The Rwandese National Union ( French : Union nationale rwandaise , UNAR ) was a conservative, pro-monarchy political party in Rwanda .
172-467: Union Nationale Rwandaise (Rwandese National Union), or UNAR, was a conservative Rwandan political party. Founded on 3 September 1959, by François Rukeba , and strongly supported by King Kigeri V . At the time, Rwanda was still under Belgian administration, and UNAR was the leading monarchist party. It called for immediate independence under a hereditary Tutsi constitutional monarchy. Michel Rwagasana became its secretary general. The party boycotted
344-513: A League of Nations mandate called Ruanda-Urundi and started a period of more direct colonial rule. The Belgians simplified and centralised the power structure, introduced large-scale projects in education, health, public works, and agricultural supervision, including new crops and improved agricultural techniques to try to reduce the incidence of famine. Both the Germans and the Belgians, in
516-772: A civil war in 1990. Habyarimana was assassinated in April 1994. Social tensions erupted in the Rwandan genocide that spanned one hundred days. The RPF ended the genocide with a military victory in July 1994. Rwanda has been governed by the RPF as a de facto one-party state since 1994 with former commander Paul Kagame as President since 2000. The country has been governed by a series of centralized authoritarian governments since precolonial times. Although Rwanda has low levels of corruption compared with neighbouring countries, it ranks among
688-517: A proportional representation system. Rwanda's legal system is largely based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law . The judiciary is independent of the executive branch, although the president and the Senate are involved in the appointment of Supreme Court judges. Human Rights Watch has praised the Rwandan government for progress made in the delivery of justice including
860-474: A 1999 clash between the two countries' armies as they backed opposing rebel groups in the Second Congo War, but improved significantly in the early 2010s. In 2019, relations between the two countries deteriorated, with Rwanda closing its borders with Uganda. Before western colonization, the Rwandan government system had a quasi-system of political pluralism and power sharing. Despite there being
1032-582: A 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.85/10, ranking it 139th globally out of 172 countries. Rwanda's economy suffered heavily during the 1994 genocide, with widespread loss of life, failure to maintain infrastructure, looting, and neglect of important cash crops. This caused a large drop in GDP and destroyed the country's ability to attract private and external investment. The economy has since strengthened, with per-capita nominal GDP estimated at $ 909.9 in 2022, compared with $ 127 in 1994. As of
1204-659: A Prussian protectorate over his lands, but this request was never considered in Berlin. In the 1867 constitution of the North German Confederation , article 4.1 declared "colonization" as one of the areas under the "oversight of the Confederation", which remained the case in the Imperial constitution established in 1871. In 1867/8, Otto von Bismarck dispatched the screw corvette Augusta to
1376-483: A coalition with the domestic opposition and eventually to sign the 1993 Arusha Accords with the RPF. The cease-fire ended on 6 April 1994 when Habyarimana's plane was shot down near Kigali Airport, killing him. The shooting down of the plane served as the catalyst for the Rwandan genocide , which began within a few hours. Over the course of approximately 100 days, between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Tutsi and politically moderate Hutu were killed in well-planned attacks on
1548-709: A colonial empire until the Scramble for Africa in 1884. Claiming much of the remaining uncolonized areas of Africa, Germany built the third-largest colonial empire at the time, after the British and French . The German colonial empire encompassed parts of several African countries, including parts of present-day Burundi , Rwanda , Tanzania , Namibia , Cameroon , Gabon , Congo , Central African Republic , Chad , Nigeria , Togo , Ghana , as well as northeastern New Guinea , Samoa and numerous Micronesian islands. Germany lost control of most of its colonial empire at
1720-574: A colony occurred in 1859, when Prussia attempted to claim the island of Formosa (modern Taiwan ). Prussia had already sought the approval of the French Emperor Napoleon III for the undertaking, since France was also seeking to acquire colonies in East Asia at that time. Since French interests focused on Vietnam , not Formosa, Prussia could seek to acquire the island. A Prussian naval expedition , which departed Germany at
