Rwanda Statistics

RWANDA INFORMATION

•	Population: 10 million
•	Land Area: 26,340 KM2
•	Language: Kinyarwanda, English, French
•	Climate: 15 – 30 C
•	Rainy Season: March – May, October – November
•	Dry Season: December – February, June – September
•	Economy: Agriculture, Livestock Farming

•	Access: Rwandair Express, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines. It is possible to enter Rwanda by road from Uganda, Burundi, Republic Democratic of Congo and Tanzania. Road condition and security is good.	•	Transport: Minibus is the most popular transport in Rwanda. There are many minibuses from Kigali to other provinces. Motorcycle taxi is very useful in town.
•	Visa: Citizens of USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, RDC, Sweden, Mauritius, South Africa and Hong Kong are not required to have entry visas	•
•	Time Zone: GMT +2 hours	•	Voltage: 220 – 240 V

SIGHTSEEING:

Gorilla Trekking (Ruhengeri)	Mountain Gorilla is very rare primates in the world.
Akagera National Park	You can see a lot of animals, such as elephant, buffalo etc.
National Museum (Butare)	Please learn our history, culture and life.
Lake Kivu	Scenic location

Nyungwe National Park	Rare birds, primates, flora and fauna.
Nyanza (Gitarama)	Rwanda old kingdom
Genocide Memorials (Kigali, Nyamata, Murambi Nyarubuye etc.)	A necessity in the understanding of Rwanda.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RWANDA’S HISTORY:

Pre-Colonial Days:

Pre-colonial Rwanda was a highly centralized Kingdom resided over by kings. The king ruled three categories of chiefs, such as cattle chiefs, land chiefs and military chiefs. There were no tribes at this time; the Rwandans shared the same culture using one language “Kinyarwanda”.

1899	Rwanda became a German colony.	1900	King Musinga received the first group of European Catholic missionaries, knows as the “White Fathers”.
1917	After the defeat of the Germans in WWI, Belgium established a political system of indirect administration with the King, effectively working under the Belgian President.	1935	The Belgian Colonial Administration issues, for the first time, identification card that clearly categorized people as “Hutu”, “Tutsi” and “Twa” on the basis of the number of heads of cattle they owned or physical character. Those with ten or more cows were categorized as “Tutsi”, while those with less were categorized as “Hutu”.
1954	King Rudahigwa demanded total independence and an end to Belgian colonial occupation. King Rudahigwa died mysteriously in Burundi. Most Rwandan people believed that there was Belgian involvement in his death. King Kigeri Ndahindrwa reigned Rwanda.	1959	At a time of strained relationship between the monarch and the Belgian authorities, King Rudahigwa died mysteriously in Burundi. Most Rwandan people believed that there was Belgian involvement in his death. First Genocide to Tutsi people. Many Tutsi exiled to DRC, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania.
1962	Belgium officially granted independence to Rwanda and Gregoire Kayibanda became the first president.	1963	More genocide to Tutsi people.
1973	Major General Juvenal Habyarimana toppled Gregoire Kayibanda and became the president. More genocide to Tutsi people.	1975	More genocide to Tutsi people
1979	Rwandese Alliance for National Unity (RANU) was established by a group of Rwandan exiles in Kenya. The objective of RANU was to find a solution for the problem of Rwandan refugees and to struggle against dictatorship in Rwanda.	1987	RANU became Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).
1990	RPF began armed struggle.	1993	After a long period of negotiation, the Arusha Peace Agreement was signed between RPF and the Rwandan government. Although the Rwandan Government signed the agreement, they prepared for genocide to train the civilians “Interahamwe”.
1994	President Habyarimana died in a plane crash. Genocide began. More than 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderated Hutus were killed in three months, and 800,000 people were wounded mentally and physically.	April 1994	RPF captured Kigali. RPF established the new government. Pasteur Bizimungu was the president and Paul Kagame who led the RPF was the vice president.
2000	Pasteur Bizimungu resigned, and Paul Kagame became the president.	Dec 2000	New National Anthem and new national flag were established.
Dec 2003	New Presidential election, Paul Kagame was elected.	2005	Rwanda has one town and 4 provinces, although there were one town and 11 provinces.
Aug 2010	New Presidential election, Paul Kagame was reelected.