The Republic of Rwanda is a small, mountainous country in east-central Africa. For decades Rwanda has struggled with fighting between its Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. Massive violence in 1994 led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Rwanda was still recovering from this conflict as the 21st century began. The capital is Kigali. GeographyRwanda lies south of the equator. It is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lake Kivu on the west, Uganda on the north, Tanzania on the east, and Burundi on the south. Rwanda is one of Africa's smallest countries, covering an area of only 10,169 square miles (26,338 square kilometers). Most of Rwanda lies at an elevation of more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level. The landscape consists of a series of hills alternating with deep valleys. A chain of volcanoes, the Virunga Mountains, lies in the northwest. The Virungas contain the country's highest peak, Karisimbi, which rises 14,787 feet (4,507 meters). Numerous small lakes are scattered in the southeast. Because of Rwanda's high elevations, its average temperatures are cool. Plants and animalsRwanda has bamboo forests, wooded regions, and grassy savannas. The country's rich and varied wildlife includes elephants, chimpanzees, antelopes, zebras, hippopotamuses, and buffalo. The rare mountain gorilla lives in the Virunga Mountains and is Rwanda's main tourist attraction. People and cultureThe people of Rwanda are divided into three ethnic groups—the Hutu, the Tutsi, and the Twa. The Hutu are by far the largest group, accounting for more than 80 percent of the population. The Tutsi make up almost the entire remainder. The Twa, who live by hunting and gathering, make up less than 1 percent of the population. Although the Hutu and the Tutsi share many traits, they have been enemies for many years. French, English, and the African language Rwanda (or Kinyarwanda) are the official languages of Rwanda. Swahili is also widely spoken. About three fourths of the people follow Christianity. The rest of the people follow traditional beliefs or Islam. More than 90 percent of the population is rural. Kigali, the capital, is by far the largest city. Health conditions in Rwanda are poor. The country has a high percentage of people infected with the disease AIDS. Poor nutrition presents an even greater threat to the population, however. Malaria and tuberculosis are still common. EconomyMost Rwandans are farmers who produce food for themselves and their families. The major food crops are plantains, sweet potatoes, cassava, potatoes, sorghum, and corn (maize). Coffee and tea are the main export crops. Livestock raising is also common. Industry is a small part of Rwanda's economy. The main manufactured products include cement, soap, beverages, and textiles. Tin and tungsten are the country's chief mining products. HistoryThe first people to live in Rwanda were the Twa. The Hutu arrived next. They were well established in the region when the Tutsi appeared in the 14th century. By the 16th century the Tutsi had conquered the Hutu despite being a minority. The Tutsi set up a kingdom that expanded steadily. By the beginning of the 20th century Rwanda was a unified state. The Germans claimed Rwanda as a colony beginning in the 1890s, but the Belgians occupied the territory in 1916. After World War I (1914–18) Rwanda was joined with neighboring Burundi as the Territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Belgium governed the new territory. The Tutsi retained their dominance under Belgian rule. In 1959 civil war erupted between the Tutsi and the Hutu. Thousands of Tutsi, including their leader, fled the country. Rwanda was declared a republic in 1961. It became independent in 1962 under its new Hutu leaders. Many more Tutsi left the country after independence. The Hutu kept their hold on power for more than three decades. In 1990 Tutsi-led rebels invaded Rwanda, sparking a civil war. Peace negotiations began in 1993, but Rwanda's president was killed the next year in a plane crash. In the next few months Hutu forces killed an estimated 500,000 people, mostly Tutsi. The Tutsi rebels managed to take control of Rwanda, however. Afterward more than 2 million people, mostly Hutu, fled the country. A government was set up with both Tutsi and Hutu representatives. Although ethnic fighting continued, many of the refugees returned to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997. Trials of Rwandans accused of taking part in the mass killings of 1994 continued into the 21st century. Population (2001 estimate), 7,313,000. |