last edited Mar 11, 2020
Introduction to Rwanda
Quick Overview
Nicknamed the "land of a thousand hills", Rwanda is located in the Great Lakes region.
Key Facts
- Location: at the heart of the Great Lakes, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania.
- Latitude/longitude: 1°56' S, 30°3' E.
- Local time:
- Capital: Kigali.
- Nature of the state:
- Official languages: Kinyarwanda, French, and English.
- Currency: Rwandan franc.
- Population: 12,187,400 inhabitants (2018).
- Area: 26,338 km².
- Density: 469 inhabitants/km².
- Highest point: Mount Karisimbi (4,507 m).
- Lowest point: Ruzizi River (950 m).
- Lakeshore:
- Driving: on the right.
- Flag: [drapeau: Rwanda]
Tourism
Better known for its painful past, reflected in various memorials scattered across the country, than for its tourist attractions, Rwanda nonetheless boasts several natural sites, including Volcanoes National Park, which remains the country’s main draw thanks to its gorillas. In 2016, Rwanda welcomed 932,000 visitors—nearly double the number from just a few years earlier.
Travel Essentials
- Destination:
- By air: France-Kigali.
- Entry requirements: passport valid for at least 6 months after the planned return date + free visa on arrival.
- Currency to bring:
- Exchange rate:
- Daily "backpacker" budget:
- Best for accommodation:
- Best for getting around:
- Risks:
- Best time for climate/crowds/prices:
- Interests (out of ): Nature ; Adventure ; Culture ; Relaxation/holidays /
Useful Addresses
Socio-Economic Statistics
- "Quality of life": 158/188 (rank in 2018)
- GDP per capita: $2,100 (2017)
- Average monthly income: ()
- Inflation: +4.8% (2017)
- "Official" unemployment: ()
- Population below the poverty line: 39.1% (2015)
- Life expectancy: 64.5 years (2018)
- Migration rate per 1,000 inhabitants: +0.2 (2017)
- Population growth: +2.3% (2018)
- Literacy rate: 70.5% (2015)
- Urban population: 17.2% (2018)
- Press freedom: 156/180 (rank in 2018)
- Political regime: authoritarian regime (128/167 in 2018)
Sources: World Bank, Human Development Indicators, RSF, The Economist, The World Factbook