (World Rank: 111)	216,725
55 64 female (World Rank: 102)	269,972
65 x male (World Rank: 130)	113,822
65 x female (World Rank: 121)	174,982
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 64)	2.97	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 184)	64	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 183)	66	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 185)	62	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 172)	0.06
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 122)	1.60
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 149)	61.60	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 174)	5.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 169)	76.10	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 164)	600,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 162)	644,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 91)	4,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 97)	90,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 187)	27.60	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 23)	65.80	%
Source renew (World Rank: 83)	6.60	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 171)	6,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 157)	5,979	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 156)	9	m³
Carbon footprint
800000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 68)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 97)	1	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 64)	8	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 126)	-4	% of GDP
National symbol
traditional woven basket with peaked lid
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Rwandan
Noun
Rwandan(s)
Background
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in a state-orchestrated genocide, in which Rwandans killed up to a million 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. Approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF did in 1990. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003. Rwanda in 2009 staged a joint military operation with the Congolese Army in DRC to rout out the Hutu extremist insurgency there, and Kigali and Kinshasa restored diplomatic relations. Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth in late 2009 and assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2013-14 term.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 142)	22,790,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 28)	5.90	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 204)	2,000	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 17)	31.50	%
Source industry (World Rank: 166)	17.60	%
Source service (World Rank: 173)	50.80	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 73)	6,011,000
In poverty (World Rank: 40)	39.10	%
Products
Industries	- agricultural products - cement - cigarettes - furniture - plastic goods - shoes - small-scale beverages - soap - textiles
Agriculture	- bananas - beans - coffee - insecticide made from chrysanthemums - livestock - potatoes - pyrethrum - sorghum - tea
Exports	- coffee - hides - tea - tin ore
Imports	- cement - construction material - equipment - foodstuffs - machinery - petroleum products - steel

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 186)	13,403
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 200)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 183)	69.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 103)	2,597,680
Population (World Rank: 187)	20.00	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 150)	4.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 166)	3.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 152)	4,700
Paved length (World Rank: 138)	1,207
Unpaved length (World Rank: 110)	3,493

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