Rwanda
Visited
At a glance
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Capital
- Kigali
- Population
- 14.3 million (2024)
- Area
- 26,338 km²
- Languages
- English, French, Kinyarwanda
- Currency
- Rwandan franc (RWF)
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +250
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Before you go
Overview
Rwanda is a landlocked country in east-central Africa south of the Equator. The capital city is Kigali in the middle of the country. Kigali Genocide Memorial in the city archives the 1994 mass mob homicides in Rwanda and the civil war.
The country gained independence from Belgium with UN intervention on 1st July 1962.
The country has five volcanoes with Kisirimbi as the highest one with 4507m above sea level. The country has attractive savannah, waving hills and landscapes with abundant wildlife that attract tourists.
Rwanda was occupied by the Twa and Hutu people between 1300s- 1916 and later Tutsi moved in too. The three tribes are from the same linguistic tribe called Bunyarwanda.
In 1959, there was a deadly genocide following the ethnic clashes between the Hutu and Tutsi. The violence forced many Tutsi to shift to Uganda. The genocide had a very great impact on the country and its memorials are kept in the Kigali Genocide Memorial in the city archives.
Paul Kagame was elected president on 24th March 2000.
As of 2019, the country had a population of 12.626 million with an area of 26,338 km2.
Currently, the country is among the fastest-growing countries in Africa following its major investments in Infrastructure and IT sectors.
The official language is Kinyarwanda.
The education system comprises of six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary and four years of university. The predominant religion is Christianity.
The most popular sport in the country is football.
Rwanda has a tropical highland climate with temperatures that are lower than that of typical equatorial countries. The crops planted are bananas, cassava, beans, maize, wheat and rice. The country’s national dish is Brochettes; the meat can either be beef, chicken, goat or pork served with vegetables.
Rwanda is bordered by Uganda at the north, Tanzania at the east, Burundi at the south and DRC and Lake Kivu to the west.
History
Rwanda was a kingdom before German and then Belgian colonial rule. It became independent in 1962, and in 1994 suffered a genocide in which around 800,000 people were killed.
Food & culture
Isombe (cassava leaves), brochettes and matoke are common, and Rwandan coffee and tea are exported worldwide.
Wildlife
Volcanoes National Park is home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, and Nyungwe has chimpanzees.
Festivals & events
Kwita Izina, the gorilla-naming ceremony, takes place each year.
Things to see
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe Forest, Akagera National Park and the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Interesting facts
Rwanda banned plastic bags in 2008. On the last Saturday of each month, communities take part in umuganda, a morning of public service.
