Rwanda presents to you one of the wonders of Africa with irresistible beauty and a virgin economy. It is famous for gorilla safaris and tours and wonderful culture in Africa. The movie hotel Rwanda presents the fact that the 1994 Rwanda genocide history is phased out of Rwanda. The economy is rising rapidly and the natives have left the past behind for new developments.
The land of a thousand hills, with endless expansive lush mountains and diverse natural beauty lies with in the great lakes region of central Africa and boasts a moderate climate. Mountains dominate the centre and west of the country, while the east consists of savannah plains and swamps.
Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic republic of Congo to the west. Despite being landlocked and one of Africa’s smallest countries, 26,338 sq km, Rwanda has an incredible treasure trove of diversity that requires protection. The Albertine-rift eco- zone (ARE), a region that stretches across six countries with Rwanda as its epi-centre, is of particular importance as it has an exceptional level of species endemism. Scientists regard it as having the highest levels of diversity on the continent.
The nature lover will be impressed by the variety and the rarity of what can be observed visiting Rwanda, but there is more to Rwanda than protected mountain gorillas and Albertine endemics. The shores of Lake Kivu boast some of the best inland beaches in Africa and offer an opportunity to explore the many small islands of Lake Kivu.
Kigali, the capital and conference hub of east Africa, forms a central stepping stone to various destinations with in the country and cent5ral and east Africa. The city is green, vibrant, safe and brews superb home grown tea and coffee.
Although Rwanda is all too often associated with the 1994 genocide that resulted in the mass murder of as much as 20% of the country’s total population, the country is taking giant strides towards cultural recovery and investment in the future.
Quick Facts About Rwanda
Independence Day : July 1st 1962
Religions : Roman Catholic, Traditional
State Motto: ‘Umbwe, Umurimo, Gukunda, Igihugu’ or ‘Unity, Work, Patriotism’
National Flag: The colours are blue, yellow and green with the sun in the top right hand corner.
Language: Kinyarwanda, French and English are official languages
Physical Features: Twenty three lakes, five volcanoes and numerous rivers.
Climate: Rwanda’s climate reflects the country’s location near the equator. Rwanda enjoys a tropical climate with two rainy seasons; March-May, and October – November, and two summer seasons. Average temperatures range from 24.6°C to 27.6°C.
National Parks: Rwanda national parks, Volcanoes, Akagera and Nyungwe, have a profusion of wildlife with mountain gorillas as the best tourist attractions. The gorillas keep moving to and from Uganda , Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and gorilla trekking safaris are offered to these three countries.
Public Holidays recognized in Rwanda
1 January (New Year’s Day);
28 January (Democracy Day)
1 February (National Heroes Day);
Good Friday (Date Varies)
Easter Day (Date Varies)
7 April (Genocide Memorial Day);
1 May (Labour Day);
21 May Kamarampaka Day
1 July (Independence Day);
4 July (National Liberation Day);
15 August (Assumption Day);
1 October (Patriotism Day);
25 December (Christmas Day), and
26 December(Boxing Day).
On the fore fronts of economy, Rwanda is gaining considerably in the tourism sector. The national parks, mountains and lakes provide numerous habitats for a diversity of wildlife, birds and other safari attractions.
Hotel provide luxury and cheap accommodation to all travelers and the experienced personnel working their offer quality services. Indeed, a safari to Rwanda is truly rewarding!
Transport and communication section has built up standard road network from the different provinces of Rwanda to Kigali main stream.
The education system is improving starting from the grassroots far in the villages to the urban areas. The country is divided into administrative areas according to regions including Kigali province which embraces the capital city of the country in addition to the northern, southern, eastern and western provinces.
Rwanda Nziza means Beautiful Rwanda!
This website tries to show you its beauty and the possibilities for coming to Rwanda, for a holiday or for business.
The economy is growing fast as Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa and there are excellent investment opportunities.
Location:
Rwanda is in East/Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo with Uganda to its north and Burundi to the south. Rwanda also shares its eastern border with Tanzania.
Land Boundaries:
Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, and Uganda 169 km.
Geography:
Size 26,338 sq km slightly smaller than Maryland, US. Rwanda has a temperate climate with two rainy seasons from February to April and November to January. The temperature is mild in mountains with frost and snow possible at higher altitudes. Rwanda’s terrain consists of mostly grassy uplands and hills with a mountainous altitude declining from west to east. Its lowest point is the Rusizi River at 950 m and its highest point is Volcan Karisimbi which stands at 4,519 m. Rwanda is a land locked country and most of its population is rural.
Population:
Just under 10 million people live in Rwanda making it the most densely populated country in Africa. Life expectancy is around 49 years. Birth rate is on average 5.37 per woman. Literacy rate is just over 70%.
Languages
Kinyarwanda (official) which is a universal Bantu vernacular; French (official); English (official), and Kiswahili (Swahili) which is used in commercial centers.Ethnic Groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, and Twa (Pygmy) 1%Religion:
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, and none 1.7% (2001)
Brief Political History
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees – many fearing Tutsi retribution – fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms – including Rwanda’s first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 – the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali’s increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda’s efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Economic Overview
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda’s fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country’s ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda’s fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. Kigali’s high defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.