Quality of Life in Rwanda
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture and some mineral and agro-processing. Tourism is now Rwanda’s primary foreign exchange earner and in 2008, minerals overtook coffee and tea as Rwanda’s primary export. Minerals exports declined 40% in 2009-10 due to the global economic downturn. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda’s fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled 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. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 7-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. Nonetheless, a significant percent of the population still live below the official poverty line. Africa’s most densely populated country is trying to overcome the limitations of its small, landlocked economy by leveraging regional trade. Rwanda joined the East African Community and is aligning its budget, trade, and immigration policies with its regional partners. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms.
Specific Statistics
To outline the levels of poverty, here are several statistics about the country:
o Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)
o Literacy (defined as age 15 and over can read and write):
- total population: 70.4%
- male: 76.3%
- female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
o People living with HIV/AIDS: 170,000 (2009 est.)
o Drinking water source (unimproved):
- urban: 23% of population
- rural: 38% of population
- total: 35% of population (2008)
o Sanitary facilitation access (unimproved):
- urban: 50% of population
- rural: 45% of population
- total: 46% of population (2008)
