Rwanda is a Central African country. Located in the African Great Lakes region, very close to the equator, with an area of 26 338 km2. It borders Uganda in the north, Tanzania in the east, Burundi in the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the west. The main cities are Kigali, the capital, with 305 700 residents (2004), Ruhengeri (40 900 residents), Butare (39 600 residents) And Gisenyi (30 300 residents). It is a country without direct access to the sea, but the lakes in the region allow the population to engage in fishing, a relatively important activity. Rwanda is a very mountainous country, where the forest still covers 21% of the territory.
The climate is tropical in altitude, with two rainy seasons.
Economy
Of economic activities, the production of sweet potatoes, manioc, potatoes, coffee (which constitutes more than half of exports), tea, wood and tin (minerals represent 10 to 15% of total exports) stands out. The little gold produced in Rwanda is smuggled. Most industries are concentrated in the capital. Rwanda’s main trading partners are Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Kenya.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 0.1.
Population
In 2006, the population was 8 648 248 residents, but political instability, civil war, genocide and poor diet leave doubts regarding the reliability of the numbers. The birth and death rates are respectively 40.37% and 16.09%. Average life expectancy is 47.3 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.422 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.416 (2001). The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.422 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.416 (2001).
The Hutu ethnic group represents 85% of the population, while the Tutsis are 14% and the Twas 1%. The main religions are Catholicism (44%) and Islam (9%); the rest of the population follows traditional beliefs and belongs to African Protestant churches. The official languages are Rwanda, French and English.
History
Rwanda and Burundi, the neighboring country, share a long monarchical history. Between 1922 and 1962 they formed the territory of Rwanda-Urundi, under Belgian administration. Rwanda became an independent republic in 1962. Rwanda was, in the early 1990s, in a state of civil war, in a conflict that opposed the two main ethnic groups – Hutus and Tutsis -, leading to the deaths of many thousands of civilians and creating hundreds of thousands of refugees – a war that worsened the already poor Rwandan economy. For Rwanda democracy and rights, please check getzipcodes.
- Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Rwanda, sorted by city location and acronyms.
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Rwanda. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Rwanda
Check out the political and shaded relief maps of this Central African country, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo. View a combined map of Rwanda and Burundi.
Website: http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/rwanda.html
Rwanda – Graphic Maps
Learn where the lakes, rivers and cities are in this African nation. Includes a section on population statistics and the political system.
Website: http://www.graphicmaps.com/aatlas/africa/maps/rwanda.htm
Rwanda – InfoPlease.com Map
View a color political map of the country and easily locate key cities and villages, plus bordering nations.
Website: http://ln.infoplease.com/atlas/country/rwanda.html
Rwanda – Maps.com
Find maps of Rwanda and Burundi. Click for a larger version or order a copy .
Website: http://www.maps.com/cgi-bin/magellan/Maps___Africa___Rwanda_
Rwanda – National Geographic Map Machine
See where the mountains, cities and national parks are in Rwanda. Also offers an overview of the population, economy and history.
Website: http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/index.html?i…
