STATISTICS: Rwanda


Rwanda

19.5% —or about 480,000 hectares—of Rwanda is forested. Of this, none is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Rwanda gained an average of 2,600 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 0.82%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change increased by 867.1% to 7.91% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Rwanda gained 50.9% of its forest cover, or around 162,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Rwanda lost 50.2% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Rwanda has some 999 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.4% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.0% are threatened. Rwanda is home to at least 2288 species of vascular plants, of which 1.1% are endemic. 7.7% of Rwanda is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

Rwanda Environmental profile






Books

Rwanda: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)2,467,000
Total Forest Area (ha)480,000
Percent Forest Cover19.46%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)-
Primary Forest, % total forest0.00%
Primary Forest, % total land0.00%
Other wooded land (ha)61,000


Rwanda : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)100%
Subtropical (% forest area)0%
Temperate (% forest area)0%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


Rwanda: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)-0.0%
Modified natural (ha | %)62,00012.9%
Semi-natural (ha | %)--
Production plantation (ha | %)367,00076.5%
Production plantation (ha | %)52,00010.8%


Rwanda: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)318,000
Forest 2000 (ha)344,000
Forest 2005 (ha)480,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)2,6000.82%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)27,2007.91%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)162,00050.94%
Change in rate (%)867.08%
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)-
Primary 2000 (ha)-
Primary 2005 (ha)-
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)175,000
Other 2000 (ha)61,000
Other 2005 (ha)61,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(11,400)-6.51%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(114,000)-65.14%
Change in rate (%)-100.00%
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)248,000
Other 2000 (ha)282,000
Other 2005 (ha)419,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)3,4001.37%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)27,4009.72%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)171,00068.95%
Change in rate (%)608.72%
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)245,000
Other 2000 (ha)123,000
Other 2005 (ha)122,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(12,200)-4.98%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(200)-0.16%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(123,000)-50.20%
Change in rate (%)-96.73%


Rwanda: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)0
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)-
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)0.00%


Rwanda: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)77.0%
Private (%)23.0%
Other (%)0.0%
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)77.0%
Private (%)23.0%
Other (%)0.0%
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)76.2%
Protection (%)10.8%
Conservation (%)0.0%
Social Services (%)0.0%
Multiple Services (%)12.9%
None of Unknown (%)0.0%


Rwanda: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)1.16%
Insects (ha)-
Diseases (ha)-
Other (ha)-


Rwanda: Protected areas
1
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20050
World Heritage sites, 20040
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land7.7%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land3.87%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 20043.50%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20040.00%


Rwanda: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species31
endemic species1
threatened species8
Birds
total species665
endemic species2
threatened species9
Mammals
total species206
endemic species0
threatened species13
Reptiles
total species97
endemic species1
threatened species0
Wildlife diversity
total species999
endemic species4
threatened species30


Rwanda: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species300
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered0
Endangered0
Vulnerable3
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total2288
Number endemic26
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened3


Rwanda: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)75
Below-ground biomass (M t)13
Dead wood (M t)n.s.
Total (M t)88
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)38
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)6
Carbon in dead wood (M t)n.s.
Carbon in litter (M t)2
Soil carbon (M t)23
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-2000-3,519
2000-200510,630
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-2000-11.89
2000-200516.42
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)226
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)10,203
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)10,429
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)12
Plant products 2005
Food (t)-
Fodder (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)-
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)-
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)-
Hides, skins and trophies (units)-
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)-
Bush meat (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)-
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)$1,318,000
Wood fuel (US$)$33,977,000
Non-wood forest products (US$)-
Total value (US$)$35,295,000
Total value ($USD/ha)$74
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employed1,000


Rwanda : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production7,500
Imports-
Exports-
Consumption7,500
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production336
Imports0
Exports0
Consumption336
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production79
Imports0
Exports0
Consumption79
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production0
Imports4
Exports-
Consumption4
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports-
Exports0
Consumption0
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports1
Exports0
Consumption1
Rwanda: Environment
Environment - current issuesdeforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Natural hazardsperiodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo


Rwanda: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001)
Natural resourcesgold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land


Rwanda: Economy
Economy - overview:Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded 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, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and received IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005. Kigali's high defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies. An energy shortage and instability in neighboring states may slow growth in 2006, while the lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continues to handicap export growth.
GDP - per capita$1,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)4.8% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productscoffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 37.6%, industry: 22.8%, services: 39.6% (2005 est.)
Industries cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Economic aid - recipient$425 million (2003)
Debt - external$1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line (%)60% (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture 90%


Rwanda: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)8,440,820
Population growth rate (%) (2005)2.43%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)338.3
Percent rural (2003)81.7%
Median age (years)total: 18.48 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)5.49 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%


Largest Cities in Rwanda

Cities and urban areas in Rwanda with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
KigaliRwanda365200365200




 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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