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Comparison · latest available · data as of 26 October 2026 · printed 27 Oct 2026
NationsTree / Compare / Niger vs Rwanda

Niger vs Rwanda

Side-by-side comparison of Niger and Rwanda from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.

Niger

Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years

NationsTree Index18.5191st of 196
Tree height3.9 m 
vs
7:27
indicators where each ranks higher

Rwanda

Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 64 years

NationsTree Index34.3149th of 196
Tree height4.3 m 
Open in the comparison tool Data as of 26 October 2026

In short

Rwanda scores 34.3 in the NationsTree Index (149th in the world) and Niger scores 18.5 (191st), a gap of 15.8 points. Their trees are 3.9 m and 4.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.

Niger has 92% more people than Rwanda. Niger is 48 times larger than Rwanda by land area. Niger and Rwanda have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Niger 27.9 million and Rwanda 14.6 million (2025).

GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $4,164 in Rwanda and $2,177 in Niger (2025, international dollars). People in Rwanda live on average 6.6 years longer (68.0 vs 61.4 years).

Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Niger ranks higher in the world on 7 and Rwanda on 27. Niger is clearly stronger in economy. Rwanda is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and tourism.

As a nation, Niger is the older of the two (statehood since 1960, 66 years), compared with Rwanda (since 1962). Over the last five years Rwanda improved faster (direction score 78 vs 14 out of 100).

Where they differ most

The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Niger and Rwanda.

Over time

How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.

NationsTree IndexNigerRwanda
1020304050 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2025

Rwanda overtook Niger in the NationsTree Index and GDP per person (PPP) in 2005 and has stayed ahead since.

Rwanda overtook Niger in life expectancy in 2002 and has stayed ahead since.

Niger has been ahead of Rwanda in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.

Strength by category

Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i

All indicators

Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.

