Largest Cities in Rwanda

Facts about Rwanda

Official languages: Ruanij, English, French, Swahili
Capital: Kigali
Area: 26,338 km²
Population: 11.1 million residents
Population density: 419.77 residents per km²
Currency: RWF
Internet TLD: .rw
ISO codes: RW , RWA, 646
The prefix for Rwanda is +250

Flag of Rwanda

The flag of Rwanda is composed of three horizontal stripes of unequal width in blue, yellow and green. A yellow sun is unusually placed in the upper right corner of the flag. The flag was adopted in 2002 as a reminder of the genocide that took place in the last century, during which more than a million members of the Tutsi tribe were slaughtered. The blue color on the flag, designed by Rwandan artist Alphonse Kirimobenecy, signifies the peace prayed for, the yellow color symbolizes hope for a better tomorrow, and the green color expresses the prosperity of the country and its natural resources. The previous flag was originally identical to the flag of Guinea, so Rwanda was forced to add a capital letter R to its flag.

Rwanda is a densely populated landlocked country in East Africa. It borders on Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania. See Rwanda Location on World Map. Because of its largely hilly landscape, it is also known as the “land of a thousand hills”. The main African watershed runs on its territory between the catchment areas of the Nile and the Congo. Rwanda was a German colony from 1884 to 1916, and in 1962 it gained independence from the UN mandate of Belgium.

Not least because of the conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups – which culminated in the Tutsi genocide in 1994 – the country is one of the poorest in Africa, although progress has been made in recent years.

Biggest Cities of Rwanda by Population

Rwanda is a small landlocked country in East Africa, and its capital city Kigali is the largest city in the country. It has an estimated population of 1.2 million people and serves as the country’s political, economic, cultural, and educational centre. Kigali is known for its lush green hills and stunning views of nearby volcanoes. Some of its more popular attractions include Kigali Genocide Memorial; Inema Art Centre; Kandt House Museum of Natural History; Kigali City Tower; Nyarugenge Market; Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre among others.

The second largest city in Rwanda is Gisenyi with a population of around 200,000 people. It is located on the northern shores of Lake Kivu and serves as an important gateway to both Rwanda and Congo. Popular attractions include Lake Kivu Beach which offers spectacular views of the lake; Karisimbi Volcano National Park which contains some of Rwanda’s most beautiful landscapes; Gisenyi Hot Springs; Gisenyi Market among others. Other cities worth visiting include Butare which is home to some impressive ancient ruins such as Nyanza Palace; Musanze which boasts some beautiful waterfalls such as Ruhengeri Waterfall or Nyungwe Forest National Park which contains many species of primates including chimpanzees and gorillas.

Rwanda: Kigali

According to Abbreviation Finder, the capital of the country is called Kigali. By the way, “Ki” is pronounced like “Tschi”, so it sounds like Tschigali. Kigali lies at an altitude of 1540 meters between Mount Kigali and Mount Jali. The city is spread over many small hills within a green landscape. Kigali is also known as the “garden city”.

1.16 million people live in Kigali. There is a market here and also an old Muslim quarter that is well worth seeing. Kigali was founded by a German named Richart Kandt. Other large cities in Rwanda are Ruhengeri, Gisenyi and Butare.

Neighboring countries of Rwanda

• Burundi
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Tanzania
• Uganda