Trade & investment · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income
Rwanda: trade and investment
Exports is 21.6% (2025), 140th of 184 in the world and 26th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Imports is 35.1% (2025), 115th of 184 in the world and 17th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trade openness is 56.7% (2025), 135th of 184 in the world and 23rd of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
13 indicators
Trade & investment: Rwanda in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExportsExports of goods and services, % of GDP | 21.6%2025 | 140/184 | 26/43 | 5.3% | 10.9% | 18.7% | +8.2 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 23.6% | 29.5% | |
| ImportsImports of goods and services, % of GDP | 35.1%2025 | 115/184 | 17/43 | 26.1% | 26.9% | 25.7% | +2.8 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 33.9% | 28.5% | |
| Trade opennessTrade, % of GDP | 56.7%2025 | 135/184 | 23/43 | 31.3% | 37.7% | 44.4% | +10.9 ppsince 2015 | 55.7% | 47.6% | 68.5% | |
| Current accountCurrent account balance, % of GDP | -12.0%2024 | 161/185 | 36/42 | · | -6.6% | -11.7% | −0.5 ppsince 2014 | — | — | — | |
| Merchandise exportsMerchandise exports, current US$ | $2.5bn2025 | 140/206 | 29/48 | $52.0m | $297m | $1.4bn | +259%since 2015 | $487bn | $107bn | $26.4tn | |
| High-tech exportsHigh-technology exports, % of manufactured exports | 4.8%2022 | 104/170 | 10/39 | · | 7.1% | 7.6% | −0.3 ppsince 2012 | 6.0% | 2.1% | 24.7% | |
| Fuel exportsFuel exports, % of merchandise exports | 0.1%2022 | 139/172 | 27/39 | 0.0%2001 | 0.1% | 0.0% | ±0.0 ppsince 2012 | 40.9% | 8.2% | 9.5% | |
| Food exportsFood exports, % of merchandise exports | 27.2%2022 | 55/172 | 19/39 | 56.7%2001 | 52.5% | 24.7% | −20.8 ppsince 2012 | 14.6% | 38.0% | 9.0% | |
| Average tariffApplied tariff rate, weighted mean, all products | 11.1%2022 | 31/184 | 17/45 | 9.0% | 8.0% | 10.2% | +1.7 ppsince 2012 | — | — | — | |
| FDI inflowsForeign direct investment, net inflows, % of GDP | 5.9%2025 | 36/197 | 9/46 | 0.4% | 3.6% | 1.5% | +4.0 ppsince 2015 | 2.1% | 3.7% | 1.4% | |
| RemittancesPersonal remittances received, % of GDP | 3.4%2024 | 71/178 | 19/41 | 0.3% | 1.8% | 2.7% | +1.2 ppsince 2014 | 3.1% | 3.4% | 0.8% | |
| Tourist arrivalsInternational tourist arrivals | 1.6m2019 | 77/196 | 6/42 | · | 667,000 | 1.6m2019 | +146%since 2009 | 56.0m | 17.4m | 2.4bn | |
| Tourism receiptsInternational tourism receipts, current US$ | $212m2020 | 125/177 | 16/40 | $27.0m | $224m | $212m | −5.4%since 2010 | $34.9bn | $11.8bn | $1.9tn |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
neighbours
Rwanda and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Rwanda. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Rwanda | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Tanzania | Uganda | Burundi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 21.6%2025 | 43.4%2025 | 19.0%2025 | 21.4%2025 | — |
| Imports | 35.1%2025 | 43.9%2025 | 20.0%2025 | 28.8%2025 | — |
| Trade openness | 56.7%2025 | 87.3%2025 | 39.0%2025 | 50.2%2025 | — |
| Current account | -12.0%2024 | -4.3%2025 | -3.0%2024 | -5.2%2025 | -13.7%2025 |
| Merchandise exports | $2.5bn2025 | $32.1bn2025 | $10.0bn2025 | $12.5bn2025 | $332m2025 |
| High-tech exports | 4.8%2022 | 0.2%2023 | 3.0%2024 | 1.9%2024 | 1.3%2023 |
| Fuel exports | 0.1%2022 | 1.8%2024 | 1.3%2025 | 2.3%2024 | 1.9%2023 |
| Food exports | 27.2%2022 | 1.3%2024 | 31.0%2025 | 39.3%2024 | 46.0%2023 |
| Average tariff | 11.1%2022 | 8.4%2020 | 8.6%2022 | 7.9%2022 | 9.0%2022 |