Indicator Niger Rwanda
Land & people
Surface area i km² 1,267,00021st/216 · 2024 26,340145th/216 · 2024
Land area i km² 1,266,70020th/216 · 2024 23,763146th/216 · 2024
Population i people 27.9 m54th/217 · 2025 14.6 m76th/217 · 2025
Population growth i % 3.22%9th/217 · 2025 2.17%40th/217 · 2025
Population density i people/km² 21.3183rd/216 · 2024 599.917th/216 · 2024
Urban population i % 18.4%213th/217 · 2025 30.9%195th/217 · 2025
Population aged 0–14 i % 46.2%3rd/217 · 2025 37.0%42nd/217 · 2025
Population aged 65+ i % 2.6%205th/217 · 2025 4.0%166th/217 · 2025
Economy
GDP i USD $21.65 bn130th/210 · 2025 $16.37 bn141st/210 · 2025
GDP (PPP) i intl. USD $60.78 bn127th/199 · 2025 $60.67 bn128th/199 · 2025
Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) i intl. USD 2021 $51.94 bn127th/199 · 2025 $51.85 bn128th/199 · 2025
GDP per person i USD $775203rd/210 · 2025 $1,124194th/210 · 2025
GDP per person (PPP) i intl. USD $2,177191st/199 · 2025 $4,164175th/199 · 2025
GNI per person (Atlas) i USD $750192nd/201 · 2025 $1,150181st/201 · 2025
GDP growth i % 7.0%19th/210 · 2025 9.4%7th/210 · 2025
Inflation i % -4.5%3rd/180 · 2025 5.9%144th/180 · 2025
Unemployment i % 0.4%3rd/187 · 2025 11.4%157th/187 · 2025
Central government debt i % of GDP — 48.4%1992
General government gross debt i % of GDP 45.5%76th/189 · 2025 64.7%123rd/189 · 2025
Government budget balance i % of GDP -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025 -4.4%140th/192 · 2025
Main industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing i % of GDP 47.6%1st/197 · 2025 20.3%35th/197 · 2025
Industry incl. construction i % of GDP 18.7%132nd/200 · 2025 22.0%113th/200 · 2025
Manufacturing i % of GDP 7.0%133rd/192 · 2024 8.3%120th/192 · 2025
Services i % of GDP 31.1%197th/200 · 2025 52.3%133rd/200 · 2025
Trade
Exports of goods & services i USD $3.41 bn144th/182 · 2025 $3.53 bn143rd/182 · 2025
Imports of goods & services i USD $3.93 bn145th/182 · 2025 $5.75 bn137th/182 · 2025
Exports i % of GDP 15.8%158th/183 · 2025 21.6%139th/183 · 2025
Imports i % of GDP 18.1%170th/183 · 2025 35.1%114th/183 · 2025
Trade openness i % of GDP 33.9%172nd/183 · 2025 56.7%134th/183 · 2025
Fuel exports i % of merchandise exports 88.0%6th/170 · 2024 0.1%137th/170 · 2022
Manufactures exports i % of merchandise exports 7.3%141st/171 · 2024 10.4%130th/171 · 2022
Food exports i % of merchandise exports 4.1%143rd/171 · 2024 27.2%54th/171 · 2022
Ores & metals exports i % of merchandise exports 0.0%167th/171 · 2024 20.9%25th/171 · 2022
High-tech exports i % of manufactured exports 8.6%77th/168 · 2024 4.8%104th/168 · 2022
Current account balance i % of GDP -3.7%124th/191 · 2025 -9.8%170th/191 · 2025
Foreign direct investment, inflows i % of GDP 1.2%135th/196 · 2025 5.9%36th/196 · 2025
Natural resources
Natural resource rents i % of GDP 6.4%63rd/209 · 2021 4.0%81st/209 · 2021
Oil rents i % of GDP 0.62%52nd/197 · 2021 0.00%120th/197 · 2021
Natural gas rents i % of GDP 0.03%70th/197 · 2021 0.05%66th/197 · 2021
Coal rents i % of GDP 0.04%37th/195 · 2021 0.00%68th/195 · 2021
Mineral rents i % of GDP 0.83%48th/209 · 2021 0.00%91st/209 · 2021
Forest rents i % of GDP 4.89%14th/209 · 2021 3.97%20th/209 · 2021
Arable land i % of land area 14.0%78th/206 · 2024 48.9%7th/206 · 2024
Renewable freshwater per person i m³ 138168th/183 · 2022 696146th/183 · 2022
Tourism
International tourist arrivals i arrivals 85,000170th/194 · 2020 1.6 m77th/194 · 2019
Tourism receipts i USD $130.0 m136th/175 · 2019 $212.0 m124th/175 · 2020
Tourism receipts i % of exports 9.4%60th/168 · 2019 11.0%53rd/168 · 2020
Outbound trips i departures 10,0001998 —
Society & health
Life expectancy i years 61.4207th/217 · 2024 68.0167th/217 · 2024
Under-5 mortality i per 1,000 births 110.7195th/196 · 2024 37.7151st/196 · 2024
Physicians i per 1,000 people 0.04174th/174 · 2023 0.09164th/174 · 2022
Hospital beds i per 1,000 people 0.3143rd/145 · 2020 0.8126th/145 · 2023
DPT immunization i % of children 12–23 months 86%125th/193 · 2024 98%20th/193 · 2024
Completed lower secondary, 25+ i % of adults 8.4%153rd/153 · 2022 18.0%143rd/153 · 2022
Secondary enrolment i % gross 19.9%172nd/173 · 2024 48.8%157th/173 · 2024
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) i % of population 23.3%44th/55 · 2021 28.4%2013
Old-age dependency ratio i % of working-age population 5.1%198th/217 · 2025 6.8%163rd/217 · 2025
Health spending i % of GDP 4.0%154th/193 · 2023 5.1%123rd/193 · 2023
Adult literacy i % 35.6%98th/98 · 2022 78.8%67th/98 · 2022
