The Rwandan passport is currently ranked 82nd place on the Guide Passport Index. It provides visa-free access to 63 destinations. Rwandan passport holders have visa-free access and visas on arrival to countries such as Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. Rwandan citizens do however require a visa to enter 166 destinations in the world such as China, Turkey, Russia, the United States and the entire European Union. This high visa requirement results in a low mobility score.
The Rwanda passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow Rwanda passport holders to enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries) and those that allow Rwanda passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). There are currently a total of 29 Rwanda passport visa-free countries, 33 Rwanda visa-on-arrival countries, and 1 eTA destinations.
Altogether, Rwanda passport holders can enter a total of 63 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the Rwanda passport ranks 82 in the world.
Separate from these Rwanda visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 166 additional destinations which Rwanda passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).
The landlocked Republic of Rwanda is a former Belgian colony. It is located in Central Africa and consists of 5 provinces. The nation borders Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The most important provinces are Eastern, Southern and Western. The country is one of the smallest in Africa with a surface area of 26,338 square kilometers. Its climate is temperate with two rainy seasons and a colder snowy winter in the mountains. Its geography is characterized by mountains and grassy uplands.
The overall population is over 12.9 million people. The capital of the country is Kigali, which is also the most populous city. Other important cities of the country are Butare, Gitarama and Musanze. The largest airport in Rwanda is Kigali International Airport (KGL). It has an approximate yearly passenger traffic of 800,000 people. It connects the country to destinations across Africa and Europe.
The Republic of Rwanda gained full independence in 1962. Its culture is dominated by the heritage of the Banyarwanda people. There is a religious mix in the country, with the majority being Christian. The official languages of the nation are Kinyarwanda, French, English and Swahili. The legal system is based on the German and Belgian civil and customary law. The government form is a presidential republic with President Paul Kagame as elected chief of state. The Prime Minister is Edouard Ngirente as head of government. Elections take place every 7 years.
The official currency of the country is the Rwandan franc (RWF) with the current exchange rate being RWF 1,078 to the USD. Rwanda has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $33 billion. This makes it the 21st largest economy in Africa. It has a per capita income of $2,641. The main GDP contributing sectors are services and agriculture. Agriculture accounts for more than 60% of the export earnings with main products such as coffee, tea, bananas and beans.
Rwanda is a developed tourism destination offering several attractions. It is known for its wildlife and nature and especially for the Gorilla trekking in the mountains. Some of the major destinations are the Volcanoes National Park, the King’s Palace museum, the Akagera National Park, Lake Kivu and the capital Kigali. The majority of the 932,000 yearly touris
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