Rwanda

Rwanda, small independent republic in east-central Africa. It is one of the most densely populated counties in Africa.

Land and climate

The land of Rwanda is dominated by the Rift Valley Highlands. From the high volcanic Virunga Mountains in the northwest, the land falls away southeastward in a series of steeply sloping flat-ridged hills. The forests that once covered these hills have been largely cleared for farming. Marshy plains form the bottoms of the deep, intersecting valleys. In the west, the land rises sharply from Lake Kivu. Chief rivers include the Nyabarongo, the Kagera, the Akanyaru, and the Ruzizi. Because it lies on high plateaus, Rwanda has a cool climate.

People

The population is comprised of three main ethnic groups: 85% are Bantu farming people known as the Hutu, 14% are a pastoral people known as the Tutsi, and a small percentage are the Twa, a pygmy people who live by hunting. The people live mostly in small villages. Kigali is the capital and largest center.

Economy

Agriculture and mining provide nearly 80% of the gross national product. The chief crops are coffee, pyrethrum, and tea. Efforts are being made to expand production. Agricultural output is insufficient to provide enough food for the people.

History

The earliest inhabitants of Rwanda, the Twa pygmies, were long ago driven into the forests by the Hutu, who came from the Congo. In the 16th century the Hutu were conquered by the tall, cattle-rearing Tutsi. The Tutsi established a feudal state and remained in control until 1959, when the Hutu liberation party known as Parmehutu set up a republican regime that was later recognized by the United Nations. The country was granted full independence in 1962. An attempted invasion of Rwanda from Burundi was bloodily repulsed in 1963. Military leaders took control of the government in 1973, and Major General Juvenal Habyarimana declared himself president. While he at first filled cabinet posts with military leaders, he gradually replaced them with civilians during the 1970s. With civilian rule restored under the new constitution of 1978, Habyarimana was elected president. Habyarimana's death in 1994, resulting from an aircrash, led to a violent and bloody strife between the two ethnic groups. In 1997 Rwandan troops played an important role in the ousting of president Mobutu of Zaire (Congo).