1892-627: A complete failure. There was a constant lack of supplies and land and around half of the colonists died. The plan was definitively ended with the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Starting in the 1850s German commercial enterprises spread into areas that would later become German colonies in West Africa, East Africa , the Samoan Islands , the unexplored north-east quarter of New Guinea with its adjacent islands,
SECTION 10
#17327757930462064-503: A fast warming country, with an increase in average temperature of between 0.7 °C to 0.9 °C over fifty years. In prehistoric times, montane forest occupied one-third of the territory of present-day Rwanda. Naturally occurring vegetation is now mostly restricted to the three national parks , with terraced agriculture dominating the rest of the country. Nyungwe , the largest remaining tract of forest, contains 200 species of tree as well as orchids and begonias . Vegetation in
2236-420: A few large towns; dwellings are evenly spread throughout the country. The only sparsely populated area of the country is the savanna land in the former province of Umutara and Akagera National Park in the east. Kigali is the largest city, with a population of around one million. Its rapidly increasing population challenges its infrastructural development. According to the 2012 census, the second largest city
2408-551: A few unspecified rights to intervene. In this way, state financial and administrative engagement with the colonies was kept to a minimum. However, this strategy failed within a few years. The poor financial situation of almost all of the "protectorates" as well as the precarious security situation (indigenous revolts broke out in South West Africa and East Africa in 1888, while in Cameroon and Togo border conflicts with
2580-419: A military coup . Pro-Hutu discrimination continued, but there was greater economic prosperity and a reduced amount of violence against Tutsi. The Twa remained marginalised, and by 1990 were almost entirely forced out of the forests by the government; many became beggars. Rwanda's population had increased from 1.6 million people in 1934 to 7.1 million in 1989, leading to competition for land. In 1990,
2752-488: A monopoly in the mistreatment of Africans", and in April 1885, the brothers Clemens and Gustav Denhardt acquired Wituland in modern Kenya . With this, the first wave of German colonial acquisitions was largely completed. The raising of German flags on Pacific islands claimed by Spain between August and October 1885 sparked the Carolines Crisis , in which Germany ultimately backed down. In October 1885,
2924-657: A motive. It is no longer believed that the initiation of colonial expansion represented a radical reversal of Bismarck's politics. The liberal-imperialist ideal of an overseas policy grounded in private economic initiatives, which he had held from the beginning, was not changed much by placing German merchants' possessions under the protection of the Empire. As Bismarck was converted to the colonial idea by 1884, he favored "chartered company" land management rather than establishment of colonial government due to financial considerations. He used official letters of protection to transfer
3096-398: A multi-party system of government, with politics based on democracy and elections. However, the constitution places conditions on how political parties may operate. Article 54 states that "political organizations are prohibited from basing themselves on race, ethnic group, tribe, clan, region, sex, religion or any other division which may give rise to discrimination". The president of Rwanda
3268-485: A population of 10,515,973. The population is young: in the 2012 census, 43.3% of the population were aged 15 and under, and 53.4% were between 16 and 64. According to the CIA World Factbook , the annual birth rate is estimated at 40.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015, and the death rate at 14.9. The life expectancy is 67.67 years (69.27 years for females and 67.11 years for males), which
3440-716: A preexisting claim to the island. Hamburg relied on the Royal Navy for its worldwide shipping interests and therefore gave no political support to the Colonial Society. The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants to Texas , established in Mainz in 1842, sought to expand the German settlements into a colony of "New Germany" ( German : Neu Deutschland ). About 7400 settlers were involved. The venture proved
3612-462: A professorship for "Colonial geography and colonial policy" in 1915. The researcher Hans Meyer was director of the "Institute for Colonial Geography". In 1919, the Seminar for Colonial geography and colonial policy" was established. Kaiser Wilhelm II (1888–1918) was keen for Germany to expand its colonial holdings. Bismarck's immediate successor in 1890, Leo von Caprivi , was willing to maintain
SECTION 20
#17327757930463784-439: A strict hierarchy, the pre-colonial system achieved an established, combined system of "centralized power and decentralized autonomous units." Under the monarch, the elected Chief governed a province that was divided into multiple districts. Two other officials appointed by head Chief governed the districts; one official was allocated power over the land while the other oversaw cattle. The king ( mwami ) exercised control through
