Rwanda Overview

by countryaah · Published June 3, 2019 · Updated September 25, 2019

Country Profile

The Republic of Rwanda is located in central and eastern Africa, covering an area of 26,300 square kilometers. Approximately 8l3 million people reside in the country, making Rwanda one of Africa’s most densely populated countries. The Hutu ethnic group constitute about 85% of the total population, with the Tutsis and Twas being other notable groups. Residents are primarily Roman Catholic with indigenous religion also being prolific. The official languages are Kinyarwanda, English, and French, the currency is the Rwanda franc. The capital city is Kigali.

Rwanda National Flag

The Rwandan flag has three horizontal strips of blue, yellow and green, with a yellow sunburst in the top right hand corner. The blue symbolizes peace and tranquility, the yellow denotes the unity of work for economic development, the green indicates prosperity and hope, and the sun and its rays represent unity, transparency and the elimination of ignorance.

History Summary

In 16th century, the Tutsi feudal kingdom was established. In 1890 Rwanda was reduced to a “German East Africa protectorate,” And in 1922, under the “Treaty of Versailles,” was entrusted to Belgian rule. On 1 July, 1962 and set up a republic declared independence plan. July 5, 1975, Juvenal military coup, set up the second President of the Republic and casts herself. . In 1990 civil war broke out, and in June 1991 multi-party system was established. On August 4, 1993, Lu Government and the “Patriotic Front” signed a peace agreement in Arusha, Tanzania, ending a three-year civil war. However, in 1994 civil war broke out again, and led to ethnic cleansing and genocide. On July 19, 1994, the “Patriotic Front” achieved a military victory and seized power, declaring war.

Economy and Culture Overview

Rwanda is often referred to as the “hill country of a thousand,” due to its mountain plateaus with more than 1800 mountains. Over the eastern hills there are swamps, lakes, dense water networks, and a vast natural pasture. The central lowlands contains lakes and the northwest is dominated by a group of volcanic mountains. Rwanda is situated just south of the equator, but the female more than 1,500 meters above sea level, with an annual average temperature of only 18°C, coupled with abundant rainfall, and suitable water and heat conditions. It has been referred to as the “Chang Chun of the country” and also the “African Switzerland.”

The economy is primarily based on agriculture and animal husbandry, with the main cash crops being coffee and tea, and the main food crops being maize, sweet sorghum and Mu. Cattle, pigs, and sheep are the main livestock.