Facts

East Africa has been the fastest growing region in Africa over the last ten years with an average GDP growth of 6.7% per year. It is home to several of the fastest growing economies in the world, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, for which the East Africa Representative Office is responsible.

The current population of East Africa is just under 500 million with an average annual population growth rate of around 2.5%. In addition, there is a growing middle class with corresponding purchasing power, which brings with it a multitude of opportunities for the Bavarian economy.

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda are part of the East African Community (EAC). The EU has an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EAC, but it has yet to be ratified. In the meantime, a bilateral free trade agreement between the EU and Kenya has been in force since 1 July 2024.

Kenya is the third largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria. Nairobi is the central location for many national and international organisations operating in East Africa and is home to one of the globally four main offices of the United Nations.

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa in terms of area and is home to the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia, which are popular with tourists. With around 62 million inhabitants, it is the fifth largest country in Africa by population.

Due to its location, Uganda offers strategic access to the Central African states of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. The capital Kampala is not far from the shores of Lake Victoria, which forms part of the border with Kenya and Tanzania.

Rwanda, a small landlocked country in East-Central Africa, is a rather small but stable market and known as an emerging tech hub.