3956-642: A surer support, while without political protection trade cannot now thrive and progress." After this, in March 1883, the Sierra Leone Convention between the United Kingdom and France was published, in which the two countries' spheres of interest were laid out without consideration of other trading nations. In response the German government asked the senates of the cities of Lübeck , Bremen, and Hamburg for their opinions. In their answer,
4128-565: A system of commercial courts created in 2011 to expedite commercial litigations. Between 2004 and 2012, a system of Gacaca courts was in operation. Gacaca , a Rwandan traditional court operated by villages and communities, was revived to expedite the trials of genocide suspects. The court succeeded in clearing the backlog of genocide cases, but was criticised by human rights groups as not meeting legal fair standard. Rwanda has low corruption levels relative to most other African countries; in 2014, Transparency International ranked Rwanda as
4300-585: A system of provinces, districts, hills, and neighbourhoods. As of 2003, the constitution divided Rwanda into provinces ( intara ), districts ( uturere ), cities, municipalities, towns, sectors ( imirenge ), cells ( utugari ), and villages ( imidugudu ); the larger divisions, and their borders, are established by Parliament. In January 2006, Rwanda was reorganized such that twelve provinces were merged to create five, and 106 districts were merged into thirty. The present borders drawn in 2006 aimed at decentralising power and removing associations with
4472-600: A third of the country's farmland, potatoes , beans , sweet potatoes , cassava , wheat and maize . Coffee and tea are the major cash crops for export, with the high altitudes, steep slopes and volcanic soils providing favourable conditions. Reports have established that more than 400,000 Rwandans make their living from coffee plantation. Reliance on agricultural exports makes Rwanda vulnerable to shifts in their prices. Animals raised in Rwanda include cows, goats, sheep, pigs, chicken, and rabbits, with geographical variation in
4644-486: Is Gisenyi , which lies adjacent to Lake Kivu and the Congolese city of Goma , and has a population of 126,000. Other major towns include Ruhengeri , Butare , and Muhanga , all with populations below 100,000. The urban population rose from 6% of the population in 1990, to 16.6% in 2006; by 2011, however, the proportion had dropped slightly, to 14.8%. Rwanda has been a unified state since pre-colonial times, and
4816-457: Is a provincial-level authority, which coordinates urban planning within the city. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 149th-largest country, and the fourth smallest on the African mainland after Gambia , Eswatini , and Djibouti . It is comparable in size to Burundi , Haiti and Albania . The entire country is at a high altitude: the lowest point
4988-535: Is empowered by the constitution to oversee the activities of the president and the Cabinet. The lower chamber is the Chamber of Deputies , which has 80 members serving five-year terms. Twenty-four of these seats are reserved for women, elected through a joint assembly of local government officials; another three seats are reserved for youth and disabled members; the remaining 53 are elected by universal suffrage under
5160-580: Is home to an estimated one-third of the worldwide mountain gorilla population. Nyungwe Forest boasts thirteen primate species including common chimpanzees and Ruwenzori colobus arboreal monkeys; the Ruwenzori colobus move in groups of up to 400 individuals, the largest troop size of any primate in Africa. Rwanda's population of lions was destroyed in the aftermath of the genocide of 1994, as national parks were turned into camps for displaced people and
5332-428: Is low but rising rapidly; in 2015 there were 12.8 internet users per 100 people, up from 2.1 in 2007. In 2011, a 2,300-kilometre (1,400 mi) fibre-optic telecommunications network was completed, intended to provide broadband services and facilitate electronic commerce. This network is connected to SEACOM , a submarine fibre-optic cable connecting communication carriers in southern and eastern Africa. Within Rwanda
Rwandese National Union - Misplaced Pages Continue
5504-626: Is no discernible physical difference and the categories were not historically rigid. In precolonial Rwanda the Tutsi were the ruling class, from whom the kings and the majority of chiefs were derived, while the Hutu were agriculturalists. The current government discourages the Hutu/Tutsi/Twa distinction, and has removed such classification from identity cards. The 2002 census was the first since 1933 which did not categorise Rwandan population into
