Since one at church is from Rwanda, I figure I would look it up. What's the connection with people there having French name and such.
East Africa, bounded by land: Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi & DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Size of Haiti.
11 Million population. Top 3 least corrupt countries in Africa.
Language: English, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda (national language)
99% Bantu people (Banyarwanda): Hutu tribe - used to be from servant class (83%) = Farmers, Tutsi tribe (15%) = cattle owners, Twa (1%) = forests people.
Capital: Kigali (1 mil ppl). Best economic/business place in Africa since 2000 (Vision 2020).
5 Intara (provinces): North, South, East, West & Kigali: all Intara main roads lead to Kigali.
Famous lakes: Lake Kivu (West), Lake Ihema (East)
Commonwealth of Nations but never colonized by British.
Vision 2020:
-Imidugudu: housing for returning exiles/rural people
-Gacaca: Traditional communal justice system
-Umuganda: Annual day of clean up by volunteers
-1st & 3rd Sunday: Car-free day, free check ups, free concerts.
-Cleanest City in Africa: no plastic bags.
-Girinka (One cow per family policy) in 2006 - First female calf born must be given to another family.
Sites:
-Hotel de mille Colines (Movie: Hotel Rwanda a true story)
-Cultural Heritage Quarter
-Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village
-Ntrama Church
-Congo Nile Trail
-Pfunda Tea Factory
-Kuruhimbi Milk Bar
-Beaches of Lake Kivu
-Ruhengeri & Gisenyi
-Volcanoes National Park
-Gorillas
National Animal: Leopard
Geology: "Land of a thousand hills"
- on East African Rift, partially geothermal: both active and dormant volcanoes.
-Albertine Rift (Lake Kivu): Methane
-National Parks: Volcanoes (West), Akagera (East), Nyungwe Forest (South)
-Mt. Karisimbi, tallest of the country (North), dormant volcano.
-Between two basins: Congo & Nile Basins
-Kagera River borders Tanzania
-Hot springs
Food: (less meat, mostly veg. and carbs)
-Coffee
-Ugali/Ubugali (mashed maze)
-Amateke (Boiled roots like Cassava)
-Ibihaza (Pumpkin and beans)
-Inkinyiga (Crushed nut paste)
-Imizuzu (Cooked plantains)
-Isombe (Stewed cassava leaves)
-Nile Tilapia by Lake Kivu
-Disputable national dish: Ibitoki (fried bananas)
-Urwagwa (Banana wine)
-Milk (most popular)
Traditions:
Gusaba (Cow dowry)
Religions:
Roman Catholic (49.5%), Protestants (39.4%), Muslims (1.8%)
Crafts:
Agaseke (Peace bastket), Imigongo (cow dung art), Amasunzu hair style, Intore dance
History:
1960s: Exiled to Uganda due to revolution, 30 years later, came back with Uganda English language.
Rwanda Genocide (1994): In the 50s, Hutu killing Tutsi.
April 7th = Genocide Memorial Day
July 4th = Liberation Day: Kwibohora. On this day in 1994 the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) secured the capital of Kigali and ended the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda
Famous Tutsi King: Rugaznu.
First European visit: John Hanning (British).
Other nations involvement: Germans, Belgians
Rwanda + Burundi = Rwanda Urundi joining
Paul Kagame - current president, unlimited terms.
Miss France 2000 half Rwandan: Sonia Rolland
Friends:
Belgium in Europe. Belgium's most spoken language is French, then Dutch & German.
USA (medical supplies: ie. AIDS) & China (loans): heavy investors
2007: China canceled $160 millions Rwandan debt.
Closer friends: Swahili cousins: Kenya & Tanzania
Best friends: Uganda (sheltering refugees), Congo (refugees), Burundi (closest, similar culture and history)