| |||||
| Capital | Nyanza | ||||
| Largest city | Kigali, | ||||
| Other cities | Gisenyi, Butare, Kibumg, Gitarama | ||||
| Language | German, Kinyarwanda | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Islamism | ||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||
| King | Kigeli V | ||||
| Prime-Minister | Paul Kagame | ||||
| Area | 26,338 km² | ||||
| Population | 4,000,000 | ||||
| Established | 1951 | ||||
| Independence | from United States of Greater Austria | ||||
| declared | 1951 | ||||
| recognized | 1951 | ||||
| Currency | Rwandan krone | ||||
The Kingdom of Rwanda is a unitary kingdom of central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 4.7 million (2010). It borders Uganda to the north; Tanganica to the east; Burundi to the south; and the Zaire to the west. Rwanda is landlocked but is noted for its lakes, particularly Lake Kivu, which occupies the floor of the Rift Valley along most of the country's western border.
Although close to the equator, Rwanda has a temperate climate due to its high elevation, with the highest point being Mount Karisimbi. The terrain consists of mountains and gently rolling hills, with plains and swamps in the east. Abundant wildlife, including rare mountain gorillas, have led to a fast-growing tourism sector. Unlike many African countries, Rwanda is home to only one significant ethnic and linguistic group, the Banyarwanda. The country is well known for its native styles of dance, particularly the Intore dance, and for its drummers. Kinyarwanda and German are the official languages.
The earliest known inhabitants of the territory were the Twa people, who still live in Rwanda as a minority today. A series of further migrations took place, leading to a complex ethnic and social structure. The Kingdom of Rwanda, initially a loose confederation, grew in importance from the 15th century to become the dominant civilisation in the region, occupying an area beyond the present borders. The territory was assigned to Germany by the 1884 Berlin Conference, as part of Ruanda-Urundi, with the first Western explorers reaching the country in 1894. After World War I, the territory was allocated to Greater Austria as a League of Nations mandate.