5676-433: Is nominally democratic, elections are manipulated in various ways, which include banning opposition parties, arresting or assassinating critics, and electoral fraud . The RPF is a Tutsi-dominated party but receives support from other communities as well. The constitution was adopted following a national referendum in 2003, replacing the transitional constitution which had been in place since 1994. The constitution mandates
5848-499: Is now Rwanda dates from, at the latest, the last glacial period , either in the Neolithic period around 8000 BC, or in the long humid period which followed, up to around 3000 BC. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of sparse settlement by hunter-gatherers in the late Stone Age , followed by a larger population of early Iron Age settlers, who produced dimpled pottery and iron tools. These early inhabitants were
6020-400: Is one of the cleanest cities in Africa. Government policy measures to improve sanitation are limited, focusing only on urban areas. The majority of the population, both urban and rural, use public shared pit latrines . Rwanda's electricity supply was, until the early 2000s, generated almost entirely from hydroelectric sources; power stations on Lakes Burera and Ruhondo provided 90% of
6192-449: Is one of the fastest-growing economic resources and became the country's leading foreign exchange earner in 2007. In spite of the genocide's legacy, the country is increasingly perceived internationally as a safe destination. The number of tourist arrivals in 2013 was 864,000 people, up from 504,000 in 2010. Revenue from tourism was US$ 303 million in 2014, up from just US$ 62 million in 2000. The largest contributor to this revenue
6364-458: Is one of the twenty deepest lakes in the world . Other sizeable lakes include Burera , Ruhondo , Muhazi , Rweru , and Ihema , the last being the largest of a string of lakes in the eastern plains of Akagera National Park . Mountains dominate central and western Rwanda and the country is sometimes called " Pays des mille collines " in French ("Land of a thousand hills"). They are part of
6536-671: Is the Rusizi River at 950 metres (3,117 ft) above sea level. Rwanda is located in Central/Eastern Africa, and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, and Burundi to the south. It lies a few degrees south of the equator and is landlocked . The capital, Kigali, is located near the centre of Rwanda. The watershed between
6708-504: Is the head of state , and has broad powers including creating policy in conjunction with the Cabinet of Rwanda , commanding the armed forces , negotiating and ratifying treaties, signing presidential orders, and declaring war or a state of emergency. The president is elected every seven years , and appoints the prime minister and all other members of the Cabinet. The Parliament consists of two chambers . It makes legislation and
6880-417: Is the 26th lowest out of 224 countries and territories. The overall sex ratio of the country is 95.9 males per 100 females. At 445 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,150/sq mi), Rwanda's population density is amongst the highest in Africa. Historians such as Gérard Prunier believe that the 1994 genocide can be partly attributed to the population density. The population is predominantly rural, with
7052-430: Is the largest religion in the country; the principal and national language is Kinyarwanda , spoken by native Rwandans, with English, French and Swahili serving as additional official foreign languages. Rwanda's economy is based mostly on subsistence agriculture . Coffee and tea are the major cash crops that it exports. Tourism is a fast-growing sector and is now the country's leading foreign exchange earner. As of
Rwandese National Union - Misplaced Pages Continue
7224-536: Is the road to the port of Mombasa via Kampala and Nairobi , which is known as the Northern Corridor . The principal form of public transport in the country is the minibus , accounting for more than half of all passenger carrying capacity. Some minibuses, particularly in Kigali, operate an unscheduled service, under a shared taxi system, while others run to a schedule, offering express routes between
7396-617: Is used in the manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones. Rwanda's service sector suffered during the late-2000s recession as bank lending, foreign aid projects and investment were reduced. The sector rebounded in 2010, becoming the country's largest sector by economic output and contributing 43.6% of the country's GDP. Key tertiary contributors include banking and finance, wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants, transport, storage, communication, insurance, real estate, business services and public administration including education and health. Tourism
