Rwanda

The main languages spoken in Rwanda are:
Kinyarwanda - the universal Bantu vernacular, spoken by ~93.2% of the population and a vital part of Rwandan identity.
French, English, and Swahili/Kiswahili are also official languages, with Kiswahili particularly used in commercial centers.
Kinyarwanda, French, English, and Swahili are all official languages of Rwanda.

Geography

Location: Central Africa, landlocked, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 26,338 sq km

Land boundaries:
border countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda

Geography - note: a small, centralized country dominated by rugged hills and fertile volcanic soil; has exerted disproportionate influence over the African Great Lakes region for centuries

People

Population: 13.6-14.9 million (2024-2026 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population 67.8 years (World Bank, 2025)

Infant mortality rate: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Nationality:
noun/adjective: Rwandan(s)

Ethnic groups: primarily composed of three groups - Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa, with the Hutu being the largest

Religions: Catholic 39.9%, Pentecostal 21.3%, Protestant 14.6%, Adventist 12.2%, other Christian 4.2%, no religion 3.0%, Muslim 2.0%, other 2.0% (2022 est.)

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official, universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%, French (official), English (official), Swahili/Kiswahili (official, used in commercial centers), other 6.3% (2002 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
conventional short form: Rwanda

Data code: RW

Government type: presidential republic

National capital: Kigali

Background: a Rwandan kingdom increasingly dominated the region from the mid-18th century onward, with Tutsi monarchs gradually extending royal power and expanding borders through military conquest; the assassination of the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi in April 1994 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 the same year when the predominantly Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda, defeated the national army and Hutu militias and established a government of national unity

Economy

Economy - overview: low-income, least-developed East African economy; among the fastest-growing economies in Africa in recent years; strong government focus on innovation, business environment improvement, and technology sector development

GDP (purchasing power parity): $58.12 billion (2025 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.5% (2026f)

GDP - per capita: $4,100 PPP (2025 est.)

Inflation rate: 6.3% (2025 est.)

Population below poverty line: 38.2% (2016 est.)

Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)

Military

Military branches: Rwanda Defense Force (RDF; Ingabo z'u Rwanda): Rwanda Army (Land Force), Rwanda Air Force, Rwanda Reserve Force, Special Units; Ministry of Internal Security: Rwanda National Police (2025)

Military - note: Rwanda maintains significant troop deployments abroad, including in the Central African Republic, DRC, Mozambique (assisting with counterinsurgency under a bilateral agreement), and South Sudan (2025)

Transnational Issues

Trafficking in persons - tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List (2025)