Rwanda : economy statistics and industry reports

However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels.

GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed.

Nonetheless, a majority still live below the poverty line of 250 Rwandan francs per day (about US$0.

43).

Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with demand, requiring food imports.

Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06.

Rwanda also received a Millennium Challenge Account Compact in 2008.

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, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.

The global downturn hurt export demand and tourism, but economic growth is recovering, driven in large part by the services sector, and inflation has been contained.

On the back of this growth, government is gradually ending its fiscal stimulus policy while protecting aid to the poor.