Economy - overview: Rwanda is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa; is landlocked; and has few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary exports are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made significant progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. In June 1998, Rwanda signed an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) with the IMF. Rwanda has also embarked upon an ambitious privatization program with the World Bank. Continued growth in 2001 depends on the maintenance of international aid levels and the strengthening of world prices of coffee and tea.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 20%
services: 40% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 24.2% (1983-85)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2000)

Labor force: 3.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $198 million
expenditures: $411 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 8.7% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production: 132 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 3.03%
hydro: 96.97%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 191.8 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 70 million kWh (1999)

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

Exports: $68.4 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

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

Exports - partners: Germany, Belgium, Pakistan, Italy, Kenya

Imports: $245.9 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

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

Imports - partners: Kenya, Tanzania, US, Benelux, France, India

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $591.5 million (1997); note - in summer 1998, Rwanda presented its policy objectives and development priorities to donor governments resulting in multiyear pledges in the amount of $250 million

Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code: RWF

Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar - 432.24 (January 2001), 389.70 (2000), 333.94 (1999) 312.31 (1998), 301.53 (1997), 306.82 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Rwanda on this page is re-published from the 2001 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Rwanda Economy 2001 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Rwanda Economy 2001 should be addressed to the CIA.