7568-557: Is very pretty, but my map of Africa lies in Europe. Here is Russia, here is France, and we are in the middle. That is my map of Africa. In 1889, Bismarck considered withdrawing Germany from colonial policy, wishing to entirely end Germany's activities in East Africa and Samoa, according to eyewitnesses. It was further reported that Bismarck wanted nothing more to do with the administration of the colonies and intended to hand them over to
7740-494: The 1884 German federal election and Bismarck's desire to strengthen his own position and bind the National Liberal Party , which supported colonialism, to himself, have also been proposed as domestic factors in the adoption of the colonial policy. Hans-Ulrich Wehler advanced the social imperialism thesis, which holds that the colonial expansion served to "divert" social tensions created by economic crisis to
7912-568: The African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator , Rwanda is bordered by Uganda , Tanzania , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It is highly elevated, giving it the sobriquet "land of a thousand hills" ( French : pays des mille collines ), with its geography dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the southeast, with numerous lakes throughout
8084-697: The Caribbean to show the flag of the North German Confederation. At the personal urging of Prince Adalbert , the commander of the North German Federal Navy , and without Bismarck's knowledge, the commander of the Augusta , Franz Kinderling [ de ] conducted negotiations with José María Castro Madriz , President of Costa Rica with a view to establishing a naval base at Puerto Limón . Bismarck rejected
8256-621: The Democratic Republic of the Congo were tense following Rwanda's involvement in the First and Second Congo Wars ; the Congolese army alleged Rwandan attacks on their troops, while Rwanda blamed the Congolese government for failing to suppress Hutu rebels in North and South Kivu provinces. In 2010, the United Nations released a report accusing the Rwandan army of committing wide scale human rights violations and crimes against humanity in
8428-579: The Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft für Südwestafrika [ de ] nor the Syndicate for West Africa were willing to take on the role. These areas were brought into German possession with extremely unequal treaties following demonstrations of military power. Indigenous rulers ceded vast areas, which they often had no legal claim to, in exchange for vague promises of protection and laughably low purchase prices. Details of
8600-881: The Douala delta in Cameroon , and the mainland coast across from Zanzibar . In 1857, the Austrian frigate Novara departed from Triest on the Novara Expedition, which aimed to explore and take possession of the Nicobar islands in the Indian Ocean . The Novara arrived at the Nicobars in 1858, but the Austrians did not subsequently lay claim to the islands. The next state-sponsored attempt to acquire
8772-599: The East African Community in 2007, and has ratified a plan for monetary union amongst the seven member nations, which could eventually lead to a common East African shilling . Rwanda is a country of few natural resources, and the economy is based mostly on subsistence agriculture by local farmers using simple tools. An estimated 90% of the working population farms, and agriculture constituted an estimated 32.5% of GDP in 2014. Farming techniques are basic, with small plots of land and steep slopes. Since
SECTION 50
#17327757930468944-689: The German Colonial Society . Generally, four arguments were advanced in favor of the acquisition of colonies: Moreover, German public opinion in the late-19th century viewed colonial acquisitions as a true indication of having achieved full nationhood, and eventually arrived at an understanding that prestigious African and Pacific colonies went hand-in-hand with dreams of a High Seas Fleet . Bismarck remained opposed to these arguments and preferred an informal commercial imperialism, in which German companies carried out profitable trade with areas outside Europe and made economic inroads without
9116-734: The German Confederation founded in 1815 and the Zollverein founded in 1834, there was some call from private and economic interests for the establishment of German colonies, especially in the 1840s. However, governments had no such aspirations. In 1839, private interests founded the Hamburg Colonial Society [ de ] , which sought to purchase the Chatham Islands east of New Zealand and settle German emigrants there, but Great Britain had
9288-517: The Kingdom of Rwanda . By 1700, around eight kingdoms had existed in the present-day Rwanda. One of these, the Kingdom of Rwanda ruled by the Tutsi Nyiginya clan, became increasingly dominant from the mid-eighteenth century. The kingdom reached its greatest extent during the nineteenth century under the reign of King Kigeli Rwabugiri . Rwabugiri conquered several smaller states, expanded
