Rwanda

Rwanda lies in Eastern Africa, near the Indian Ocean. It is a tiny country, surrounded by much larger countries, including Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda has rich tribal traditions and exotic rainforests, but years of conflict have left it in ruins.

Two groups in Rwanda vie for power – the Hutus and the Tutsis. During the early to mid-1900s, Belgium ruled Rwanda. The Belgian leaders preferred the Tutsis over the Hutus and gave them better jobs and opportunities. This made the Hutus mad. After the country gained independence, the two groups fought with each other. In 1994, Hutu troops killed more than 800,000 Tutsis in 100 days.

Fun Facts

• 11.2 million people live in Rwanda.
• The country has 10,169 square miles of land.
• Official languages include Kinyarwanda, French, English and Swahili.
• Christianity and native faiths are the main religions.
• The life expectancy in Rwanda is 55 years.

Vocabulary

1. Tiny: very small
2. Tribal: relating to a tribe
3. Exotic: unusual, tropical, from a distant land
4. Vie: fight, compete

Learn More

Visit National Geographic to learn more about Rwanda.

Extra Credit

Question: What do people do to earn money in Rwanda?

Answer: Most people are farmers, growing coffee, tea or cotton. Some raise cattle.