# Rwanda

> country in East Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q1037](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1037)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwanda)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rwanda

## Summary
Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a sovereign state and landlocked country located in East Africa. Known as "The Land of a Thousand Hills," it has a population of approximately 14.5 million people as of 2025 and operates as a semi-presidential republic with Kigali as its capital.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name**: Republic of Rwanda (Repubulika y'u Rwanda, République du Rwanda, Jamhuri ya Rwanda).
- **Location**: East Africa.
- **Area**: 26,338 square kilometres.
- **Capital**: Kigali.
- **Independence/Inception**: 1962.
- **Population**: 14,569,341 (2025 estimate); 13,246,394 (2022 census).
- **Currency**: Rwandan franc (since 1964).
- **Government**: Semi-presidential system; Head of State is President Paul Kagame (since March 24, 2000); Head of Government is Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva (since July 25, 2025).
- **Official Languages**: Kinyarwanda (national language), English (working language), French, Swahili.
- **Motto**: "Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu" (Unity, Work, Patriotism).
- **Anthem**: "Rwanda Nziza".
- **ISO Codes**: Alpha-2: RW, Alpha-3: RWA, Numeric: 646.
- **Internet TLD**: .rw.
- **Timezone**: UTC+02:00 (Africa/Kigali).
- **Driving Side**: Right-hand traffic.
- **VAT Rate**: 18%.
- **Life Expectancy**: 70.52 years (2025 estimate).

## FAQs
**What type of government does Rwanda have?**
Rwanda operates as a semi-presidential republic. The executive body is the Cabinet of Rwanda, and the legislative body is the Parliament of Rwanda. The current President is Paul Kagame, and the Prime Minister is Justin Nsengiyumva.

**What are the demographic and linguistic characteristics of Rwanda?**
As of 2025, Rwanda has an estimated population of 14,569,341. The population is largely rural (11,335,329 in 2022 vs. 2,441,369 urban). The primary language is Kinyarwanda, spoken by over 7.6 million as a first language, followed by English and French.

**What international organizations is Rwanda a member of?**
Rwanda is a member of the United Nations (since September 18, 1962), the Commonwealth of Nations (since November 29, 2009), the African Union, the World Trade Organization, the East African Community, and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, among others.

**What is Rwanda's economic and human development status?**
Rwanda's nominal GDP was approximately $14.25 billion in 2024, with a Gini coefficient of 39.4 (2023). The Human Development Index (HDI) in 2023 was 0.578. The unemployment rate was 1% in 2014.

## Why It Matters
Rwanda holds significance as a rapidly developing nation in East Africa that has undergone substantial reconstruction since the mid-1990s. It is notable for being one of the few Commonwealth members not colonized by the British Empire, joining the organization in 2009. The country's governance and economic management are frequently cited in international indices, reflected in its Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) governance score of 5.29 in 2024. Its strategic location in the Great Lakes region and membership in the East African Community position it as a regional partner in trade and security. Furthermore, Rwanda's adoption of four official languages reflects its complex colonial history and modern integration into both Anglophone and Francophone diplomatic spheres.

## Notable For
- **Nickname**: Known as "The Land of a Thousand Hills" (Pays Des Mille Collines).
- **Membership**: 54th member of the Commonwealth of Nations (joined November 29, 2009).
- **UN Security Council**: Served as a non-permanent member starting January 1, 2013.
- **Low Unemployment**: Reported an unemployment rate of 1% in 2014.
- **Life Expectancy Growth**: Life expectancy rose from 48.4 years in 2000 to 70.5 years in 2025.
- **High Fertility**: Total fertility rate was 3.7 in 2023, though it has declined significantly from 5.7 in 1999.
- **Electricity Standards**: Uses 230V mains voltage with Type E, BS 1363, and Europlug sockets.
- **Emergency Numbers**: Distinct numbers for police/fire (112) and medical services (912).

## Body

### Geography and Location
Rwanda is a landlocked country situated in East Africa, specifically within the African Great Lakes region. It covers an area of 26,338 square kilometres. The country's coordinates are latitude -2° and longitude 30°. The terrain is mountainous, earning it the nickname "The Land of a Thousand Hills." The highest point is Mount Karisimbi, while the lowest point is the Ruzizi River at 950 meters above sea level. It shares borders with Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

### Demographics
The population of Rwanda has grown from approximately 2.9 million in 1960 to over 14.5 million in 2025. The 2022 census recorded a population of 13,246,394. The sex distribution in 2022 was 6,741,039 males and 7,035,658 females. The majority of the population lives in rural areas (11,335,329 in 2022) compared to urban areas (2,441,369). The birth rate was 29.474 per 1,000 people in 2022, and the death rate was 5.847 per 1,000 people. The marriageable age is 21 for all genders, and the age of majority is 18.