9460-653: The Marshall Islands was only established in 1885. Von Werner also acquired a harbor on the islands of Makada and Mioko in the Duke of York Islands in December 1878, which would become a component part of the future protectorate of German New Guinea in 1884. On 20 April 1879, the commander of the screw corvette SMS Bismarck , Karl August Deinhard [ de ] and the German Consul for
9632-584: The Marshall Islands were also claimed and finally several of the Solomon Islands in October 1886. In 1888, Germany ended the civil war on Nauru and annexed the island. The causes of Bismarck's sudden shift to a policy of colonial acquisition remain a matter of controversy among historians. There are two dominant schools of thought: one which focuses on German domestic politics and one which focuses on foreign affairs. In terms of internal politics,
9804-704: The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group composed of Tutsi refugees, invaded northern Rwanda from their base in Uganda, initiating the Rwandan Civil War . The group condemned the Hutu-dominated government for failing to democratize and confront the problems facing these refugees. Neither side was able to gain a decisive advantage in the war, but by 1992 it had weakened Habyarimana's authority; mass demonstrations forced him into
9976-627: The Rwenzori turaco and handsome spurfowl . Eastern Rwanda, by contrast, features savanna birds such as the black-headed gonolek and those associated with swamps and lakes, including storks and cranes . Recent entomological work in the country has revealed a rich diversity of praying mantises , including a new species Dystacta tigrifrutex , dubbed the "bush tiger mantis". Rwanda contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Albertine Rift montane forests , Victoria Basin forest-savanna mosaic , and Ruwenzori-Virunga montane moorlands . The country had
10148-669: The Triple Alliance . In exchange for this, Germany acquired the Caprivi Strip , which extended German South West Africa east to the Zambezi River (it was hoped that the river would enable overland transport between German South West Africa and German East Africa). In these circumstances, further German colonial aspirations in South East Africa were brought to an end. German interest in African colonies
10320-643: The Volcanoes National Park is mostly bamboo and moorland, with small areas of forest. By contrast, Akagera has a savanna ecosystem in which acacia dominates the flora. There are several rare or endangered plant species in Akagera, including Markhamia lutea and Eulophia guineensis . The greatest diversity of large mammals is found in the three national parks, which are designated conservation areas. Akagera contains typical savanna animals such as giraffes and elephants, while Volcanoes
10492-406: The "Treaty of Friendship" agreed between the Samoan chiefs and the German consul in Samoa in January 1879, with the result that the consul assumed control of the administration of the city of Apia on the island of Upolu , along with the consuls of Britain and America. In the 1880s, Bismarck would unsuccessfully attempt to annex Samoa several times. The western Samoan islands, which included Apia,
SECTION 60
#173277579304610664-498: The 15th century, one kingdom, under King Gihanga, managed to incorporate several of its close neighbor territories establishing the Kingdom of Rwanda . The Kingdom of Rwanda dominated from the mid-eighteenth century, with the Tutsi kings conquering others militarily, centralising power, and enacting unifying policies. In 1897, Germany colonized Rwanda as part of German East Africa , followed by Belgium , which took control in 1916 during World War I . Both European nations ruled through
10836-501: The 1870s, colonialist propaganda achieved increasing public profile in Germany. In 1873, the African Society in Germany [ de ] was established, which considered exploration of Africa its main function. In 1878 the foundation of the Central Society for Commercial Geography and Promotion of German Interests Abroad [ de ] was established, which sought to acquire colonies for Germany, and in 1881 West German Society for Colonization and Export [ de ]
11008-475: The 1960 local elections, but participated in the 1961 parliamentary elections , receiving 17% of the vote, winning 7 of the 44 seats in the Legislative Assembly. It joined a coalition government with the victorious Parmehutu , and was given the cabinet posts responsible for cattle and public health. On 21 December 1963 Rwandan Tutsi exiles from Burundi attacked a military camp in Gako, Bugesera . They then advanced on Kigali before being stopped and defeated by
11180-503: The Albertine Rift Mountains that flank the Albertine branch of the East African Rift , which runs from north to south along Rwanda's western border. The highest peaks are found in the Virunga volcano chain in the northwest; this includes Mount Karisimbi , Rwanda's highest point, at 4,507 metres (14,787 ft). This western section of the country lies within the Albertine Rift montane forests ecoregion. It has an elevation of 1,500 to 2,500 metres (4,921 to 8,202 ft). The centre of
