The Location of Rwanda in Africa
Rwanda is a landlocked country within the Great Rift Valley region of East Africa. This 26,338km2 stunning country is situated in the area where southeast Africa and the African Great Rift Valley lakes intersect.
Rwanda borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo- Kinshasa and Lake Kivu to the west, Tanzania to the east, Uganda to the north, and Burundi to the south. It is located just a few degrees south of the Equator. The majority of Rwanda’s regions are elevated. At 950 meters above sea level, the Rusizi River is the lowest point within this country.
This country is 880 miles on the west of the Indian Ocean & 1,250 miles in the east of the Atlantic Ocean.
Facts About Rwanda Relief and Geography
Rwanda’s relief area resembles a scene from tropical Switzerland. Its most prominent feature is a ruggedly magnificent mountain range that runs along a north-south axis and is a component of the Congo-Nile divide.
The tallest peak in the Virunga Mountains, Mount Karisimbi, rises more than 4,507 meters above sea level and is located in the northwest of the Republic of Rwanda. Rwanda’s interior highlands are composed of rolling hills and valleys that give way to a low-lying depression west of the Congo-Nile divide, near the beaches of Lake Kivu.
Rwanda’s largest lake- Lake Kivu, which separates the country from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, is also Africa’s 6th largest lake. The lowest point of Lake Kivu is 220m deep. Many people fish in Lake Kivu and some live along its beaches.
The Republic of Rwanda’s Drainage System
The largest eastern river, the Akagera, defines much of the border between Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania. Most of the country’s rivers are found on the eastern side of the Congo-Nile divide. The exception is the Ruzizi, via which the waters of Lake Kivu flow into Lake Tanganyika.
Frequently, visitors on Rwanda tours visit Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park as well as Lake Kivu after tracking the endangered Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Rwanda boasts numerous rivers, but the most well-known is the Akagera River.
Facts About Rwanda Climate in Africa
Because it is located near the Equator, this country has a tropical climate. Rwanda’s high altitude causes cooler temperatures all over the nation, particularly in the west and northern Rwanda region near the Virunga Mountains.
Given their relatively lower height, Kigali and other eastern Rwandan regions are a little warmer.
Kigali’s daily temperature ranges from 15 to 28 Degrees Celsius, with few seasonal fluctuations.
There are two rainy seasons and even two dry seasons in Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills. In Rwanda, the first dry season lasts from June to September, while the second one is from January to February. Wet seasons occur from October to December and from March to May.
According to a report by the Strategic Foresight Group, climate change has resulted in fewer wet days per year but more frequent strong rains. Farmers have been severely impacted by this, and crop yield has decreased.
Soils of Rwanda
The best soils in the Rwanda region are produced by volcanic lavas and alluvium, and they may be found in the northwest and along the lower stretches of the larger river valleys.
Other places in Rwanda have generated generally poor-quality soils because of the primarily metamorphic bedrock. Extreme soil erosion has been worsened by steep slopes, heavy rainfall, intense farming, and deforestation. It is a tough process to halt without investing a large amount of time and energy.
Game Animals in Rwanda Africa
There are over 189 species of mammals in Rwanda. Exploring Rwanda’s national parks, such as Akagera National Park, Nyungwe natural forest, and Volcanoes National Park—home to the critically endangered Mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys is the greatest method for visitors on Rwanda wildlife safari vacations to witness these game species.
Visitors to the Akagera Park Safari will see thousands of savannah game species, including Lions. Giraffes, Zebras, Buffalos, Rhinos, Elephants, Hyenas, Leopards, Warthogs plus various Antelope species including Topis and Elands.
Chimpanzees and other primates such as Vervet monkeys, Olive Baboons, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, and Blue Monkeys, be found in Rwanda’s Nyungwe natural forest.
Lucky travelers on wildlife safaris in Rwanda may be able to encounter rare animals in national parks, such as the Giant pangolin and Aardvark in Akagera National Park.
