Economy Of Rwanda - Rwanda Information

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Economy Of Rwanda
Rwanda Information - Country Guides

Economy overview	Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners 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 substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies.
GDP	purchasing power parity - $10.11 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 40.7% industry: 21.5% services: 37.8% (2004 est.)
Investment gross fixed	19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)
Distribution of family income - Gini index	28.9 (1985)
Inflation rate consumer prices	7.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force	4.6 million (2000)
Labor force by occupation	agriculture 90%
Unemployment rate	NA
Budget	revenues: $365.9 million expenditures: $402.9 million, including capital expenditures of $na (2004 est.)
Public debt
Agriculture products	coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries	cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate	7% (2001 est.)
Electricity production	96.78 million kWh (2001)
Electricity production by source	fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity consumption	140 million kWh (2001)
Electricity exports	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity imports	50 million kWh (2001)
Oil production	0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil consumption	5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil exports	NA (2001)
Oil imports	NA (2001)
Oil proved reserves	0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas production
Natural gas consumption
Natural gas exports
Natural gas imports
Natural gas proved reserves	28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance	$-163 million (2004 est.)
Exports	$73.33 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports commodities	coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports partners	Indonesia 39.2%, Germany 4.6%, China 3.9% (2003)
Imports	$245.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports commodities	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports partners	Kenya 23.3%, Germany 7.5%, Belgium 6.4%, Uganda 6.4%, France 5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange gold	$215 million (2004 est.)
Debt external	$1.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid recipient	$372.9 million (1999)
Currency	Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code	RWF
Exchange rates	Rwandan francs per US dollar - 537.658 (2003), 476.327 (2002), 442.801 (2001), 389.696 (2000), 333.942 (1999)
Fiscal year	calendar year

Rwandan Flag Map Of Rwanda

Economy Of RwandaRwanda Information - Country Guides

Economy Of Rwanda
Rwanda Information - Country Guides