Muraho! Welcome to the land of a thousand hills—Rwanda, a vibrant landlocked country located in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. There are around 14 million people living here, and the capital is Kigali, widely celebrated as one of the cleanest and safest cities in all of Africa. The official languages are Kinyarwanda, English, French, and Swahili, reflecting the country’s diverse regional connections.
Rwanda covers about 26,338 square kilometers (10,169 square miles). The country is roughly the same size as the state of Maryland in the U.S., or about slightly smaller than Belgium. Despite its small size, its landscape is incredibly dramatic, dominated by high-altitude mountains in the west and rolling savannas in the east.
The most popular sports are Football and Cycling, with the “Tour du Rwanda” being one of the most prestigious cycling races on the continent. Their national animal is the Leopard, though the Mountain Gorilla is the most famous and protected resident of their misty volcanic forests.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of blue, yellow, and green with a golden sun in the upper right corner, where the blue represents happiness and peace, the yellow symbolizes economic development, the green stands for hope for prosperity, and the sun represents enlightenment.
The food is fresh, simple, and largely based on local crops. You must try Ubugari, a thick paste made from cassava or maize that is used to scoop up delicious stews. Another favorite is Isombe, mashed cassava leaves mixed with ground peanuts and spices. For a snack, you’ll find Brochettes (grilled meat skewers) and fried Plantains everywhere. Rwanda is also world-renowned for its high-quality Coffee and Tea, which are the country’s top exports.
Rwanda is home to the Volcanoes National Park, one of the few places on Earth where you can track rare mountain gorillas in the wild. The country features Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes, known for its beautiful emerald waters and lack of hippos or crocodiles. You can visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a deeply moving site that honors the victims of the 1994 genocide and stands as a testament to the country’s incredible journey of reconciliation and growth. For hikers, the Nyungwe Forest National Park offers a stunning canopy walk high above one of the oldest rainforests in Africa. Interestingly, Rwanda was the first country in the world to ban plastic bags, and on the last Saturday of every month, citizens participate in Umuganda, a national day of community service to clean and improve their neighborhoods.
From the lush tea plantations of the Gisovu to the serene shores of Lake Burera, Rwanda is a land of breathtaking transformation and natural beauty. Murakoze! That means “Thank you!”