Rwanda is known officially as the Republic of Rwanda. It is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has a total area of 10,169 mi2 (total: 26,338 km2)
It is the most densely populated mainland African country; among countries larger than 3,860 mi2 (10,000 km2) with a population of aproximately 14,322,847 (2024). It is the fifth most densely populated country in the world. Its capital and largest city is Kigali.
The name Rwanda translates as “domain” in the native Kinyarwanda language.
Land
Rwanda is highly elevated, giving it the nickname of “land of a thousand hills”, with its geography dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the southeast, with numerous lakes throughout the country. The climate is temperate to subtropical, with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year.
In prehistoric times mountain forests occupied one-third of the territory of present-day Rwanda. Naturally occurring vegetation is now mostly restricted to the three national parks, with terraced agriculture dominating the rest of the country. Nyungwe, the largest remaining tract of forest, contains 200 species of tree as well as orchids and begonias. Vegetation in the Volcanoes National Park is mostly bamboo and moorland, with small areas of forest. By contrast, Akagera has a savanna ecosystem in which acacia dominates the flora.
Lake and volcano in the Virunga Mountains. Cr. Wikimedia Commons, Amakuru.
The Savannah near Kigali. Cr. parttimebackpacker. com
In Rwanda, Kigali is the largest city with a population of around a million people. Additionally, Rwanda has 10 cities with populations ranging from 10,000 to 100,000.
After Kigali these are the biggest cities of Rwanda:
| Butare | 89,600 |
|---|---|
| Gitarama | 87,613 |
| Musanze | 86,685 |
This is Butare, Rwanda’s second biggest city and Rwanda’s Cultural center.
People
The Hutu make up the largest ethnic group in Rwanda, accounting for more than 85% of the population. Traditionally, they have been farmers. The second-largest group is the Tutsi, at around 14% of the population. They were historically a pastoral people. The Twa, a hunter-gatherer group, are the smallest ethnic group in Rwanda, constituting less than 1% of the population. A small number of Europeans and Asians also live in Rwanda, mostly working in fields like religion, aid, or business.
Rwanda has a high birth rate and a very young population with about two-fifths of the population under age 15 and another third between 15 and 29. However their life expectancy is low compared to the world average at 65.85 years. (2018)
Flag
Rwanda’s current official flag is relatively new, adopted in October of 2001.
The flag features three distinct colors: light blue, yellow, and green. The light blue band evokes feelings of happiness and peace, while the yellow band signifies the nation’s economic development. The green band symbolizes the country’s hopeful pursuit of prosperity. A radiant yellow sun with 24 rays completes the design, representing enlightenment.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of Rwanda, also referred to as the national emblem, is a symbolic representation of the country. It was adopted in 2001 and features several elements that hold significance for Rwanda.
This is the symbolism within the coat of arms:
- Central devices:
- A stem of sorghum: This represents the importance of agriculture as a foundation of the Rwandan economy.
- A branch of a coffee tree: Coffee is a major export crop for Rwanda and signifies its economic contribution.
- A traditional basket (Agaseke): This symbolizes Rwandan culture and traditional crafts.
- Cogwheel: The cogwheel represents progress and development.
- Sun with rays: The sun represents enlightenment and hope for the future.
- Two Rwandan shields: These shields represent defense and protection of the nation.
- Square knot (umug düğu): This symbolizes unity.
- Motto: The text around the base of the emblem reads “Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu” which translates to “Unity, Work, Patriotism” in Kinyarwanda, one of the official languages of Rwanda.
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