### Languages
Rwanda has four official languages:
- **Kinyarwanda**: National language, first language for 7,677,003 people (2022).
- **English**: Working language, used in the educational system, with 1,997,293 speakers (2022).
- **French**: Spoken by 711,965 people (2022).
- **Swahili**: Spoken by 347,068 people (2022).
Rwandan Sign Language is also used.

### Government and Politics
Rwanda is a sovereign state and republic with a semi-presidential system. The head of state is President Paul Kagame, who assumed office on March 24, 2000. The head of government is Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva, who took office on July 25, 2025, succeeding Édouard Ngirente. The legislative body is the Parliament of Rwanda, and the highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court of Rwanda. The executive body is the Cabinet of Rwanda.

### Economy
The nominal GDP of Rwanda was $14,251,642,230 in 2024, while the GDP (PPP) was $58.12 billion in 2025. The economy uses the Rwandan franc as its currency (since 1964), managed by the National Bank of Rwanda. The Gini coefficient, measuring income inequality, was 39.4 in 2023, down from 43.7 in 2016. The standard VAT rate is 18%. In terms of connectivity, Rwanda uses the telephone country code +250 and the mobile country code 635.

### International Relations
Rwanda maintains diplomatic relations with numerous countries, including the United States, China, Germany, France, and India. It is a member of major international organizations:
- **United Nations**: Joined September 18, 1962.
- **Commonwealth of Nations**: Joined November 29, 2009.
- **African Union**.
- **World Trade Organization**.
- **East African Community**: Joined in 2007.
- **Organisation internationale de la Francophonie**: Joined in 1970.
- **UNESCO**: Joined November 7, 1962.
It has also been a member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (since 1963) and the International Finance Corporation (since 1975).

### Culture and Symbols
The national flag is the Flag of Rwanda. The coat of arms is the Emblem of Rwanda. The national anthem is "Rwanda Nziza." The national motto is "Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu" (Unity, Work, Patriotism). Public holidays include Independence Day, Liberation Day, Umuganura Day, and Genocide Memorial Day, among others.

### Development Indices
Rwanda's Human Development Index (HDI) was 0.578 in 2023, placing it in the medium human development category. The Inequality-adjusted HDI was 0.399 in 2023. The democracy index was 3.10 in 2020, categorized as "not-free" by Freedom House. The Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) Governance Index score was 5.29 in 2024, while the BTI Status Index was 4.65 in 2022.

### Infrastructure
Rwanda uses right-hand traffic. The country's electrical grid operates at 230 volts and 50 Hz, utilizing Type E, BS 1363, and Europlug electrical outlets. The country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code is RW, and its alpha-3 code is RWA. The internet top-level domain is .rw.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/rwanda)
2. [Constitution of Rwanda](https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Rwanda_2015)
3. [organic law](https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/ol/2017/2/eng@2017-05-01)
4. [Source](https://www.gov.rw/about)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. BnF authorities
7. OpenStreetMap
8. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/africa)
9. Lingua Libre
10. Cricket-loving Rwanda becomes 54th member of Commonwealth. The Times. 2009
11. [Source](https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/rwanda)
12. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Development_Bank)
13. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
14. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Africa/RWANDA)
15. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
16. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/rwanda)
17. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
18. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
19. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=245)
20. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
21. [Source](http://icdo.org/who-we-are/members/observer-states.html)
22. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/rwanda)
23. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
24. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
25. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons)
26. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Continental_Free_Trade_Area#List_of_signatories_and_parties_to_the_agreement)
27. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
28. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
29. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49)
30. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
31. MusicBrainz
32. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
33. World Bank Open Data
34. census
35. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
36. [National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda](https://statistics.gov.rw/file/13787/download?token=gjjLyRXT)
37. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
38. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
39. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
40. The National Terminology Database for Irish
41. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
42. [Source](https://www.carisoko.com/fr/blog/right-hand-traffic-and-its-history-in-rwanda)
43. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
44. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
45. BabelNet
46. [International Numbering Resources Database](http://www.itu.int/net/itu-t/inrdb/e129_important_numbers.aspx)
47. [World Plugs](https://www.iec.ch/world-plugs)
48. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
49. UMLS 2023
50. [UNdata](http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=languages&d=POP&f=tableCode:27;countryCode:646;refYear:2022&c=2,3,6,8,10,12,14,15,16&s=_countryEnglishNameOrderBy:asc,refYear:desc,areaCode:asc&v=1)