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Rwanda Economy

Rwanda's Macroeconomic Analysis:

Nominal GDP of USD 14.1 billion in 2023.

Nominal GDP of USD 13.3 billion in 2022.

GDP per capita of USD 1,006 compared to the global average of USD 10,589.

GDP per capita of USD 1,046 compared to the global average of USD 10,589.

Average real GDP growth of 6.5% over the last decade.

Average real GDP growth of 6.5% over the last decade.

Share of the region's population
Share of the region's GDP

Sector Analysis

In 2021, services accounted for 56% of overall GDP, manufacturing 9%, other industrial activity 11%, and agriculture 24%. Looking at GDP by expenditure, private consumption accounted for 72% of GDP in 2021, government consumption 17%, fixed investment 26%, and net exports -15%.

GDP by economic sector
GDP by type of expenditure

International trade

In 2019, manufactured products made up 8% of total merchandise exports, mineral fuels 2%, food 35%, ores and metals 15% and agricultural raw materials 1%, with other categories accounting for 39% of the total. In the same period, manufactured products made up 56% of total merchandise imports, mineral fuels 17%, food 17%, ores and metals 1% and agricultural raw materials 1%, with other goods accounting for 8% of the total. Total exports were worth USD 2 billion in 2022, while total imports were USD 4 billion.

Key exports
Key imports
Key export partners
Key import partners

Main Economic Indicators

Economic growth

The economy recorded average annual growth of 6.5% in the decade to 2022. To read more about GDP growth in Rwanda, go to our dedicated page.

Fiscal policy

Rwanda's fiscal deficit averaged 4.1% of GDP in the decade to 2022. Find out more on our dedicated page.

Unemployment

The unemployment rate averaged 12.3% in the decade to 2022. For more information on Rwanda's unemployment click here.

Inflation

Inflation averaged 6.1% in the decade to 2022. Go to our Rwanda inflation page for extra insight.

Monetary Policy

Rwanda's monetary policy rate ended 2022 at 6.50%, down from 7.50% a decade earlier. See our Rwanda monetary policy page for additional details.

Exchange Rate

From end-2012 to end-2022 the Rwanda franc weakened by 42.3% vs the U.S. dollar. For more info on the Rwanda franc, click here. For more info on the Rwandan franc, click here.

Economic situation in Rwanda

Year-on-year GDP growth ticked up in Q2 from Q1 on the back of larger expansions in private spending and exports. Shifting to the third quarter, the economy likely retained its fast pace of expansion, though available data is sending mixed signals. Merchandise exports skyrocketed in Q3, with year on year growth coming in at over 50%—well above Q2’s 5%—on the back of soaring commodities exports. On the flip side, industrial output growth more than halved compared with Q2, as near-stagnant manufacturing production outweighed a rebound in mining output. In other news, in recent weeks, the highly lethal Marburg virus infected dozens of people in Rwanda. While the country’s fast response has kept the outbreak at bay, tourist arrivals could decline in Q4, and a broader expansion of the virus remains on the cards, clouding the outlook for domestic activity.

Rwanda Economic Forecasts

Projections out to 2033.

44 indicators covered including both annual and quarterly frequencies.

Consensus Forecasts based on a panel of 6 expert analysts.

Want to get insight on the economic outlook for Rwanda in the coming years? FocusEconomics collects projections out to 2033 on 44 economic indicators for Rwanda from a panel of 6 analysts at the leading national, regional and global forecast institutions. These projections are then validated by our in-house team of economists and data analysts, and averaged to provide one Consensus Forecast you can rely on for each indicator. This means you avoid the risk of relying on out of date, biased or outlier forecasts. Our Consensus Forecasts can be visualized in whichever way best suits your needs, including via interactive online dashboards , direct data delivery and executive-style reports which combine analysts' projections with timely written analysis from our in-house team of economists on the latest developments in the Rwanda economy. To download a sample report on the Rwanda's economy, click here. To get in touch with our team for more information, fill in the form at the bottom of this page.

Rwanda Economic Data

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Population (million) 12.4 12.7 13.0 13.2 13.5
GDP (USD bn) 10.3 10.2 11.1 13.3 14.1
GDP per capita (USD) 835 802 855 1,007 1,046
GDP (RWF bn) 9,308 9,597 10,943 13,720 16,355
Economic Growth (Nominal GDP, ann. var. %) 12.2 3.1 14.0 25.4 19.2
Economic Growth (GDP, ann. var. %) 9.5 -3.4 10.9 8.2 8.2
Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) -5.1 -9.5 -7.0 -5.7 -5.1
Public Debt (% of GDP) 49.9 65.6 66.6 60.6 64.5
Inflation (CPI, ann. var. %, aop) 3.3 9.9 -0.4 17.7 19.8
Exchange Rate (RWF per USD, eop) 921 978 1,008 1,069 1,259
Exchange Rate (RWF per USD, aop) 900 945 988 1,029 1,158
Current Account Balance (USD bn) -1.2 -1.2 -1.2 -1.2 -1.7
Current Account Balance (% of GDP) -11.9 -12.1 -10.9 -9.3 -11.7
Merchandise Trade Balance (USD bn) -1.5 -1.7 -1.7 -2.0 -2.4
Merchandise Exports (USD bn) 1.2 1.4 1.5 2.1 2.5
Merchandise Imports (USD bn) 2.7 3.1 3.2 4.1 4.8
Merchandise Exports (ann. var. %) 9.7 13.5 8.8 38.0 16.8
Merchandise Imports (ann. var. %) 18.4 13.1 4.3 28.6 17.9
Foreign Direct Investment (USD bn) 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.5
International Reserves (USD bn) 1.5 1.7 1.9 1.7 1.8
International Reserves (months of imports) 6.5 6.7 7.0 5.0 4.6
External Debt (USD bn) 6.5 8.2 9.3 9.7 -
External Debt (% of GDP) 63.0 80.7 84.1 72.7 -

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