RwandaRwanda is a landlocked country surrounded by Uganda in the north, Tanzania in the east, Burundi in the south, and Zaire to its west and northwest. Rwanda lies on the East African plateau, with the divide between the water systems of the Nile and Zaire rivers passing in a north-south direction through the western part of the country. To the west of the divide, the land drops sharply to Lake Kivu in the Great African Rift Valley; to the east, the land falls gradually across the central plateau - its grassy highlands are the core areas of settlement of Rwanda’s population - to the swamps and lakes on the country’s eastern border...More Information on Rwanda. Full country name: Rwanda Also Read: A Short Background of Rwanda History of RwandaAccording to folklore, Tutsi cattlebreeders began arriving in the area from the Horn of Africa in the 15th century and gradually subjugated the Hutu inhabitants. The Tutsis established a monarchy headed by a mwami (king) and a feudal hierarchy of Tutsi nobles and gentry. Through a contract known as ubuhake, the Hutu farmers pledged their services and those of their descendants to a Tutsi lord in return for the loan of cattle and use of pastures and arable land. Thus, the Tutsi reduced the Hutu to virtual serfdom. However, boundaries of race and class became less distinct over the years as some Tutsi declined until they enjoyed few advantages over the Hutu. The first European known to have visited Rwanda was German Count Von Goetzen in 1894...More on Rwanda's History. Overview of Rwanda's EconomyGDP:US$5.9 billion Also Read: A short note on Economy of Rwanda Political System of Rwanda- Government of Rwanda Climate, Vegetation and FaunaBecause of the high altitude of the country, Rwanda has a pleasant tropical highland climate, with a daily temperature range as great as 14°C (25°F). Temperature vary considerably from region to region because of the variations in altitude. The average daytime temperature is about 30°C except in the highlands where it is much cooler. There are four seasons; long rains from mid March to mid May, short rains from mid-October to mid-December; long dry period from mid-May to mid-October and short dry season from mid-December to mid-March. The north-east has more rainfall than other parts of the country. Envoirnment:Rwanda is a relatively teensy East African country of 10,270 sq mi...more. Culture: The richness of Rwandan culture is apparent in the wide range of fine crafts...more. People of Rwanda: Rwanda’s population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is among...more. Facts for the TravelerVisas: All foreign nationals bar those
from Germany and the USA need a visa to visit Rwanda. A visa arranged
in advance of your visit will require US$50 and two passport photos,
and will allow you to stay for up to a month; visas of the double or
multiple-entry variety are recommended to give you flexibility when
it comes to visiting neighbouring countries. But keep in mind that unless
you enjoy the prospect of being tied up in red tape and beaten senseless
with a manilla folder, it’s generally best to organise the visa
after you’ve arrived in East Africa. At the Rwandan border, 15-day
visas are issued in a matter of minutes for US$35. Visa extensions of
up to 90 days are available at the Ministry of the Interior near Kigali
within a day or two of applying (though sometimes much longer) for between
US$10-40 depending on the length of the extension.
Health risks: Malaria in low-lying regions, cholera, hepatitis, typhoid, HIV, Rift Valley Fever, yellow fever and drinking too much konyagi. Time: GMT/UTC + 2 hours. Electricity: 220V AC Weights & measures: Metric Also Read: Money & Costs | Transport And Getting Around | Public holidays in Rwanda | Events Of Rwanda When to GoUnless you literally want to soak up the atmosphere, the only time that is not ideal for visiting Rwanda is when the long rains descend from mid-March to mid-May. Also Read: Getting Around in Rwanda | Getting There & Away What to See in RwandaOther Tourist Attractions in Rwanda more...What to do in RwandaGorilla tracking is the famous activity of choice in the Parc Nacional des Volcans, where Dian Fossey spent 18 years studying the impressive and fascinating beasts until her murder by poachers in 1985. This national park re-opened in July 1999 after years of civil violence in the surrounding area and is once again the place in East Africa for observing mountain gorillas. A military unit stands guard over the park and has so far ensured the safety of foreign visitors from groups such as the extremist Hutu militias who killed eight tourists in Uganda’s Bwindi National Park in March 1999. The safety of trekkers in the Parc Nacional des Volcans, however, is a much more ethereal concept. Though there are a number of possibilities for scaling the area’s volcanic heights - ranging from four-hour return trips to two-day summit blitzes - Rwandan authorities do not currently allow treks up the slopes due to rebel factions lying low on the mountains, not to mention the odd land mine or two. But with any luck, it won’t be too long before the routes up Visoke, Karisimbi, Sabinyo and the other spectacular, view-ridden cones are re-opened. The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
Countries in Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Cote d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Republic of the Congo
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Religion in Africa
Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa
Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa
Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa
Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations.
It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa
Colonial Africa
Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa
Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa
Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands.
Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa
The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia.
The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]
Travel Mantra: Africa Destination Guide
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