People and Culture in Rwanda Africa
Rwandan Ethnic Groups
Like Burundi, Rwanda’s two ethnic groups are Hutu and Tutsi, accounting for more than four-fifths and almost a seventh of the nation’s population, respectively. The Twa ethnic group, hunter-gatherers, make up less than 1% of Rwanda’s population.
The other minority consists of a small number of Europeans (mostly missionaries, employees of relief and development organizations & enterprises) and Africans from Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as other locations.
In the past, there were significant socioeconomic class inequalities between Hutus and Tutsis. In this landlocked country Rwanda. A prime example is the patron-client system (buhake, or “cattle contract”) that favored the Tutsi, who were predominantly pastoralists, over the Hutu, who were predominantly farmers, in politics, economics, and society.
Nowadays, practically all farm households cultivate both crops and animals simultaneously, reflecting the strong integration of the formerly distinct pastoral and agricultural systems.
During the Hutu revolution that began in late 1959, between 150,000 and 300,000 Tutsis were compelled to flee the nation. The former governing class became even less of a minority as a result. After the brutal civil war that ended the Rwandan genocide in 1994, a large number of Tutsi exiles returned to their homeland to reclaim their origins!
Rwanda has fewer ethnic groups than some of its neighboring countries, such as Uganda & the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda’s two ethnic groups are the Hutu and the Tutsi.
Facts About Rwanda Culture
In both urban and rural Rwanda, music and dance play a significant role in daily life. The three components of Rwanda’s most well-known dance are the intore, or “dance of heroes,” which is performed by males; the umushagiriro, or “cow dance,” which is performed by women; and the drumming, which is done on ingoma drums.
The most popular local foods in Rwanda are bananas, sweet potatoes, plantains, and beans. Rwandans who live close to lakes for example Kivu Lake tend to love fish meals, particularly those that include Tilapia. Rwandese occasionally consume meat in the month.
Facts on Rwanda Languages
Rwanda’s four official languages are English, Swahili, French, and Kinyarwanda.
Kinyarwanda is a Bantu language spoken by almost all Rwandans. It belongs to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo linguistic family. There are numerous parallels between it and Rundi, the language used in Burundi, a southern neighboring country to Rwanda.
Only a small percentage of the population has traditionally spoken French or English, despite the fact that English was designated as the language of instruction in schools in 2008. Swahili remains the main language spoken in the towns among Africans who reside in the neighbouring countries for example Tanzania and Uganda.
We will assign you a tour guide who speaks the language of your choice, including the aforementioned official languages. If you book your Rwanda safari trip with Prime Safaris & Tours Ltd.
Interesting Facts About Rwanda Religion
The Republic of Rwanda is among the countries where Christianity has had such a profound impact. Hutu revolution was greatly inspired by the egalitarian views of European clergy, and Hutu leaders were recruited from Roman Catholic seminaries.
Over two-fifths of Rwandans identify as Roman Catholics, over one-third as Protestants, and over one-tenth as Adventists. Muslims, nonreligious individuals, and members of Christian schismatic religious groups make up less than 10 percent of the country’s population.
Rwanda Facts on Demographic Trends- Facts About Rwanda Settlement Patterns
In Rwanda, severe dispersal is the predominant settlement pattern, despite the country’s high population density. It’s among the most densely populated countries within Africa.
The majority of people in Rwanda are rural residents who live in nuclear families spread out over hillsides. When Rwanda earned its independence, its capital city, Kigali, was just a small hamlet. However, over time, it grew to become the largest city in the country, and now, Kigali is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Africa.
In Rwanda, approximately 27.9% of the population lives in urban areas and 72.1% in rural areas.
Facts About Rwanda Population
Although it is related to that of its neighboring countries, Rwanda’s population is growing faster than the world average.
Similar to other countries of East Africa, Rwanda has one of the highest birth rates in the world. The death rate is marginally higher than in neighboring countries and much higher than the global average.