11352-553: The Allied powers. Talk of regaining the last Kaiser's lost colonies persisted in Germany until 1943, but never became an official goal of the German government. Germans had traditions of foreign sea-borne trade dating back to the Hanseatic League ; German emigrants had flowed eastward in the direction of the Baltic littoral , Russia and Transylvania and westward to the Americas ; and North German merchants and missionaries showed interest in overseas engagements. The Hanseatic republics of Hamburg and Bremen sent traders across
11524-523: The British. It was, he said, a burden and an expense, and he would like to saddle someone else with it." Following 1884, Germany invaded several territories in Africa: German East Africa (including present-day Burundi , Rwanda , and the mainland part of Tanzania ); German South West Africa (present-day Namibia ), German Cameroon (including parts of present-day Cameroon , Gabon , Congo , Central African Republic , Chad and Nigeria ); and Togoland (present-day Togo and parts of Ghana ). Germany
11696-420: The Confederation through a kind of informal imperialism. In 1867, it was decided to establish five overseas bases. Accordingly, in 1868, land was bought in Yokohama in Japan for a German naval hospital, which remained in operation until 1911. In 1869 the "East Asian Station" ( Ostasiatische Station ) was established there by the navy as the first overseas base, with a permanent presence of German warships. Until
11868-408: The Democratic Republic of the Congo during the First and Second Congo Wars , charges denied by the Rwandan government. Relations soured further in 2012, as Kinshasa accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebellion , an insurgency in the eastern Congo. As of 2015 , peace has been restored and relations are improving. Rwanda's relationship with Uganda was also tense for much of the 2000s following
12040-414: The German Empire's acquisition of Qingdao in China as a military port in 1897, Yokohama remained the base of the German fleet in East Asia. It later proved useful following the acquisition of colonies in the Pacific and in Kiaochow . In 1869, the Rhenish Missionary Society , which had been established in southwestern Africa for several decades asked King William of Prussia for protection and suggested
12212-507: The German Empire, in order to protect trade, safeguard raw materials and export-markets and to take advantage of opportunities for capital investment, among other reasons. In the very next year Bismarck shed personal involvement when "he abandoned his colonial drive as suddenly and casually as he had started it" – as if he had committed an error in judgment that could confuse the substance of his more significant policies. "Indeed, in 1889, [Bismarck] tried to give German South West Africa away to
12384-450: The German states had not concentrated on the development of a navy, and this essentially had precluded German participation in earlier imperialist scrambles for remote colonial territory. Without a blue-water navy, a would-be colonial power could not reliably defend, supply or trade with overseas dependencies. The German states prior to 1870 had retained separate political structures and goals, and German foreign policy up to and including
12556-530: The Great Powers of England and France. In 1888, when the journalist Eugen Wolf urged him to acquire further colonies for Germany, so that it would not fall behind in the scramble with the other Great Powers for colonies, which he understood in a social Darwinian sense, Bismarck replied that his priority was rather the protection of the recently won national unity, which he considered to be under threat due to Germany's central location: Your map of Africa
12728-552: The Hamburg merchants demanded the acquisition of colonies in West Africa. In December 1883, Bismarck let Hamburg known that an Imperial commissioner would be sent to West Africa to secure the safety of German trade and to conclude a treaty with "independent Negro states". The screw corvette Sophie would be sent to provide military protection. Additionally, Bismarck requested suggestions on this plan and asked for Adolph Woermann's advice personally on what instructions should be given to
12900-674: The Imperial commissioner. In March 1884, Gustav Nachtigal was named as the Imperial Commissioner for the West African Coast and set sail for West Africa in the gunboat SMS Möwe . The year 1884 marks the beginning of actual German colonial acquisitions, building on the overseas possessions and rights that had been acquired for the German Empire since 1876. In one year, Germany's holdings became
13072-478: The Motherland's trade and industry are mostly illusory. Then, the costs which the foundation, maintenance, and especially the establishment of claims to colonies entail very often exceed the utility which the Motherland gets from them, entirely apart from the fact that it is difficult to justify placing significant tax burdens on the whole nation for the benefit of individual commercial and industrial interests. On
