# Rwanda (RW) **Capital:** Kigali **Currency:** Rwandan Franc (RWF) (RWF) **Population:** 14,256,567 — Older stored figure; source year not documented. **Area:** 26,338 km² > Rwanda is a landlocked East African country served by the Kigali International Airport air and cargo hub. Foreign trade runs via the Northern Corridor to the port of Mombasa (around 1,700 km) and the Central Corridor to Dar es Salaam (around 1,300 km). Customs is handled electronically through the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ASYCUDA World) at the RRA; import VAT is 18 percent and the EAC external tariff is 0/10/25/35 percent. The Kigali Logistics Platform in Masaka (DP World) serves as a dry port. Rwanda is a member of the EAC, COMESA and the AfCFTA. Rwanda (ISO code: RW) is a landlocked country in East Africa bordering Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a presidential republic with a centralized administration, known for political stability and strong governance reforms. The climate is equatorial highland with mild temperatures and two rainy seasons. The economy rests on agriculture (notably coffee and tea), mining (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold), services and a fast-growing technology and conference sector. Foreign trade is dominated by agricultural and mineral exports, while energy, machinery, vehicles and consumer goods are largely imported. Because Rwanda is landlocked, logistics rely on the Kigali International Airport air hub and on road transport along the Northern Corridor to Mombasa and the Central Corridor to Dar es Salaam. Customs clearance is digitised through the Rwanda Electronic Single Window based on ASYCUDA World, and the Kigali Logistics Platform dry port in Masaka consolidates regional cargo. The national currency is the Rwandan Franc (RWF). Rwanda is a member of the East African Community, COMESA and the AfCFTA, positioning Kigali as a regional trade and aviation hub for the Great Lakes region. **Top Import Partners:** CN, KE, IN, TZ, UG **Top Export Partners:** CN, UG, KE, AE, BE **Top Import Goods:** Petroleum products, Machinery, Vehicles, food, Chemicals **Top Export Goods:** Coffee, Tea, Gold, Tin, Tantalum **Key Airports:** - [Kigali International Airport (KGL)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/kigali-international-airport-kgl) - [Gisenyi Airport (GYI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/gisenyi-airport-gyi) - [Kamembe Airport (KME)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/kamembe-airport-kme) - [Butare Airport (BTQ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/butare-airport-btq) - [Gabiro Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/gabiro-airport-11296) - [Gako Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/gako-airport-11342) - [Nemba Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/nemba-airport-hyrn) - [Ruhengeri Airport (RHG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ruhengeri-airport-rhg) - [Bugesera International Airport (under construction)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bugesera-international-airport-under-construction-airport-28177) ## Customs & Import **Import VAT:** Import VAT standard rate of 18 percent on the customs value **Customs complexity:** medium **Customs system:** Electronic clearance via the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ReSW) based on ASYCUDA World. Classification under the EAC Common External Tariff (0/10/25/35 percent) on the CIF value. **Customs authority:** [Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA)](https://www.rra.gov.rw/) ## Logistics & Risk **Logistics role:** Landlocked country in the East African highlands; hub for the Great Lakes region with the Kigali air cargo hub and connections via the Northern and Central Corridors to the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. **Economic area:** EAC / COMESA / AfCFTA **Logistics risk:** medium **Dangerous goods relevance:** medium **Pharma/cold chain:** medium ## FAQ ### Is Rwanda landlocked and how is freight transported? Yes, Rwanda is landlocked. Overseas freight moves by truck via the Northern Corridor to the port of Mombasa (around 1,700 km) or the Central Corridor to Dar es Salaam (around 1,300 km); time-critical and high-value goods travel by air through Kigali. ### What is the import VAT rate in Rwanda? The standard VAT rate is 18 percent, collected by the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA). Since 2025 an environmental levy of 0.2 percent of customs value applies to imports packaged in plastic. ### Which customs system does Rwanda use? The RRA processes imports and exports electronically through the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ReSW) based on ASYCUDA World. A single declaration covers multiple agencies, and clearance often takes under a day. ### What import duties apply in Rwanda? The EAC Common External Tariff applies with bands of 0, 10, 25 and 35 percent on the CIF value. Goods of EAC origin are traded duty-free; some products carry diverging stay-of-application rates. ### Which seaports does Rwanda use for overseas trade? As Rwanda has no seaport of its own, it uses Mombasa (Kenya) via the Northern Corridor and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) via the Central Corridor. The Kigali Logistics Platform in Masaka serves as a dry port for customs clearance and container handling. ### What does Rwanda mainly export? Key exports are coffee and tea as well as minerals such as tin ore (cassiterite), coltan/tantalum, tungsten and gold, complemented by re-exports. The main trading partner is China. ### What role does Kigali airport play in logistics? Kigali International Airport is the country's central air cargo hub and home base of RwandAir. To add capacity, the new Bugesera International Airport is being built, with its first phase planned to open from 2027. ## Sources & Last Verified - [https://www.rra.gov.rw/](https://www.rra.gov.rw/) - [https://www.rra.gov.rw/en/customs-services/eac-customs-union](https://www.rra.gov.rw/en/customs-services/eac-customs-union) - [https://sw.gov.rw/](https://sw.gov.rw/) - [https://asycuda.org/wp-content/uploads/casestudy-rwanda.pdf](https://asycuda.org/wp-content/uploads/casestudy-rwanda.pdf) - [https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/rwanda/corporate/other-taxes](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/rwanda/corporate/other-taxes) - [https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/rwanda-import-tariffs](https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/rwanda-import-tariffs) - [https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL) - [https://www.statistics.gov.rw/](https://www.statistics.gov.rw/) *Last verified: 2026-06-27* --- *Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/rw](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/rw)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/rw](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/rw)*