The country of one thousand hills is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is the perfect setting to trek to see the mountain gorillas in the misty Virunga Mountains, probably the greatest wildlife experience in the world. There are also other safari options, particularly for primates in Nyungwe Forest as well as the ideal relaxation spot of Lake Kivu. Rwanda’s public perception may still be blighted by the 1994 genocide but that shouldn’t stop you exploring this beautiful country and a friendly and resilient people. Explore in depth highlights of Rwanda.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
0 World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +2 (Central Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | English, French, Kinyarwanda, Swahili |
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| Currency: |
Rwandan francs (RWF) €1 = RF0.00, $1 = RF819, £1 = RF0.00 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .rw | International Dialling Code: 250 |
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For help planning your trip to Rwanda including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Rwanda trip planning page.
Further information on Rwanda
Discover more about Rwanda - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 26,338 sq km (1,390 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Burundi (290km), Democratic Republic of the Congo (217km), Tanzania (217km), Uganda (169km)
Climate: Temperate climate with two rainy seasons (February to April and November to January).
Highest mountain: Volcan Karisimbi (4,519m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Rwanda from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Authoritarian regime | 135/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Moderately Free | 65/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Very serious situation | 159/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | Limited rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 55/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 150/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Rwanda Status: Independent Country
Population: 12,337,138 (rank: 73/196) Density: 468.4 people/sq km (rank: 14/196)
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
GDP (PPP): $16.37 billion GDP per capita: $1,500 (rank: 172/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.