Tertiary enrolment i % gross 4.2%2019 9.4%142nd/150 · 2024
Human Development Index i index 0–1 0.419188th/193 · 2023 0.578159th/193 · 2023
Income inequality (Gini) i index 32.940th/108 · 2021 39.483rd/108 · 2023
Extreme poverty i % of population 60.5%104th/108 · 2021 38.6%96th/108 · 2023
Infrastructure & digital
Access to electricity i % of population 21.3%210th/215 · 2024 72.0%176th/215 · 2024
Safely managed sanitation i % of population 9.1%141st/144 · 2024 —
Internet users i % of population 15.6%182nd/186 · 2024 31.7%167th/186 · 2024
Mobile subscriptions i per 100 people 61193rd/210 · 2024 93154th/210 · 2024
Fixed broadband i per 100 people 0.1193rd/208 · 2024 0.6177th/208 · 2024
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) i score 1–5 2.00148th/164 · 2018 2.9058th/164 · 2022
Air passengers carried i passengers 5,775154th/161 · 2023 1.5 m87th/161 · 2023
Environment & energy
CO₂ emissions per person i t CO₂e 0.1214th/203 · 2024 0.1620th/203 · 2024
Renewable energy i % of final energy use 79.6%18th/212 · 2021 79.9%17th/212 · 2022
Air pollution (PM2.5) i µg/m³ 65.2196th/200 · 2023 36.0171st/200 · 2023
Forest area i % of land area 0.8%199th/214 · 2024 26.1%116th/214 · 2024
Energy use per person i kg oil eq. 173146th/149 · 2024 359135th/149 · 2024
Institutions & safety
Government effectiveness i score 0–100 34.6173rd/205 · 2025 59.774th/205 · 2025
Control of corruption i score 0–100 33.2151st/207 · 2025 60.955th/207 · 2025
Rule of law i score 0–100 40.1173rd/207 · 2025 60.294th/207 · 2025
Political stability i score 0–100 34.6193rd/207 · 2025 67.7105th/207 · 2025
Regulatory quality i score 0–100 42.3160th/205 · 2025 59.976th/205 · 2025
Voice & accountability i score 0–100 36.8161st/205 · 2025 43.7141st/205 · 2025
Homicide rate i per 100,000 4.42012 3.686th/145 · 2020
Military
Military expenditure i USD $488.9 m106th/156 · 2025 $191.2 m129th/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of GDP 2.1%54th/156 · 2025 1.3%101st/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of government spending 15.2%16th/154 · 2025 4.7%87th/154 · 2025
Armed forces personnel i people 10,000131st/170 · 2020 35,00084th/170 · 2020
Armed forces personnel i % of labour force 0.11%161st/168 · 2020 0.70%94th/168 · 2020
Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 4.0 m135th/163 · 2025 37.0 m70th/163 · 2023
Science & innovation
R&D spending i % of GDP — 0.78%49th/110 · 2023
Patent applications by residents i applications — 8109th/137 · 2024
Scientific articles i articles 90143rd/197 · 2023 434107th/197 · 2023

Questions and answers

Which has more people, Niger or Rwanda?

Niger has the larger population: 27.9 m (2025) compared with 14.6 m for Rwanda (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.

Which is bigger by area, Niger or Rwanda?

Niger is larger: 1,267,000 km² (2024) compared with 26,340 km² for Rwanda (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.

Which economy is larger, Niger or Rwanda?

Niger has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $60.78 bn intl. (2025) compared with $60.67 bn intl. for Rwanda (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.

Which is richer per person, Niger or Rwanda?

Rwanda has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $4,164 intl. (2025) compared with $2,177 intl. for Niger (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.

Where do people live longer, in Niger or Rwanda?

Rwanda has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.0 years (2024) compared with 61.4 years for Niger (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.

Which spends more on the military, Niger or Rwanda?

Niger spends more on the military: $488.9 m (2025) compared with $191.2 m for Rwanda (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.

Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Niger or Rwanda?

Rwanda: 34.3 points (149th in the world); Niger: 18.5 points (191st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.

More comparisons

Niger compared with

Rwanda compared with

Sources

World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Niger vs Rwanda — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/niger-vs-rwanda. Data as of 26 October 2026.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Niger vs Rwanda — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/niger-vs-rwanda. Data as of 26 October 2026.
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