Rwanda People, Population, Religion and Nationality

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Rwanda People


Browse the information below for demographic information on Rwanda, including population, religion, nationality and more. If you do not find the Rwanda information you need on the people page, check out our complete listing on the Rwanda Country Page.

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    People
    Nationality: Noun and adjective--Rwandan(s).
    Population (August 2002 census): 8.2 million.
    Annual growth rate: (August 2002 census) Mean of 1.2% between 1991-2002.
    Ethnic groups: Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa 1%.
    Religions: Christian 93.5%, traditional African 0.1%, Muslim 4.6%, 1.7% claim no religious beliefs.
    Languages: French, English, Kinyarwanda.
    Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--75% (prewar). Literacy--64%.
    Health: Infant mortality rate--107/1,000. Life expectancy--40 yrs.
    Work force: Agriculture--92%; industry and commerce, services, and government--8%.

    People of Rwanda
    Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (322 per sq. km., according to the August 2002 census). Nearly every family in this country with few villages lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers. The indigenous population consists of three ethnic groups. The Hutus, who comprise the majority of the population (85%), are traditionally farmers of Bantu origin. The Tutsis (14%) are traditionally a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the 15th century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattleholding. The Twa (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region. Over half of the adult population is literate, but not more than 5% have received secondary education. During 1994-95, most primary schools and more than half of prewar secondary schools reopened. The national university in Butare reopened in April 1995; enrollment is over 7,000. Rebuilding the educational system continues to be a high priority of the Rwandan Government.

    source: http://www.state.gov

  • Rwanda Geography
  • Rwanda Government
  • Rwanda Economy
  • Rwanda History