Translation and Localization for Africa: Rwanda

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a small, land-locked country with green and mountainous landscape, it’s known for its spectacular scenery and wildlife. In this blog, I will cover brief, but important facts about this West African country.

Rwandan Demographics

• Kigali is the capital and largest city.
• Rwanda’s population is more than 12 million people (2016).
• Life expectancy is 60 years.
• Median age is 19 years old.
• Unemployment is currently 3.4%.

Rwandan Languages

• The official languages are Kinyarwanda, English and French.
• The national language and the first language of almost the entire population is Kinyarwanda.
• The immigrant languages are Rundi and Swahili.
• In commerce, Swahili is often used.
• The literacy rate is about 71%.

Rwandan Culture

• The largest religion in the country is Christianity.
• 49% of Rwandans are Roman Catholic.
• Ethnic groups include: Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15% and Twa (Pygmy) 1%
• Rwandan Literature is both oral and written in Kinyarwanda or French.
• Rwandans greet someone of higher rank by extending their right hand while putting the left one on the right arm as a sign of respect.
• Rwandan food is simple with beans, bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and sorghum being the most common foods.

Rwandan Consumers

• Rwanda has international trade with Uganda and Congo.
• The most important sectors in Rwanda’s economy are agriculture and mining.
• The huge attraction for visitors in Rwanda is the spectacular scenery and wildlife.
• Most Rwandans are replacing landlines with mobile phones.

Rwanda’s Future

• Coffee is the main export, followed by other agricultural products such as tea.
• Natural resources include: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower and arable land.
• Rwanda’s economy is growing at an average annual rate of 78% over the last eight years.
• Recently, Rwanda ranked by world bank (2015) as one of the world’s fastest growing economies.
• The country is working to be on track to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals.
• The Rwandan government has plans to make internet available country-wide and to get free wireless spots in the public areas.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwanda

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/rwanda-population/