How well do you know Rwanda? Well, we bring you some of the interesting facts about this fascinating country. First, it is situated fractionally south of the Equator at the heart of Africa and its total land area is 26,338 square kilometers (2,633,800 hectares), about the size of State of Maryland in the United States. This makes it the fourth smallest country on African mainland. The following are fascinating facts about Rwanda;
Rwanda – widely celebrated for being “the land of a thousand hills”.
Rwanda is a beautiful country marked by spectacular hills and generally mountainous landscape with average altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. The landscape also includes up to 5 Virunga Volcanoes (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura) with the highest extending for over 4507 meters above sea level.
Conservation of wildlife and natural environment is a big priority for Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the few countries that totally banned the use of plastic bags in an effort to go green and this was done in 2008, hence one of the reasons why Kigali is one of the cleanest Cities in Africa. The country also invests tremendously in conservation of nature with initiatives such as Kwita Izina to name gorillas and many others.
Rwanda boasts the highest representation of women in parliament.
Interestingly, women make up to 64% of the country’s parliament according to the World Economic Forum on countries with the worst and best Government gender gap. The Parliament, Ministerial positions and other Vital Offices are structured in a unique way with women being the highest occupants.
Rwanda is the fourth smallest country in mainland African and the smallest in East Africa.
Even with its popularity for a number of good reasons (mountain gorillas and cleanliness of its Capital City), Rwanda is surprisingly the fourth smallest country in mainland Africa in addition to being the smallest in the entire East African region, even tinier than Burundi. With a total population of 12.95 million (as of 2020) and total area of 26,338 square kilometers, it is apparently the most densely population country in Africa with almost every piece of land occupied by terraced farmlands, homes or communities.
One of the safest countries in the country.
According to the World Economic Forum, Rwanda was surprisingly ranked the 9th safest country in the entire World and the 11th safest by the Gallup Poll of 2017 making it very safe and comforting for visitors and locals alike.
Rwanda is landlocked.
Rwanda is a small land-locked country totally surrounded by other countries that include Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwanda features four amazingly spectacular National Parks.
Akagera National Park extending for over 1122 square kilometers in the Eastern part of the country is so far the largest and popular haven to big five game (lions, Rhinos, buffaloes, leopards and elephants). The second largest-Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in the southwestern part of the country and so far the greenest in addition to sheltering one of the largest surviving Afro-montane rainforests in the Continent. It is known for numerous primate species including chimpanzees. Volcanoes National Park covers 160 square kilometers and is the haven of mountain gorillas set in the north-western part of Rwanda. The smallest and newest Park is Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Rwanda’s largest Lake is Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is a beautiful water body dotted with spectacular Islands, most of which feature extraordinary residents and touching stories. The Bat Island is known for its large fruit bat population in addition to plethora of birds. Another outstanding Island is Nyamirundi, known for producing and processing high quality Arabica coffee with low caffeine levels as well as sweet chocolaty aroma.
National Language is Kinyarwanda
Kinyarwanda is the native and National language of Rwanda although other languages such as French, English and Swahili are also extensively used. With the influx of refugees especially from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the country is slowly becoming a multicultural country.
Rwanda is also known for the infamous 1994 Genocide
The people of Rwanda went through a painful and traumatizing Genocide that lasted about 100 days in 1994 and led to the loss of over 1,000,000,000 lives of mainly Tutsi descent as well as some affluent Hutu. It is now over 27 years down the road but the country is still rebuilding, rebranding and trying to heal from these wounds.
Rwanda celebrates Car-free day
The country celebrates car-free day where residents just walk, ride bicycles or motorbikes as a way of promoting healthy living and body exercises. Interestingly, the City has a number of car-free zones for free locomotion of pedestrians and cyclists without interruption from vehicles.
The country takes part in a mandatory national community service known as “Umuganda”
Umuganda is celebrated on the last Saturday of every month where everyone including the President takes part in National community service such as road maintenance, house construction, farming and tree planting among others.
