Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture, and with some mineral and agro-processing. Population density is high but not concentrated in large metropolises – its 13 million people are spread out on a small amount of land (about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined). 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 beyond pre-1994 levels. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 6%-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. In 2015, 39% of the population lived below the poverty line, according to government statistics, compared to 57% in 2006. Mining profits in 2015 were reduced by almost half, owing to the drop in global demand for minerals.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. In recognition of Rwanda's successful management of its macro economy, the IMF graduated Rwanda to a Policy Support Instrument in 2010.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. In 2016, the government launched an online system to give investors information about public land and its suitability for agricultural development.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$24.61 billion (2017 est.)
$23.18 billion (2016 est.)
$21.89 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 143
$8.918 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
6.2% (2017 est.)
5.9% (2016 est.)
8.9% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$2,100 (2017 est.)
$2,000 (2016 est.)
$1,900 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 205
10.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
7.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
8.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 78%
[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: 26.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 15.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -35.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 30.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 17.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 51.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
4.8% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
6.227 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 75.3%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 6.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 18% (2012 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
2.7% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
39.1% (2015 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 2.1%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 43.2% (2011 est.)
46.8 (2000)
28.9 (1985)
country comparison to the world: 29
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $1.874 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $2.255 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
21% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-4.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
47.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
43.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
7.1% (2017 est.)
5.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
7.75% (31 December 2010)
11.25% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
16.9% (31 December 2017 est.)
17.3% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$941 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$940.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$1.937 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.903 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$2.054 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.959 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$905 million (2017 est.)
-$1.211 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$908.9 million (2017 est.)
$745 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Democratic Republic of the Congo 31.3%, Kenya 15.7%, UAE 13.8%, Switzerland 8.7%, Burundi 5.7% (2016)
$2.007 billion (2017 est.)
$2.045 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
China 21.2%, Uganda 11.2%, Kenya 7.8%, India 7.4%, UAE 5.8%, Tanzania 5.3% (2016)
$1.026 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.104 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$2.966 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.611 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$2.473 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.072 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$26.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$26.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar -
839.1 (2017 est.)
787.25 (2016 est.)
787.25 (2015 est.)
720.54 (2014 est.)
680.95 (2013 est.)