Rwanda
Africa Β· Capital: Kigali
How it is run: Rwanda is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Rwanda is home to 14.6 million people in Eastern Africa, where people speak English, French, Kinyarwanda.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
14.6 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
26,338 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 553 people share every square kilometre β very crowded, so cities grow upward with apartments.
π Size in its region
29th most people in Africa
47th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
English, French, Kinyarwanda
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Rwandan franc (Fr)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
68 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,124
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
30.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
37% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+250
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.rw
π§ People here are called
Rwandan
π·οΈ Name at home
Rwanda
Also written: Republic of Rwanda, Repubulika y'u Rwanda, RΓ©publique du Rwanda.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Rwanda is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Ruanda
French
Rwanda
Arabic
Ψ±ΩΨ§ΩΨ―Ψ§
Chinese
ε’ζΊθΎΎ
Japanese
γ«γ―γ³γ
Russian
Π ΡΠ°Π½Π΄Π°
Portuguese
Ruanda
German
Ruanda
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 16.3Γ as many people as Rwanda.
- Rwanda covers roughly 251 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Rwanda lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 7,285 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Rwanda change.
Independence flag
Red, yellow and green with a large R.
New beginning
Redesigned after the genocide with no red β a sun for hope and unity.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Rwanda is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Rwanda
ποΈ Capital
Kigali
π Region
Africa Β· Eastern Africa
π€ Country code
RW
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Rwanda π
π§ Where on the map
2.0Β° S, 30.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Kigali.
- The capital of Rwanda is Kigali β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Rwanda sits in Eastern Africa, in the southern and eastern half of the globe.
- Rwanda is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Rwanda is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Rwanda lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Rwanda has 3 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Rwanda?
- If Rwanda spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Rwanda?
Kigali
Which money do people spend in Rwanda?
Rwandan franc (Fr)
How many countries share a land border with Rwanda?
4 β Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Uganda.
Roughly how many people live in Rwanda?
14.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.