Fascinating Information About Rwanda

Interesting Facts About Rwanda: Burundi to the south, Uganda to the east, Tanzania to the west, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lake Kivu to the west, Rwanda is a beautiful country often referred to as the “land of a thousand hills” or “le pays des mille collines” in French.

Rwanda gained international recognition for its role in the Gorillas in the Mist film, the 1994 genocide, the film Hotel Rwanda, and the mountain gorillas. Rwanda, though, is more than that. The fascinating facts about Rwanda are listed below.

1. Kinyarwanda is the official language of Rwanda.

Rwanda expanded its attempts to teach English in schools in 2009; therefore, English is a language that many Rwandese in Rwanda speak and study in schools. Even so, French is still spoken by many Rwandans. Up until 1994, Rwanda was a Francophone nation because French colonialists ruled it. Schools were teaching French during this time. Nevertheless, the government changed from using English to French after the genocide.

2. Rwandan avian species

Rwanda holds a car-free day to encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.
Rwanda holds a car-free day, which is held in different car-free zones across the country’s capital, Kigali, where people can cycle and walk around freely in an effort to encourage wellness and physical activity. Every month, there’s a car-free day.

Although automobiles are among the most widely used forms of transportation in Rwanda, many people also use foot traffic, bicycles, motorized taxis, and open-air vehicles pulled by people. The most economical way to travel about Kigali is by motorcycle taxi, particularly if your destination is too far for you to walk. The drivers of these vehicles also provide extra helmets for their passengers.

3. There is a lot of local art in rwanda
In Rwanda, most hotels serve as galleries for regional artists, and frequently, artwork created by these artists is on show in the common spaces, hallways, and walls of the hotels. The proceeds from these artworks go toward helping local street children acquire care and education, among other things, as well as supporting artists and initiatives.

4. Rwanda is a haven for birdwatchers.
Rwanda is a birder’s paradise, with 703 bird species and 29 Albertine rift endemics. It provides a variety of bird habitats and is regarded as the best place in Africa for montane birding. Rwanda is well-known across the world for its varied landscape and abundant birdlife, which includes the country’s official bird, the Gold Crested Crane, and the elusive shoebill. Rwanda’s top locations for birdwatching include

• Nyungwe Forest National Park in Kigali City
• National Park Akagera
• Park National Volcanoes
• Mukura-Gishwati National Park

Among additional places are the Nyabarongo River, Lake Kivu Wetlands, and marshes.
Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Nightjar, Grauer’s Warbler, Regal, Blue-headed, and Purple-breasted Sunbirds, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler and Neumann’s Warble, Kungwe Apalis, Kivu Ground Thrush, and Willard’s Sooty Boubou are a few of the birds that can be found in Rwanda. Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Swamp Warbler, Carruthers’s Cisticola, White-collared Olive back, Grey-crowned Cranes, Rockefeller’s Sunbird, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Congo Bay Owl, and Shelley’s Crimsonwing are among the species that may be the rarest in Nyungwe.

5. Every month, on the last Saturday, there is a community service day.
Every month, on the last Saturday, Rwanda observes Umuganda Day. Today is set aside for community service; the name “Umuganda” means “community work” or “coming together to achieve an outcome” in Kinyarwanda.

Umuganda Day was instituted in 1988 as part of several attempts to reconstruct the country after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It was first observed in 1962, the year Rwanda achieved its independence. This event, which lasts for around three hours, takes place on the final Saturday of the month.

Everyone is asked to help on this day in any way they can. Some activities to take part in are preparing public facilities, building schools, helping a neighbor with gardening needs, and cleaning up local spaces. Over the past ten years, the Umuganda practice has played a significant role in Rwanda’s progress.

6. It is the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”

Rwanda is referred to as the “land of a Thousand Hills” because of the many mountains and hills that dominate the country; towns and cities in Rwanda are, by definition, situated at significant heights. Rwanda is the ideal travel location for travelers who love to capture picturesque landscapes on camera.

Rwanda is a small landlocked nation that borders Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital, Kigali, is located around 1,107 kilometers from the equator. Rwanda is the cleanest country in East Africa and the second smallest country in Africa.

7. Plastic bags are not permitted.
Plastics are prohibited in Rwanda; visitors are not permitted to enter the country with plastic bags, and retailers do not provide any. Alternatively, paper bags or biodegradable bags composed of banana or cassava leaves are utilized.

8. The largest lake in Rwanda is called Lake Kivu.

The largest lake in Rwanda, Lake Kivu, is situated on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. It is also considered one of Africa’s Great Lakes. Situated in the western arm of the East African Rift, the Albertine Rift is home to Lake Kivu.

Lake Kivu is the eighth biggest lake in Africa, measuring roughly 90 km in length and 50 km at its widest point. The lake’s surface area is believed to be 2,700 square kilometers. Idjwi, an island in Lake Kivu, is the tenth-largest lake island in the world.

Numerous islands dot Lake Kivu, among them Bat Island, which is home to hundreds of fruit bats and a few cows.

9. Rwanda is a major hub for conservation and honey.
One of Rwanda’s main agricultural products, honey, is produced in the region around Akagera National Park; this buffer zone was established specifically to deter poaching. Farms raising bees and honey were established in this buffer zone as a means of generating cash to offset the proceeds from poaching.

This strategy has proven to be successful in promoting conservation and safeguarding the variety of animals found in Akagera National Park. The honey and bee initiative also helps to provide a sustainable way of life for those who live nearby.

10. Rwanda is a significant producer of tea and coffee.

Rwanda is a significant global producer of tea and coffee. After missionaries planted coffee trees there in 1904, coffee has grown to become one of the main cash crops in the nation, with over 95% of the beans coming from the premium Arabica varietal Bourbon.

If you’re visiting Rwanda and want to observe how coffee is made, there are several stations you may go to, such as

The Kinunu washing station, located on Lake Kivu in Ingoboka, is reachable by boat from Gisenyi and Karongi. Rwanda is known for its tea, which was first introduced in 1952 and is currently one of the country’s main exports. The country’s temperate climate and fertile volcanic soil are ideal for the growth of tea. Rwanda’s undulating hills are covered in tea plantations; two particularly notable plantations are Gisovu and Gisakura.