THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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 frequent. The Rwandan royal court centered on the Tutsi king (mwami), who relied on an extensive network of political, cultural, and economic relationships. 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. Belgian administrators significantly increased requirements for communal labor and instituted harsh taxes, which fed the population's frustration. 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. 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 Tutsis, and extremist Hutu factions 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 1994. The event sparked a state-orchestrated genocide in which Rwandans killed more than 800,000 of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later the 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.

Location: Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Burundi
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 26,338 sq km
land: 24,668 sq km
water: 1,670 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 930 km
border countries: Burundi 315 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 221 km; Tanzania 222 km; Uganda 172 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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: highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
mean elevation: 1,598 m
Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 76.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 47% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 15.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 24.5% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 96 sq km (2012)
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)
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
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo volcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano
Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is intensively cultivated and rugged, with the population predominantly rural

Population: total: 13,623,302 (2024 est.)
male: 6,684,655
female: 6,938,647
Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa
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.
Religions: Catholic 39.9%, Pentecostal 21.3%, Protestant 14.6%, Adventist 12.2%, other Christians 4.2%, no religion 3.0%, Muslim 2.0%, other religions 2.0%; less than 1%: Jehovah Witness, not specified, Animist (2022 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 2,561,884/female 2,508,218)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,954,608/female 4,179,844)
65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 168,163/female 250,585)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 67.5 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 62.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 19.4 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 21.3 years (2025 est.)
male: 20.1 years
female: 21.5 years
Population growth rate: 2% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 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
Urbanization: urban population: 17.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.248 million KIGALI (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23 years (2019/20 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 229 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 27.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 64.6 years
female: 68.6 years
Total fertility rate: 3.2 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.58 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 88.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 60.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 65.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 39.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 34.9% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 7.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 91.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 87% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 87.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 8.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 13% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 12.2% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 5.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 6.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 11.4% (2025 est.)
male: 17% (2025 est.)
female: 6.3% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 7.7% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 49.9% (2022 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.3% (2020)
women married by age 18: 5.5% (2020)
men married by age 18: 0.4% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 13.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 78.8% (2022 est.)
male: 81% (2022 est.)
female: 76.7% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 13 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; overgrazing; land degradation; soil erosion; a decline in soil fertility (soil exhaustion); wetland degradation and loss of biodiversity; widespread poaching
International environmental 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
Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Land use: agricultural land: 76.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 47% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 15.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 24.5% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 17.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 1.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 226,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.295 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 124,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 35.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.385 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.5% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 230 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 361 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 13.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Kingdom of Rwanda, Ruanda, German East Africa
etymology: the country is named for a local people, but the meaning of their own name is obscure
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Kigali
geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 03 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the city takes its name from nearby Mount Kigali; the name is composed of the Bantu prefix ki- and the Rwandan word gali, meaning "broad," which is probably meant to describe the terrain
Administrative divisions: 4 provinces (provinces, singular - province (French); intara for singular and plural (Kinyarwanda)) and 1 city* (ville (French); umujyi (Kinyarwanda)); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)
Legal system: mixed system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 26 May 2003, effective 4 June 2003
amendment process: 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
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Justin NSENGIYUMVA (since 23 July 2025)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 4 August 2017
election results: 2024: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 99.2%, Frank HABINEZA (DGPR) 0.5%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent) 0.3%2017: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent), other 1.2%
expected date of next election: 15 July 2029
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parlement (Parliament)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés)
number of seats: 80 (53 directly elected; 27 indirectly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 7/15/2024 to 7/16/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR) and its allies (37); Liberal Party (PL) (5); Social Democratic Party (PSD) (5); Other (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 63.8%
expected date of next election: July 2029
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate (Sénat)
number of seats: 26 (18 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/16/2024 to 9/16/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 53.8%
expected date of next election: September 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 5 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
subordinate courts: High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts
Political parties: Democratic Green Party of Rwanda or DGPR Liberal Party or PL Party for Progress and Concord or PPC Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition (includes RPF, PPC, PSP, UDPR, PDI, PSR, PDC) Social Democratic Party or PSD Social Party Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mathilde MUKANTABANA (since 18 July 2013)
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
email address and website: info@rwandaembassy.orghttps://rwandaembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric KNEEDLER (since 3 October 2023)
embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali
mailing address: 2210 Kigali Place, Washington DC 20521-2210
telephone: [250] 252 596-400
FAX: [250] 252 580-325
email address and website: consularkigali@state.govhttps://rw.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, 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
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Flag: description: three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double-width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays on the right end of the blue bandmeaning: blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development and mineral wealth, and green for hope for prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity and enlightenment
National symbol(s): traditional woven basket with peaked lid
National color(s): blue, yellow, green
National anthem(s): title: "Rwanda nziza" (Rwanda, Our Beautiful Country)
lyrics/music: Faustin MURIGO/Jean-Bosco HASHAKAIMANA
history: adopted 2001
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero (c); Nyungwe National Park (n)

