Name
A local people gave Rwanda its name, but the meaning of their own name is obscure.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Rwanda
1.90° S, 30.10° E
No coast at all — every one of its 930 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 930 km · 125th/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 12,626,950
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 26,338 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 25,273 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 500 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- RW · RWA
- GDP (nominal)
- $14.25 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $3,300
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Rwanda 26,338 km²El Salvador 21,041 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Rwanda sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age21.3 years189th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy66.6 years197th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate3.2 children per woman42nd of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population12,626,95075th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area26,338 km²147th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Rugged hills and fertile volcanic soil mark a small, centralized country influential across the African Great Lakes region for centuries. From the mid-18th century onward, a Rwandan kingdom expanded through military conquest as Tutsi monarchs extended royal authority into peripheral areas; social categories hardened during Rwabugiri’s reign (1860-1895). Hutu and Tutsi labels predated colonial rule but often reflected hierarchical class distinctions; the groups shared a language and culture, and intermarriage was frequent.
German colonial conquest began in the late 1890s, but the territory was ceded to Belgian forces in 1916; colonial rule eliminated traditional Hutu authority and imposed communal labor requirements and harsh taxes. In 1959, Hutus overthrew the Tutsi king. Habyarimana seized power in a coup in 1973, established single-party rule, and discriminated against Tutsis as extremist Hutu factions gained prominence in the early 1990s. Tutsi exiles’ children formed the RPF and began civil war in 1990, which culminated in Habyarimana’s private jet being shot down in 1994. The shooting sparked a state-orchestrated genocide; later in 1994, the RPF 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 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 a third term.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Geography
Landlocked in Central Africa, Rwanda lies east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and north of Burundi. Its terrain consists mostly of grassy uplands and hills, with mountainous relief declining in altitude from west to east. Most of the country is intensively cultivated and rugged, and its population is predominantly rural.
Rwanda’s natural resources include gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, and arable land. Volcan Karisimbi is the highest point. The Rusizi River is the lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa are its ethnic groups. Kinyarwanda, a universal Bantu vernacular, is official, while French, English, and Swahili/Kiswahili are also official languages. Swahili/Kiswahili is used in commercial centers.
Religious affiliations include Catholic, Pentecostal, Protestant, Adventist, and other Christians. Muslim, other religions, and no religion are also represented. Among Africa's most densely populated countries, Rwanda has large concentrations in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
A presidential republic governs the country. Its legal system is a mixed system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; the Supreme Court reviews legislative acts. The latest constitution was adopted by referendum 26 May 2003 and took effect 4 June 2003. Independence came on 1 July 1962 from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship. The national holiday is Independence Day, 1 July (1962).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $14.25 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $46.54 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $3,300
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +8.9%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 1.8%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 12%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $3.51 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $5.78 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 66.6 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 21.3 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 25.05 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 4.87 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 3.2 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +2% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 17.9%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 78.8%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 26,338 km²Land 24,668 km² · Water 1,670 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 930 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 1,598 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 4,519 m Volcan Karisimbi
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 1
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Lakes 1
Largest cities 7
Population · Natural Earth