Rwanda, Rwanda

Country in East Africa

About Rwanda

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna in the southeast. The largest and most notable lakes are mainly in the western and northern regions of the country, and several volcanoes that form part of the Virunga volcanic chain are primarily in the northwest. The climate is considered tropical highland, with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year. Its capital and largest city is Kigali, located at the centre of the country, at 1,567 metres above sea level. Rwanda lies a few degrees south of the Equator in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. With a population of about 14 million people living within a total area of 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), of which land accounts for about 93.7%, Rwanda is the 21st most densely populated country in the world, with an average of about 578 people per square kilometre.

Etymology

The name Rwanda derives from the word Ku-aanda, meaning "expansion" or "spreading out from the centre", reflecting the historical growth of the Kingdom of Rwanda.

History

Modern human settlement of what is now Rwanda dates from, at the latest, the last glacial period, either in the Neolithic period around 8,000 BC, or in the long humid period which followed, up to around 3,000 BC. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of sparse settlement by hunter-gatherers in the late Stone Age, followed by a larger population of early Iron Age settlers, who produced dimpled pottery and iron tools. These early inhabitants were the ancestors of the Twa, aboriginal pygmy hunter-gatherers who remain in Rwanda today. Then by 3,000 BC, Central Sudanic and Kuliak farmers and herders began settling into Rwanda, followed by South Cushitic–speaking herders in 2,000 BC. The forest-dwelling Twa lost much of their habitat and moved to the mountain slopes. Between 800 BC and 1500 AD, a number of Bantu groups migrated into Rwanda, clearing forest land for agriculture. …

Geography

Rwanda is located in East Africa, in the eastern-central part of the African continent, between 1° and 3° S latitude and between 29° and 31° E longitude. Its geography is characterized by rolling highlands, mountains, and numerous lakes. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 144th-largest country, and the fourth smallest on the African mainland after Gambia, Eswatini, and Djibouti. It is comparable in size to Burundi, Haiti and Albania. The entire country is at a high altitude: the lowest point is the Rusizi River at 950 metres (3,117 ft) above sea level. The watershed between the major Congo and Nile drainage basins runs from north to south through Rwanda, with around 80% of the country's area draining into the Nile and 20% into the Congo via the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyika. …

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The culture of Rwanda is varied. Unlike many other countries in Africa, Rwanda has been a unified state since precolonial times, populated by the Banyarwanda people who share a single language and cultural heritage. Music and dance are an integral part of Rwandan ceremonies, festivals, social gatherings and storytelling. The most famous traditional dance is a highly choreographed routine consisting of three components: the umushagiriro, or cow dance, performed by women; the intore, or dance of heroes, performed by men; and the drumming, also traditionally performed by men, on drums known as ingoma. The best-known dance group is the National Ballet. It was established by President Habyarimana in 1974, and performs nationally and internationally. Traditionally, music is transmitted orally, with styles varying between the social groups. …

Economy

Rwanda's economy suffered heavily during the 1994 genocide, with widespread loss of life, failure to maintain infrastructure, looting, and neglect of important cash crops. This caused a large drop in GDP and heavily damaged the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, in the 2000s Rwanda witnessed an economic boom which improved the standard of living for many Rwandans. The economy of Rwanda has expanded consistently since the 1994 genocide, with real GDP growth of 8.2% in 2023, 8.9% in 2024, and 9.4% in 2025; as reported by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. Growth is projected to be 7.5% in 2026, and the government is actively pursuing policies to encourage industrial growth, such as the "Made In Rwanda". As of the most recent survey in 2024, 30.5% of the population are affected by multidimensional poverty with 27. …

Demographics

As of 2025, Rwanda's estimated population is around 14.6 million, although estimates vary. A decade earlier, in 2015, the estimated population was 11,262,564 (according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda), and the 2012 census recorded a population of 10,515,973. The population is young: as of 2024–2025, estimates of the median age ranged from 19.9 to 20.8, with 42.9% of the population under the age of 15, and 54.7% between 15 and 64. In 2015, according to the CIA World Factbook, the annual birth rate was estimated at 40.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants, and the death rate at 14.9. The current life expectancy is between 68.2 and 70.54 years (71 years for females and 66 years for males), placing it 156th out of 224 countries and territories. The overall sex ratio of the country is 95.9 males per 100 females. …

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