This scenic country has a life expectancy of about 50 years, which is lower than the average for the world but about the average for Africa. With about two-fifths of the population under 15 and another third between 15 and 29, Rwanda has a young population.
Due to regional instability, Rwanda has received several requests for asylum from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; on the other hand, Rwandans have fled to those two nations during times of violence, including the 1990 civil war and the 1994 genocide.
A new wave of demographic shifts brought about by these conflicts includes the departure and return of more than two million refugees, several hundred thousand orphans, and a sizable number of single parents.
Recall that the population of Rwanda Africa was predicted to be more than 13.25 million in 2022, based on the country’s most recent population census.
The Economy of Rwanda in Africa
The agricultural industry is the main driver of Rwanda’s economy, although there are other industries as well, like as tourism, textile, manufacturing, mining, and fishing.
Majority of people in Rwanda are farmers, and this occupation is widespread throughout the nation. Irish potatoes, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, and cassava are a few of the principal crops grown. Crop growing is a major source of income for many individuals in this country.
In Rwanda, many people plant bananas primarily to produce banana wine, a beloved local brew that is consumed all across the country. Certain varieties of bananas are grown in smaller amounts for immediate consumption or cooking.
Bananas are not only a staple meal in Rwanda today but also a broad-leafed perennial crop that plays a critical role in fighting soil erosion on the steep hillsides of the country. The major cash crops are tobacco, tea, pyrethrum (a flower used to create pyrethrin, a non-synthetic pesticide), and Arabic coffee, which was brought to this country by European missionaries. Rwanda’s primary export is coffee.
In this country within Central Africa, farming is mostly labor-intensive, with hoes and machetes being used by most farmers.
Take note;
Rwanda is a rapidly expanding tourism destination, primarily recognized for its gorilla trekking tours in the Volcanoes National Park. Although it’s not very common, fishing is also done in Lake Kivu.
Rwanda’s industrial sector includes textile, coffee processing, cement, paint, soap, furniture, medicines, drinks, and culinary items. Kigali capital city is home to the majority of the major processing industries in the country.
Facts About Rwanda Resources & Power
Tungsten and tin are Rwanda’s two principal mineral resources; other resources include Gold, Columbite, Tantalite, and Beryl. The Methane gas from Lake Kivu is used as both a nitrogen fertilizer and fuel for automobiles.
Mukungwa hydroelectric power station, Rwanda’s main source of electricity, only provides a minor portion of the country’s energy needs; most of the electricity in this country within Central Africa is imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Facts About Rwanda Security
The Rwanda Defense Force is made up of a modest air force and a large army contingent. There’s also a small paramilitary detachment there. Membership in the military is voluntary. Rwandan military personnel have participated in missions with the African Union and United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.
Facts About Rwanda Cultural Life
Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas are some of Rwanda’s most celebrated holidays because of the country’s large Christian population. Roman Catholics celebrate The Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15. Muslim communities observe holidays such as ʿĪd al-Fiṭr to commemorate the conclusion of Ramadan and ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā to honor the completion of the hajj. Independence Day (July 1) and Genocide Memorial Day (April 7) are two more holidays.
Facts About Rwanda Education System
From the age of 7, everyone has to go to elementary school for six years. After that, there are 6 years of secondary school, split into two three-year cycles. The first cycle is also required. In stages that began in the 2000s, the government made primary & secondary schooling free.
More than two-thirds of children of primary school age were registered in the early 1990s, but the civil war and the 1994 genocide in this country made it very hard to run the schools. Even before that, not many Rwandans went to secondary schools because they could only fit 10% of elementary school graduates.
Rebuilding the education system has gone well. By the middle of the 2010s, more than four-fifths of people of primary school age were enrolled, and more than three-fifths had finished primary school. From 2009 to now, there have been a lot more students in secondary schools.
Fascinating Facts About Rwanda History
A large portion of Rwanda’s history is defined by the Hutu-Tutsi conflict, simply the 1994 genocide in this country. The Tutsis were a minority in Rwanda, yet they were able to overcome the Hutus and maintain power until the late 19th century.
