Facts about Rwanda, According to local belief, Tutsi cattle breeders began arriving in Rwanda from the Horn of Africa (Somalia) in the 15th century and gradually subjugated the Hutu inhabitants. The Tutsis established a monarchy headed by a mwami (king) and a feudal hierarchy of Tutsi nobles and gentry. Through a contract known as ubuhake, the Hutu farmers pledged their services and those of their descendants to a Tutsi lord in return for the loan of cattle and use of pastures and arable land. Thus, the Tutsi reduced the Hutu to virtual serfdom. However, boundaries of race and class became less distinct over the years as some Tutsi enjoyed few advantages over the Hutu. Facts about Rwanda, In 1899, the mwami submitted to a German protectorate without resistance. Belgian troops from Zaire drove the small number of Germans out of Rwanda in 1915 and took control of the country.
Rwanda has always been plagued by ethnic-based strife. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but there was a massive resumption of civil warfare in April 1994. During the three-month-long conflict, an attempted Tutsi genocide killed more than 500,000 people, and another 2 million fled as refugees to neighboring countries.
Rwanda is a small country in East Africa bordering Uganda, Burundi, DRC, and Tanzania. Rwanda draws tourists from all over the world, primarily to track mountain gorillas.
Location: Rwanda is in East Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Uganda to its north and Burundi to the south. Facts about Rwanda, Rwanda also shares its eastern border with Tanzania.
Area: Rwanda covers 26,338 sq km, slightly smaller than Maryland, US.
Capital City: Kigali
Population: Almost 10 million (Rwanda is Africa’s most densely populated country).
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili.
Religion: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%
Climate: Rwanda has a temperate climate with two rainy seasons from February to April and November to January. Click here for daily temperatures.
When to visit Rwanda: June – September (during the dry season).
Currency: Rwandan Franc
Rwanda’s International Airport: Kigali International Airport (KGL) is small but efficient and only 10 minutes from the town center. Airlines arriving here include SN Brussels, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Burundi, and Rwandair Express.
Brief Facts:
Full name: Republic of Rwanda
Population: 11.2 million (UN, 2012)
Capital: Kigali
Area: 26,338 sq km (10,169 sq miles)
Major languages: Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), English (official), Swahili
Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs
Life expectancy: 54 years (men), 57 years (women) (UN)
Main exports: Coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
GNI per capita: US $570 (World Bank, 2011)
Internet domain: .rw
International dialing code: +250
Other interesting facts to note include;
- The Republic of Rwanda is currently under the leadership of the elected president His excellence Paul Kagame.
- Rwanda on the East African map is a land-locked country bordered by Uganda in the North, Tanzania to the East, Burundi to the South, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the West.
- Rwanda is a peaceful country with low rates of crime, security is tight and secure under Rwanda’s Defense force. Corruption is also not tolerated in the country.
- Rwanda has woman empowerment in leadership with 67% of the parliament seats are occupied by women.
- Rwanda for a long time is known as a small country covered in verdant rolling hills.
- It is also known for the 1994 genocide, a war that erupted between the Tutsi and Huntu that led to the massacre killing of million population of Rwandans. Every year in the months of April the country as a whole commemorate and pray for the lost lives in what they term as “Ukwibuka”.
- The capital city of Rwanda is Kigali, one of the cleanest cities in the East African region. Every last Saturday of the month is a cleaning day where every citizen including the president takes part in cleaning “umuganda” working together. Apart from vehicles on official duty or tourism, no one else is expected to move anyhow. Facts about Rwanda, The exercise starts in the morning up to midday.
- The government of Rwanda implemented the ban on the use of polythene bags as one way of conserving and keeping the city clean. Also wearing sandals was prohibited to control jiggers in the masses.
- Kigali city is a hub of prominent buildings and business centers including the Kigali convention center. Kigali international airport is also located within the heart of the city center 10 minutes drive.
- Rwanda is known as the leading east African country in digital evolution, it also has fast internet that enables e-services including e-tax payments, penalties and business transactions.
- Rwanda is also a luxurious tourist destination, the country’s leading touristic activity gorilla tracking costs USD 1500 with luxury accommodation facilities to support tourism activities. The luxury facilities include Bisate lodge, Nyungwe house, One&Only among others located within the parks.
- Tourism plays an important role in the country’s economic growth. It’s the biggest revenue incoming generating source followed by agriculture in tea, coffee, and Banana plantation. The biggest local population in Rwanda is cattle rearing and arable farming.
- Rwanda is a small country it has 4 national parks, Volcanoes national park in the North predominantly for gorilla tracking, Golden monkey tracking, and volcano climbing, Nyungwe National park to the south and Gishwati- mukula for chimp tracking, Akagera National park in the east for a game drive and viewing among other protected areas.
- The First American primatologist Dian Fossey lived in Rwanda, Facts about Rwanda, volcanoes national park where she spent most of her life studying and researching about gorillas until she met her death in 1985. She is the author of “Gorillas in the mist”.
- Other than national parks, Rwanda is dominated by other touristic features such as the 5 volcanoes (Karisimbi, Bisoke, sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhavura) all can be accessed through volcanoes national parks, Genocide memorial sites where the remains of those who lost their lives in 1994 Huntu-Tutsi war rest. The genocides sites are over 10 distributed within the city center and other parts of the country. There is also business and cultural tourism within the country.
- Lastly, Rwanda’s climate is unpredictable, there are two main seasons within a year. The dry season is throughout the month of June- September then December to February whereas the rainy season is March to May the October and November, however, the country is close to the equator which makes the weather pattern unpredictable, nevertheless the average annual rainfall is about 1140 mm with average temperatures of 70 degrees Farenheight all year all around the country.
