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Languages of Rwanda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Rwanda has four official languages: Kinyarwanda, English, French, and Swahili. Kinyarwanda is the national language and spoken almost universally, English is the primary working and instructional language, widely used in government, education, and business.[2][3] French, which served as the main administrative language during the colonial period, remains in limited use in diplomacy and cultural contexts.[4] Swahili was adopted as an official language in 2017 to promote regional communication within the East African Community.[5]
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Overview
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Perspective
French had been the language of administration from the country's time under Belgian administration, between the World War I and independence in 1962. Since the 1994 genocide, the complications of relations with successive French governments and the return of numerous Tutsi refugees from anglophone Uganda meant an increase in the use of English by a higher proportion of the population and administration.
In 2008, the government changed the medium of education from French to English.[6] At the same time, English increasingly became the working language of government and administration, further reducing the role of French in official domains. By 2018 the Rwandan government had reintroduced French as a foreign language class at the primary school level, and French was still widely used by members of the upper classes. A Rwandan historian, Antoine Mugesera, stated that French is still used among the educated, but Kinyarwanda is used for matters relating to simple topics and messages.[7]
English is now Rwanda’s primary working and business language. It is the main language used in government administration, education, and commerce, and serves as the statutory medium of instruction across all levels of education. While Kinyarwanda remains the national language and the principal medium of everyday communication, English is the dominant language in formal, academic, professional, and business contexts.[4]
Swahili is used by some people, in commerce, and is taught as a subject in schools.[8] In 2017, the Rwandan National Assembly adopted a law making Swahili the fourth official language of Rwanda.[5]
Inhabitants of Rwanda's Nkombo Island speak Mashi.[9] Mashi is the native language of the inhabitants of Nkombo Island on Lake Kivu. Its use on the island is a direct legacy of the region's historical affiliation with the Kingdom of Bushi.[10]
Mashi is a distinct Bantu language, separate from Kinyarwanda.[11] This linguistic autonomy is established by several facts:
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Language distribution of .rw websites
According to W3Techs (retrieved 11 November 2025), among websites using the .rw domain whose content language is known, English dominates with 96.2%, followed by Kinyarwanda at 2.3% and French at 1.3%.
Rwanda
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2022 Census
According to the 2022 national census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the resident population aged 15 years and above by language(s) of literacy (%) was recorded as follows:[16]
2012 Census
According to the 2012 national census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the resident population aged 15 years and above by language(s) of literacy (%) was recorded as follows:[17]
Note: Percentages may exceed 100% because individuals can have literacy in more than one language.
Kinyarwanda
Kinyarwanda is one of the three official languages of Rwanda and is spoken by virtually the entire population.[1]
In 2012, according to the 4th Population and Housing Census (RPHC4), 67.7% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in Kinyarwanda, making it by far the 1st language of literacy in the country.[17]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 78.3% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in Kinyarwanda, again making it by far the 1st language of literacy in the country.[16]
English
English has been one of the three official languages of Rwanda since 2003, and in 2008 it replaced French as the language of education. It also became the working language of the country.[1]
In 2012, according to the 4th Population and Housing Census (RPHC4), 14.7% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in English, making it the 2nd language of literacy in the country after Kinyarwanda.[17]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 21.2% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in English, again making it the 2nd language of literacy in the country after Kinyarwanda.[16]
French
French is one of the three official languages of Rwanda.[1] Until 2008, it served as the language of education before being replaced by English.
In 2012, according to the 4th General Census of Population and Housing (RPHC4), 11.4% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in French, making it the 3rd language of literacy in the country after Kinyarwanda and English.[17]
In 2014, according to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), 6% of Rwandans were Francophone.[18]
In December 2014, new Rwandan franc banknotes were issued only in English and Kinyarwanda. French disappeared from them.[19]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 8.2% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in French, making it the 3rd language of literacy in the country after Kinyarwanda and English.[16]
Swahili
On 8 February 2017, the Rwandan National Assembly adopted a law making Swahili the fourth official language of Rwanda.[5]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 4% of the resident population aged 15 and over was literate in Swahili, making it the 4th language of literacy in the country after Kinyarwanda, English, and French.[16]
Mashi
Mashi is a Bantu language spoken by the Bashi people across the Lake Kivu region, including its islands such as Nkombo Island and coastal areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its usage in these areas is a direct legacy of their historical affiliation with the Kingdom of Bushi.[20]
Mashi is linguistically distinct from Kinyarwanda.[21] Several key features establish its autonomy:
- The language has its own ISO 639-3 code:
job.[22] - Its phonology includes distinct sounds and syllabic structures not found in neighboring languages.[23]
- Its lexicon shows fundamental differences in core vocabulary, including basic terms and cultural concepts.[24]
- Its grammar, particularly the system of noun classes and verbal extensions, follows unique patterns.[25]
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Kigali
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Perspective
2022 Census
According to the 2022 national census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the resident population aged 15 years and above in Kigali by language(s) of literacy (%) was as follows:[26]
2012 Census
According to the 2012 national census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the resident population aged 15 years and above in Kigali by language(s) of literacy (%) was as follows:[27]
Note: Percentages may exceed 100% because individuals can have literacy in more than one language.
Kinyarwanda
Kinyarwanda is one of the three official languages of Rwanda and is spoken by virtually the entire population.[1]
In 2012, according to the 4th Population and Housing Census (RPHC4), 83.4% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in Kinyarwanda, making it by far the 1st language of literacy in the city.[27]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 89.9% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in Kinyarwanda, again making it by far the 1st language of literacy in the city.[26]
English
English has been one of the three official languages of Rwanda since 2003, and in 2008 it replaced French as the language of education. It also became the working language of the country.[1]
In 2012, according to the 4th Population and Housing Census (RPHC4), 29% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in English, making it the 2nd language of literacy in the city after Kinyarwanda.[27]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 41% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in English, again making it the 2nd language of literacy in the city after Kinyarwanda.[26]
French
French is one of the three official languages of Rwanda.[1] Until 2008, it served as the language of education before being replaced by English.
In 2012, according to the 4th General Census of Population and Housing (RPHC4), 26.7% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in French, making it the 3rd language of literacy in the city after Kinyarwanda and English.[27]
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 19.5% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in French, making it the 3rd language of literacy in the city after Kinyarwanda and English.[26]
Swahili
In 2022, according to the 5th Population and Housing Census (RPHC5), 11.7% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Kigali was literate in Swahili, making it the 4th language of literacy in the city after Kinyarwanda, English, and French.[26]
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References
External links
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