Economic overview: low-income Sub-Saharan economy; services, industry, and agriculture sectors driving growth; increased government spending on human capital, energy, and healthcare; major infrastructure projects including the Bugesera Airport intended to support long-term growth; challenges include lack of economic diversification, high inflation, and wide current account deficit
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $46.543 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $42.743 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $39.485 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 8.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 8.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 8.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $3,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,900 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $14.252 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 19.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 17.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 24.6% (2024 est.)
industry: 21% (2024 est.)
services: 47.6% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 64.9% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 17.1% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 29.1% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: -3.2% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 30.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -39.1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, potatoes, maize, beans, pumpkins/squash, taro, sorghum (2023)
Industries: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 5.671 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 12% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 12.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 15.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 17.5% (2024 est.)
male: 15.8% (2024 est.)
female: 19.4% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 38.2% (2016 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: lowest 10%: 2.4% (2016 est.)
highest 10%: 35.6% (2016 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 3.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 3.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.41 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $3.996 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 37.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 13.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$1.654 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$1.246 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$1.209 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $3.509 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $2.993 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $2.11 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: UAE 66%, China 10%, USA 3%, Kenya 3%, Thailand 2% (2023)
Exports - commodities: gold, rare earth ores, coffee, tea, tin ores (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $5.783 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $4.978 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $3.856 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: China 19%, Kenya 14%, Uganda 13%, Tanzania 9%, UAE 7% (2023)
Imports - commodities: broadcasting equipment, fish, corn, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $2.406 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $1.834 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.726 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $5.531 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 1,318.128 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1,160.099 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1,030.308 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 988.625 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 943.278 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 50.6% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 98%
electrification - rural areas: 38.2%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 294,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 876.401 million kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 8.674 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 32 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 197.606 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 43.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 52.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 123,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 89,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: production: 63.666 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 63.696 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 56.634 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 1.808 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 8,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 12.8 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 80 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: 13 TV stations; 35 radio stations, including international broadcasters; government owns most popular TV and radio stations; regional satellite-based TV available
Internet country code: .rw
Internet users: percent of population: 34% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 62,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9XR
Airports: 8 (2025)

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 (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 30-35,000 active Rwanda Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the RDF's inventory is a mix of older and some modern equipment from suppliers such as China, France, Israel, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Türkiye (2025)
Military service age and obligation: typically 18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (including officer candidates and those with university degrees and specialized qualifications); enlistment is either as contract (5-years, renewable twice) or career professional; no conscription (2025)
Military deployments: approximately 3,200 Central African Republic (about 2,200 under MINUSCA, plus some 700 police; approximately 1,000 under a bi-lateral agreement); estimated 3-4,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo; estimated 3,000 Mozambique (bilateral agreement to assist with combating an insurgency; includes both military and police forces); 2,600 (plus about 450 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025)
Military - note: the principle responsibilities of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) 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 RDF troops to the border region with the DRC to combat the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which it has accused the DRC of backing; Rwanda has been accused by the DRC, the UN, and the US of deploying RDF troops in the DRC and providing material support to the March 23 Movement (M23, aka Congolese Revolutionary Army) rebel group; the RDF also participates in UN and regional military operations, as well as multinational exercises; it has deployed several thousand RDF troops and police personnel to Mozambique to assist in combating an insurgency since 2021; Rwanda has mutual defense treaties with Kenya and Uganda 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 (2025)

Space agency/agencies: Rwanda Space Agency (L’Agence Spatiale Rwandaise; RSA; established 2020 and approved by legislature in 2021) (2025)
Space program overview: has a small program focused on developing space technologies, such as satellite communications and imagery for connectivity, disaster management, security, and socioeconomic development; operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; has established ties with the space agencies or industries of several countries, including France, Israel, Japan, Poland, the UAE, and the US, as well as members of the African Space Agency; seeks to establish itself as an African hub for satellite production and has encouraged development of a domestic commercial space sector (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 2018 - signed cooperation agreement with Japan for training in designing and producing mini-satellites2019 - first remote sensing (RS) nanosatellite (RWASAT-1) built with assistance from and launched by Japan; first commercial communications satellite (Icyerekezo) built and launched by France2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration2025 - joined newly formed African Space Agency

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 128,561 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 21,948 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 14,500 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons: tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Rwanda remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/rwanda

Rwanda