Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income
Rwanda: the economy in numbers
Per person: $1,124, or $4,164 at purchasing power parity. Population: 14.6 million (2025).
$16.4B+9.4%real GDP growth, 2025
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #140 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +7.4%.
GDP per capita
$1,124
2025 · #189 of 204
GDP per capita, PPP
$4,164
2025 · #173 of 197
Inflation
5.9%
2025 · IMF forecast 2026: 12.3%
Government debt
64.7%
2025 · % of GDP, general government
Population
14.6M
2025 · #76 of 217
Unemployment
11.4%
2025 · ILO estimate
Stock market capitalization
19.6%
2025 · % of GDP · $3.2B
Life expectancy
68.0 years
2024
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $1.3 billion in 1960, $16.4 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $429 per person in 1960, $1,124 in 2025.
GDP per capitaGDP per capita, PPP (international $)
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 6.8% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 12 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose 5.38 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 31.1% in 1974.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1995: 100.8% of GDP in 1995. IMF forecast for 2031: 59.9%.
General government (IMF)Central government only (World Bank)
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $3.2 billion, or 19.6% of GDP.
Population
1960: 3.02 million · 2025: 14.6 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 12.3% · 2025: 11.4%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 47.0 years · 2024: 68.0 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 12.1% · 2025: 21.6%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 7.1%f | 5.0%f | 59.9%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 7.0%f | 5.0%f | 61.0%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 7.0%f | 5.0%f | 62.0%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 7.0%f | 5.0%f | 63.3%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 7.2%f | 7.9%f | 63.4%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 7.4%f | 12.3%f | 63.4%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $16.4B | $1,124 | $4,164 | 9.4% | 5.9% | 64.7% | 14.6M | 11.4% | 19.6% | 21.6% | |
| 2024 | $15.1B | $1,060 | $3,785 | 7.2% | 1.8% | 63.4% | 14.3M | 11.3% | 18.2% | 68.0 | 28.4% |
| 2023 | $14.8B | $1,061 | $3,519 | 8.6% | 19.8% | 61.6% | 14M | 12.4% | 19.8% | 67.8 | 23.7% |
| 2022 | $13.7B | $1,007 | $3,195 | 9.8% | 17.7% | 59.0% | 13.7M | 15.1% | 25.1% | 67.5 | 21.8% |
| 2021 | $11.3B | $843 | $2,776 | 8.4% | −0.4% | 66.2% | 13.4M | 15.8% | 31.7% | 66.8 | 19.3% |
| 2020 | $10.5B | $803 | $2,355 | −2.8% | 9.9% | 66.7% | 13.1M | 11.8% | 33.3% | 67.0 | 18.7% |
| 2019 | $10.5B | $823 | $2,374 | 9.3% | 3.3% | 52.8% | 12.8M | 11.2% | 30.6% | 66.7 | 22.0% |
| 2018 | $9.65B | $773 | $2,128 | 8.1% | −0.3% | 49.2% | 12.5M | 10.8% | 35.5% | 66.4 | 21.6% |
| 2017 | $9.16B | $751 | $1,949 | 4.7% | 8.3% | 46.1% | 12.2M | 11.9% | 66.1 | 20.7% | |
| 2016 | $8.6B | $721 | $1,845 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 41.5% | 11.9M | 11.8% | 65.7 | 15.6% | |
| 2015 | $8.45B | $726 | $1,761 | 8.9% | 2.5% | 33.5% | 11.6M | 11.8% | 65.4 | 13.4% | |
| 2014 | $8.13B | $715 | $1,655 | 5.7% | 2.4% | 29.5% | 11.4M | 11.8% | 65.1 | 14.1% | |
| 2013 | $7.71B | $695 | $1,492 | 4.7% | 5.9% | 27.0% | 11.1M | 11.8% | 64.7 | 13.7% | |
| 2012 | $7.56B | $698 | $1,436 | 8.6% | 10.3% | 19.3% | 10.8M | 11.7% | 64.2 | 12.2% | |
| 2011 | $6.8B | $643 | $1,396 | 8.0% | 3.1% | 18.9% | 10.6M | 11.8% | 63.5 | 12.8% | |
| 2010 | $6.05B | $587 | $1,298 | 7.3% | −0.2% | 19.0% | 10.3M | 11.6% | 62.8 | 10.9% | |
| 2009 | $5.6B | $557 | $1,226 | 6.2% | 12.9% | 18.7% | 10.1M | 11.6% | 61.8 | 10.5% | |
| 2008 | $5.12B | $522 | $1,177 | 11.2% | 15.4% | 18.5% | 9.8M | 11.5% | 60.6 | 11.4% | |
