Environment
Rwanda
Climate
temperate climate characterized by two distinct rainy seasons occurring from February to April and from November to January; mountainous regions experience mild temperatures, with potential for frost and snowfall
Land use
other
0% (2023 est.)
forest
24.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
76.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 47% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 13.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 15.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
17.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
3.07% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
4.385 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
11.5% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
deforestation; overgrazing; degradation of land; erosion of soil; reduction in soil fertility (soil exhaustion); deterioration of wetlands and loss of biodiversity; extensive poaching
Total water withdrawal
municipal
230 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
10 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
361 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
1.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
124,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
226,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
1.295 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
35.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
13.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Law of the Sea