The energy of solutions of the scalar damped wave equation decays uniformly exponentially fast when the geometric control condition is satisfied. A theorem of Lebeau ["Equation des ondes amorties," in Algebraic and Geometric Methods in Mathematical Physics, Springer, pp. 73-109] gives an expression of this exponential decay rate in terms of the average value of the damping terms along geodesics and of the spectrum of the infinitesimal generator of the equation. The aim of this text is to generalize this result in the setting of a vectorial damped wave equation on a Riemannian manifold with no boundary. We obtain an expression analogous to Lebeau's, but new phenomena like high frequency overdamping arise in comparison to the scalar setting. We also prove a necessary and sufficient condition for the strong stabilization of the vectorial wave equation.