Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and some mineral and agro-processing. Tourism, minerals, coffee and tea are Rwanda's main sources of foreign exchange. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with demand, requiring food imports. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap private sector growth.The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 7%-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. Nonetheless, a significant percent of the population still live below the official poverty line; 39% of the population now lives below the poverty line, according to government statistics, compared to 57% in 2006.Africa's most densely populated country is trying to overcome the limitations of its small, landlocked economy by leveraging regional trade; Rwanda joined the East African Community and is aligning its budget, trade, and immigration policies with its regional partners. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment, and pursuing market-oriented reforms. In recognition of Rwanda's successful management of its macro economy, in 2010, the IMF graduated Rwanda to a Policy Support Instrument (PSI).The Rwandan Government is seeking to become a regional leader in information and communication technologies. In 2012, Rwanda completed the first modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kigali. The SEZ seeks to attract investment in all sectors, but specifically in agribusiness, information and communications, trade and logistics, mining, and construction.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.32 billion (2015 est.) $19.09 billion (2014 est.) $17.85 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.468 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2015 est.) 6.9% (2014 est.) 4.7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2015 est.) $1,700 (2014 est.) $1,600 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 206
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
14.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 14.4% of GDP (2014 est.) 19.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 73.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 14.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 25.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 13.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -28.4% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 32.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 14.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 53.3% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
6.247 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry and services: 10% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
NA%
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
39.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 43.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.8 (2000) 28.9 (1985)
country comparison to the world: 30
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $1.857 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $2.255 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
21.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
33.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 30.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2015 est.) 1.8% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
7.75% (31 December 2010) 11.25% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.2% (31 December 2015 est.) 17.25% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$845.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) $820.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$1.576 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.407 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$1.577 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.261 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$895 million (2015 est.) -$942 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$726.1 million (2015 est.) $719.9 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:
China 18.7%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 16.1%, Malaysia 10.3%, Thailand 8.6%, US 8.2%, Swaziland 6.4%, Germany 5.8%, Pakistan 5% (2014)

Imports:
$1.913 billion (2015 est.) $1.984 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

Imports - partners:
Uganda 15.6%, Kenya 11.8%, India 9.8%, China 8.3%, UAE 8.3%, Tanzania 5%, Belgium 5% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.028 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.005 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$1.778 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $1.691 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.198 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.016 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$12.9 million (31 December 2015 est.) $12.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 726.9 (2015 est.) 680.95 (2014 est.) 680.95 (2013 est.) 616.6 (2012 est.) 601.83 (2011 est.)