Rwanda was claimed as a colony by Germany in the 1890s. As a result of World War I, Belgium annexed the land in 1916. Ruanda-Urundi is the name that Belgium gave to the area that included Rwanda and Burundi after the war ended in 1918.
Tensions (ethnic strife) ran high between Tutsis and Hutus at the turn of the 20th century. When fighting broke out in 1959 between the two parties, many Tutsis were forced to abandon the country. Under the leadership of newly elected Hutu presidents, Rwanda proclaimed its independence in 1962.
Up until 1990, the Hutu dominated government. The subsequent invasion by Tutsi rebels sparked yet another civil war. Peace talks between the two factions started in 1993, after years of fighting. The Rwandan president’s plane was shot down in 1994 by a rocket that the Tutsis rebels had launched. There was a Hutu president. In the hundred days that followed, the Hutus slaughtered 800,000 people- a large number of them were Tutsis and moderate Hutus – as a form of revenge. The horrific murders, or genocide, in Rwanda forced millions of people to flee their homes.
Over the years after the genocide, a large number of Tutsi refugees did go back to their home countries. In order to bring those responsible for the atrocities to justice, the United Nations- (European Nations) established a royal court holding supreme court judges to hear trials, which continued until 2015.
In 2003, Rwanda ratified a new constitution with the goal of ensuring that no one ethnic group would ever have undue influence over the nation. After decades of economic stagnation following the 1994 genocide, Rwanda is finally beginning to gain recognition as a technological powerhouse in Africa.
Note this also; During the First World War, the Belgians took over what was then called Ruanda-Urundi and is now Rwanda. In 1924, after World War 1, the League of Nations gave Belgium a mandate to rule Ruanda-Urundi. It did this by putting Tutsi kings in charge of the area. By then there was Tutsi supremacy in the country!
Facts About Rwanda Health and Welfare
Due to active government initiatives and international donor money, Rwanda’s health has improved in the 21st century. Rwandans can now receive medical treatment more easily thanks to new healthcare facilities and skilled healthcare staff in each community.
Rwandan government collaborates with NGOs to promote health in the country. The government’s health insurance plan has also made health care cheaper for many Rwandans. However, more doctors are needed, especially specialists and rural ones.
Despite the country’s high HIV/AIDS rate, innovative treatment methods halved it in two years in the early 2000s. Although Malaria mortality and Tuberculosis infections reduced in the first decade of the 21st century, they remain important health issues. Nutritional inadequacies threaten the population, especially children.
Quick Interesting Facts About Rwanda Africa
These are some brief facts about Rwanda that travelers planning a holiday in the “Land of a Thousand Hills” should be aware of.
Facts About Rwanda Wildlife
- Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are found in Volcanoes National Park. A gorilla tracking permit in Rwanda is $1500
- It’s possible to see all the Big 5 in their natural habitat during wildlife safaris in Rwanda Akagera National Park.
- This country- the Land of a Thousand Hills holds also Golden monkeys. Other endangered species of primates including Chimpanzees can be spotted well in national parks like Nyungwe.
- Rwanda hosts the Kwita Izina baby gorilla naming ceremony every year on September 1st
Cultural Facts About Rwanda
- Pointing at someone is considered strange and impolite in this country
- Every last day of the month is Umuganda Day. This day is scheduled to clean up the environment in the local communities and even in Kigali city. It’s okay for visitors on Rwanda safari tours to take part for instance in cleaning roads.
- Rwandan beliefs are quite remarkable! For example, the demon will come to haunt you at night if you eat the eyeballs of the fish.
- Children avoid looking directly into the eyes of elders when conversing with them. This is a polite gesture!
Economic Facts About Rwanda
- Rwandan Francs is the official currency of Rwanda. Although most lodges take other currencies like US dollars, Rwandan francs are generally accepted.
