Page 36 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 31
P. 36
Community
The main National Parks/Animal Reserves celebrate achievements in different sectors
are Akagera, Volcanoes and Gishwati-Mukura and recommit to doubling efforts to achieve
National Parks. more.
Music and dance make an integral part of
In Rwanda, the great animals of the wild are Rwandan ceremonies, with Umushayayo
protected from poachers and roam free in the and Intore dances having won the hearts of
vast national parks. The Volcanoes National cultural performance lovers.
Park in the Virunga volcanic mountains with Rwandan art crafts display a high level
its high altitude forests is world famous for of skills and creativity in the country of
mountain gorillas - timid and passive family- Thousand Hills, with Agaseke or handwoven
oriented giants. The Park is teeming with baskets having won international acclaim.
wildlife both large and small, while Lake Imigongo pattern and Rwanda’s growing
Kivu to the west offers beautiful beaches, fashion industry have also become iconic of
jutting peninsulas, and an archipelago of the Made in Rwanda brand.
islands.
History
People & Culture For centuries, Rwanda existed as a centralized
With an estimated total population of 12.3 monarchy under a succession of kings from
million people, Rwanda is a relatively one clan, who ruled through cattle chiefs,
young country. 50 percent of the Rwandan land chiefs, and military chiefs. The king was
population is under 20 years old, with the supreme but the rest of the population, Hutu,
median age standing at 22.7 years old. Tutsi, and Twa, lived in symbiotic harmony.
Rwandans share cultural values notably unity, In 1899, Rwanda became a German colony
patriotism, social cohesion, resilience, and and, in 1919, the system of indirect rule
hard work among others, with Kinyarwanda continued with Rwanda as a mandate territory
being the common language, spoken in all of the League of Nations, under Belgium.
parts of the country. Other official languages
are English, French, and Kiswahili. Other Facts about Rwanda
The country’s rich culture has become Name Republic of Rwanda
a source of inspiration to craft some Capital City Kigali
unconventional, homegrown solutions to Currency Rwandan Franc (FRW)
address the challenges and the consequences Time Zone UTC +2 (Central Africa Time)
of the 1994 Genocide. These include among Size: 26,338 Km²
others, Umuganda (Community work), Population: (NISR, 2022) 13.2 Million
Imihigo (Performance contracts), Gacaca Temperature: 21°-27°
[traditional] courts, Abunzi. Life expectancy: 69.9 years
Umuganura or Harvest Day remains the GDP per capita: $1,040
country’s largest festivity where Rwandans GDP growth per annum: +8%
from all corners of the country meet to Sources: ( https://www.gov.rw/about and
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