Rwanda, with a population of 11 million and a gross domestic product (GDP) of just $6bn, is dwarfed by most of its neighbours. But it has managed to stand out from many of them thanks to its economic progress in the past 12 years. The east African country might still be one of the poorest in the world, but it has come a long way.
Its economy expanded by an average of 8.5% annually in the 2000s, according to investment bank Renaissance Capital, making it one of the fastest growing countries globally and leading its GDP per capita to double. Life expectancy climbed substantially (although it is a still low 55), while literacy rates went from less than 50% to almost 85%.