- Coffee is a significant cash crop in Rwanda. It was introduced during the colonial era.
Geographic Facts About Rwanda in Africa
- The physical coordinates of Rwanda are 29.8739°E and 9408°S.
- Rwanda’s size is roughly 26,338km2
- The highest point of Rwanda is at Mount Karisimbi- 4,507m above sea level
- There are two wet seasons and two dry seasons in this country.
- Rwanda is located at UTC +2 hours.
- Five of the eight Virunga Volcanoes are located within this country
- Despite Rwanda’s being a landlocked country in East Central Africa, tourists can yet enjoy beach retreats at Lake Kivu
- Rwanda Akagera River is one of the numerous rivers in this country
- This country is 880 miles west of the Indian Ocean and 1,250 miles east of Atlantic Ocean
Political Facts About Rwanda
- Paul Kagame has served as this nation’s president since April 22, 2000.
- On July 1, 1962, Rwanda gained independence from Belgium.
- Most of the parliament members of Rwanda are mostly women. Women among the parliament members of Rwanda make up approximately 63.8 of the seats.
- Rwanda is one of the most politically secure nations in the East African region to travel to for vacation.
- This landlocked country has much lower crime rates than its neighbouring countries Democratic Republic of Congo inclusive.
- The corruption cases in this country are not tolerated
- This country & Burundi were a part of German East Africa from 1894 until 1918.
- There are various political organizations in Rwanda. Approximately nine political parties are present in this nation, including the Rwandese Alliance for National Unity & the Rwandan Patriotic Front (former Tutsi rebels), which President Kagame leads. This country practices political pluralism.
- Rwanda’s Prime minister, Édouard Ngirente, was chosen in 2017.
- The 2003 new constitution of Rwanda encourages gender equality and women empowerment. That’s why you can see that most parliament members are women.
- There was declaring war on the Tutsi people after they shot down a Hutu President- (Juvénal Habyarimana) helicopter. This is the main cause of the 1994 genocide. In this war, about 800,000 victims died including the Tutsi the most, and the Moderate Hutus- the Hutus who covered the Tutsi.
- Before the arrival of colonialists, Rwanda was ruled by the Tutsi monarchy. The first Tutsi king was Ruganzu who ruled in the 15th and 16th century
Other Main Points
- Driving in Rwanda is done on the right
- +250 is Rwanda’s country code
- Rwanda safaris are open to visitors year-round
- French, English, Rwandese, and Kiswahili are the official languages in this country.
FAQs on Facts About Rwanda Africa
1. What Is Rwanda Famous for in Africa?
Rwanda is best known for its endangered Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in north western Rwanda. Within this country led by President Paul Kagame, tourists can do chimpanzee trekking, bird watching, track golden monkeys, and even undertake the Big Five safari in Akagera park.
2. What Is Special About Rwanda? : Why Is Rwanda So Famous?
A healthy population of Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes park makes this country a popular destination for safaris in Africa. Other amazing wildlife in this country led by his excellency Paul Kagame can be found in Nyungwe park and Akagera park.
3. Is It Safe to Travel to Rwanda Africa? : Is Rwanda Safe for American Tourists on Vacation?
In contrast to its neighboring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda- the Land of a Thousand Hills, is a safe destination for vacationers. The Rwandan government makes sure tourists tracking gorillas in their natural habitat are safe in an effort to grow the tourism industry.
Also, the Rwanda Defense Force, a potent army base under the control of the Rwandan government, keeps the country peaceful year-round.
4. How Do People Dress in Rwanda Africa?
Rwandese are always normally casual yet modestly dressed. Men typically wear trousers, but shorts are acceptable as well; nonetheless, it’s not appropriate to go around bare-chested.
Longer or knee-length clothing is put on by most women in Rwanda though some put on trousers.
Contact our team for additional information on the facts about Rwanda, such as tourist activities in Rwanda, tour packages, and national parks to explore among others. Make this country your next safari destination in Africa!
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