| 2007 | $4.02B | $421 | $1,066 | 7.6% | 9.1% | 22.4% | 9.55M | 11.6% | 59.5 | 13.9% | |
| 2006 | $3.27B | $352 | $990 | 9.2% | 8.9% | 22.8% | 9.3M | 11.6% | 58.3 | 11.1% | |
| 2005 | $2.93B | $324 | $903 | 9.4% | 9.0% | 58.9% | 9.05M | 11.8% | 57.0 | 10.2% | |
| 2004 | $2.38B | $270 | $822 | 7.4% | 12.3% | 80.9% | 8.82M | 11.7% | 55.5 | 9.9% | |
| 2003 | $2.14B | $249 | $765 | 2.2% | 7.4% | 79.5% | 8.59M | 11.7% | 53.5 | 7.4% | |
| 2002 | $1.97B | $234 | $751 | 13.2% | 2.0% | 92.0% | 8.4M | 11.4% | 51.3 | 6.1% | |
| 2001 | $1.97B | $237 | $662 | 8.5% | 3.3% | 84.0% | 8.29M | 11.7% | 49.5 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | $2.07B | $252 | $602 | 8.4% | 3.9% | 86.0% | 8.21M | 11.7% | 47.8 | 5.3% | |
| 1999 | $2.16B | $265 | $548 | 4.4% | −2.4% | 78.4% | 8.15M | 11.6% | 45.7 | 5.3% | |
| 1998 | $1.99B | $246 | $522 | 8.9% | 6.2% | 70.1% | 8.08M | 11.3% | 43.1 | 5.4% | |
| 1997 | $1.85B | $239 | $494 | 13.8% | 12.0% | 72.2% | 7.76M | 11.1% | 42.0 | 7.6% | |
| 1996 | $1.38B | $206 | $493 | 12.7% | 7.4% | 83.4% | 6.71M | 11.5% | 42.5 | 5.9% | |
| 1995 | $1.29B | $228 | $508 | 35.2% | 100.8% | 5.67M | 11.9% | 41.5 | 5.0% | ||
| 1994 | $754M | $111 | $307 | −50.2% | 6.79M | 12.2% | 12.2 | 6.1% | |||
| 1993 | $1.97B | $247 | $514 | −8.1% | 12.4% | 7.98M | 12.2% | 42.9 | 5.0% | ||
| 1992 | $2.03B | $264 | $568 | 5.9% | 9.6% | 7.68M | 12.1% | 44.4 | 5.4% | ||
| 1991 | $1.91B | $254 | $535 | −2.5% | 19.6% | 7.53M | 12.3% | 46.2 | 7.1% | ||
| 1990 | $2.55B | $346 | $542 | −2.4% | 4.2% | 7.38M | 47.8 | 5.5% | |||
| 1989 | $2.41B | $335 | −0.0% | 1.0% | 7.18M | 49.5 | 6.0% | ||||
| 1988 | $2.4B | $344 | 4.5% | 3.0% | 6.97M | 50.9 | 6.4% | ||||
| 1987 | $2.16B | $320 | −0.0% | 4.1% | 6.75M | 51.5 | 7.2% | ||||
| 1986 | $1.94B | $298 | 5.5% | −1.1% | 6.53M | 51.7 | 12.2% | ||||
| 1985 | $1.72B | $272 | 4.4% | 1.8% | 6.32M | 51.7 | 10.5% | ||||
| 1984 | $1.59B | $260 | −4.2% | 5.4% | 6.11M | 51.4 | 12.3% | ||||
| 1983 | $1.48B | $251 | 6.0% | 6.6% | 5.91M | 50.9 | 11.3% | ||||
| 1982 | $1.41B | $246 | 1.8% | 12.6% | 5.71M | 50.2 | 11.2% | ||||
| 1981 | $1.41B | $255 | 5.4% | 6.5% | 5.53M | 49.2 | 9.5% | ||||
| 1980 | $1.25B | $234 | 9.0% | 7.2% | 5.35M | 48.1 | 14.0% | ||||
| 1979 | $1.11B | $214 | 11.9% | 15.7% | 5.19M | 47.1 | 20.5% | ||||
| 1978 | $906M | $180 | 9.2% | 13.3% | 5.04M | 46.2 | 14.4% | ||||
| 1977 | $747M | $153 | 2.0% | 13.7% | 4.89M | 45.6 | 13.9% | ||||
| 1976 | $638M | $134 | 19.5% | 7.2% | 4.75M | 45.3 | 14.2% | ||||
| 1975 | $572M | $124 | −2.1% | 30.2% | 4.61M | 45.3 | 8.9% | ||||
| 1974 | $308M | $69 | 1.4% | 31.1% | 4.47M | 45.6 | 11.8% | ||||
| 1973 | $291M | $67 | 3.4% | 9.4% | 4.35M | 45.9 | 11.3% | ||||
| 1972 | $246M | $58 | 0.3% | 3.1% | 4.22M | 46.3 | 8.0% | ||||
| 1971 | $223M | $54 | 1.2% | 0.5% | 4.1M | 46.8 | 9.9% | ||||
| 1970 | $220M | $55 | 6.0% | 0.5% | 3.98M | 47.1 | 11.2% | ||||
| 1969 | $189M | $49 | 11.0% | 0.5% | 3.86M | 47.4 | 7.5% | ||||
| 1968 | $172M | $46 | 7.0% | 3.2% | 3.74M | 47.7 | 8.5% | ||||
| 1967 | $160M | $44 | 6.9% | 1.5% | 3.63M | 48.0 | 10.2% | ||||
| 1966 | $125M | $35 | 7.0% | 3.52M | 48.1 | 11.0% | |||||
| 1965 | $149M | $43 | 7.0% | 3.42M | 48.2 | 11.8% | |||||
| 1964 | $130M | $39 | −12.5% | 3.33M | 48.1 | 11.7% | |||||
| 1963 | $128M | $39 | −9.8% | 3.26M | 44.0 | 5.8% | |||||
| 1962 | $125M | $39 | 11.3% | 3.19M | 47.8 | 9.0% | |||||
| 1961 | $122M | $39 | −4.3% | 3.11M | 47.5 | 11.2% | |||||
| 1960 | $119M | $39 | 3.02M | 47.0 | 12.1% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Côte d’Ivoire · DR Congo · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
- Fiscal year: the IMF reports this economy by fiscal year (latest actual: FY2025/26), so IMF numbers can differ from calendar-year World Bank figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)