Often referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda is a small, landlocked country located in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. It is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Despite its turbulent history, Rwanda has experienced significant recovery and development in recent decades, making it a model of rapid economic growth and stable governance in Africa.

Rwanda’s topography is predominantly hilly and mountainous, with grassy uplands and deep valleys. The country’s highest mountains are found in the Virunga volcano chain in the northwest; this region is also home to the famous Volcanoes National Park, where mountain gorillas can be observed in their natural habitat. The central part of the country features rolling hills, while the eastern region has savannahs that are part of the wider East African savannah ecosystem.

	Score	Rank	Change
Total Score – NCI 2024	53.7	112	N/A
Land Management	37	168	N/A
Protected Areas (Terrestrial)	32	140	N/A
Ecological Representativeness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	41	112	N/A
Connectedness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	46	120	N/A
Protected Areas (Marine)
Pristine Habitat (Converted Land)	36	177	N/A
Sustainable Nitrogen Management (Soil Pollution)	56	26	N/A
Sustainable Pesticide Use	14	124	N/A
Threats to Biodiversity	77	20	N/A
Threatened Species (Terrestrial)	90	65	N/A
Threatened Species (Marine)
Threatened Species’ Coverage by Protected Areas	83	120	N/A
Species Coverage by Marine Protected Areas
Species with Declining Populations (Terrestrial)	37	46	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Marine)
Depleted Fisheries
Fishery Pressure in the High Seas
Invasive Species Pressure	98	58	N/A
Capacity and Governance	68	46	N/A
Total Management Cost	100	18	N/A
Conservation Culturomics	65	22	N/A
Conservation Legislation	20	170	N/A
Ratification of CBD	100	1	N/A
Ratification of CITES	100	1	N/A
Political Stability and Absence of Violence	50	63	N/A
Control of Corruption	62	42	N/A
Government Effectiveness	54	65	N/A
Future Trends	32	144	N/A
Climate Change Mitigation	32	144	N/A

Four pillars elaborated:

Land Management

Rwanda currently designates 9 Protected Areas covering approximately 232,000 hectares (2,320 km²) of land, constituting around 9.11% of the country’s territory. The proposed National Land Use and Development Master Plan (NLUDMP) for 2020-2050 aims to allocate 37.7% of the nation’s surface area for conservation purposes, aligning with global targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program, which aims for 27% conservation coverage. Notably, three of these protected areas are transboundary, including the Greater Virunga landscape shared by Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1,500,000 hectares (15,000 km²)), the Kagera TFCA involving Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda (25,000 hectares (250 km²)), and the Nyungwe-Kibira area between Rwanda and Burundi (117,100 hectares (1,171 km²)).

Threats to Biodiversity

Over time, biodiversity has faced numerous threats leading to declines in species diversity, population numbers, and the degradation of ecosystems. These threats encompass a wide range of factors, including poaching, encroachment on habitat boundaries, wildfires, invasive species, predation, deforestation, illegal mining, unauthorized grazing, conflicts between humans and wildlife, construction of dams, reductions in water levels, poisoning of wildlife and fish populations, commercial fishing practices, inadequate regulatory measures, expansion of infrastructure, water extraction activities, harvesting of plants and animals, drainage of wetlands outside protected areas, transmission of diseases from livestock to wildlife, habitat fragmentation, and the impacts of climate change.

Capacity and Governance

Rwanda is actively engaged in the preservation of its abundant biodiversity. Through the establishment of a network of protected areas encompassing national parks, forests, and wetlands, the country demonstrates its commitment to conservation. Additionally, Rwanda has ratified several international agreements pertaining to biodiversity preservation. Local communities are integral to Rwanda’s conservation endeavors, actively participating in the management of protected areas, reforestation initiatives, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.

With nearly 40% of its land designated for conservation, which includes four national parks, four protected wetlands, and various forest reserves, Rwanda prioritizes the safeguarding of its natural heritage. Leveraging tourism as a conservation tool, the country endeavors to preserve its landscapes and diverse wildlife, including endangered species like mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.

Future Trends

Rwanda’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) targets the restoration and preservation of the nation’s biodiversity by 2040, aiming to enhance economic prosperity and improve human well-being. Acknowledging the pivotal role of local communities in shaping the country’s biodiversity trajectory, Rwanda is implementing initiatives to empower these communities and facilitate their active engagement in conservation endeavors.

Biodiversity

Despite its small size, Rwanda’s diverse landscapes include volcanoes, montane rainforests, savannas, and wetlands, each contributing to its rich biological heritage. Located in the Albertine Rift, one of Africa’s most important biodiversity hotspots, Rwanda’s ecosystems support many plant and animal species, many of which are endemic or endangered. One of Rwanda’s most famous regions for biodiversity is the Volcanoes National Park, located in the northwest of the country. This park is part of the larger Virunga Massif, a chain of volcanoes that extends into Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Volcanoes National Park is renowned for being one of the last remaining habitats of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. Conservation efforts here have helped to increase the gorilla population, making it a symbol of successful wildlife protection. The park also hosts other primates, such as the golden monkey, and various bird species, including the Rwenzori turaco and the handsome francolin.

Akagera National Park, located east of Rwanda, showcases a different aspect of the country’s biodiversity. With its rolling plains, lakes, and wetlands, this savanna park is home to large mammals such as elephants, lions, giraffes, and buffalo. Akagera’s wetlands are vital for birdlife, with species like the shoebill stork and papyrus gonolek thriving in these habitats. The park’s successful reintroduction of lions and rhinos has made it a prominent example of wildlife restoration.

In the table below are the number of known species in several main groups, how many of these species are Threatened with extinction, and how many of them are Endemic (unique to Rwanda only):

	Species (World rank)	Threatened	% Threatened	Endemic	% Endemic
Mammals	211 (#54)	24	11.4%	1	0.5%
Birds	636 (#46)	23	3.6%	1	0.2%
Reptiles	83 (#100)			2	2.4%
Amphibians	45 (#63)	2	4.4%	3	6.7%
Fishes	73 (#195)	8	11.0%	5	6.8%
Plants	3,000 (#117)	41	1.4%	280	9.3%