Demographics of Rwanda

Demographics Of Rwanda

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Rwanda, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa at 230/km² (590/sq mi). This country has few villages, and nearly every family 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 farmers of Bantu origin. The Tutsis (14% before the Genocide, probably less than 10% now) are 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 (pygmies) (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region. Over half of the adult population is literate, but no 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.