13244-712: The Northern Solomon Islands. These islands were given the status of protectorate. The shift in Bismarck's policy on the acquisition of colonies began as part of his 1878 Schutzzollpolitik [ de ] policy on the protection of the German economy from foreign competition. The beginning of his colonial policy in connection with the Schutzzollpolitik was the acquisition of Samoa , where there were significant German economic interests. In June 1879, as Imperial Chancellor , he acknowledged
13416-562: The RPF-led army was a key belligerent in the First and Second Congo Wars . Within Rwanda, a period of reconciliation and justice began, with the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the reintroduction of Gacaca , a traditional village court system. Since 2000 Rwanda's economy, tourist numbers, and Human Development Index have grown rapidly; between 2006 and 2011
13588-528: The Rwandan National Guard. The Rwandan regime subsequently moved to purge moderate Hutu politicians and UNAR members. Pierre Claver Karyabwite, vice president of the UNAR youth wing, was tipped off by a local official that UNAR's leadership was to be executed. He drove to Nyamirambo , where UNAR was headquartered and where Rwagasana and party president Joseph Rutsindintwarane lived to warn them of
13760-412: The Rwandan king and perpetuated a pro-Tutsi policy. The Hutu population revolted in 1959. They massacred numerous Tutsi and ultimately established an independent, Hutu-dominated republic in 1962 led by President Grégoire Kayibanda . A 1973 military coup overthrew Kayibanda and brought Juvénal Habyarimana to power, who retained the pro-Hutu policy. The Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) launched
13932-532: The South Seas Islands, Gustav Godeffroy Junior established a treaty of commerce and friendship with "the government" of Huahine , one of the Society Islands , which granted the German fleet the right to anchor at all harbors on the island, among other things. Although Bismarck "remained as contemptuous of all colonial dreams as ever", in 1884, he consented to the acquisition of colonies by
14104-658: The United Kingdom would provide protection to Lüderitz's trade station. Both times the British government refused. From March 1883, Adolph Woermann , a Hamburg bulkgoods trader, shipowner, and member of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce , engaged in extremely confidential negotiations with the Foreign Office, which was headed by Bismarck, for the acquisition of a colony in West Africa . The reason for this
14276-507: The United States, European Union , Japan, and others. The transport system consists primarily of the road network, with paved roads between Kigali and most other major cities and towns in the country. Rwanda is linked by road to other countries in the East African Community, namely Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya , as well as to the eastern Congolese cities of Goma and Bukavu ; the country's most important trade route
14448-548: The Zanzibar Sultanate's mainland property." which became German East Africa . Such exploratory missions required security measures that could be solved with small private, armed contingents recruited mainly in the Sudan and usually led by adventurous former military personnel of lower rank. Brutality, hanging and flogging prevailed during these land-grab expeditions under Peters' control as well as others as no-one "held
14620-589: The abolition of the death penalty, but also alleges interference in the judicial system by members of the government, such as the politically motivated appointment of judges, misuse of prosecutorial power, and pressure on judges to make particular decisions. The constitution provides for two types of courts: ordinary and specialised. Ordinary courts are the Supreme Court , the High Court , and regional courts, while specialised courts are military courts and
14792-620: The acquisition, due to the American Monroe Doctrine . This desire to avoid antagonising the United States also led him to reject a Dutch offer to establish a naval base on the Dutch island of Curaçao . In 1868, Bismarck made his opposition to any colonial acquisitions clear in a letter to the Prussian Minister of War Albrecht von Roon : On the one hand, the benefits which one might derive from colonies for
14964-540: The admiralty. In May 1889, Bismarck offered to sell the German possessions in Africa to the Italian Prime Minister, Francesco Crispi – who countered with an offer to sell Italy's colonies to Germany. Bismarck also found the colonies useful as bargaining chips. Thus, at the Congo Conference held in Berlin from 1884 to 1885, he divvied Africa up between the Great Powers. In 1884, a treaty
15136-400: The age of Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898; in office as Prussian Foreign Minister from 1862 to 1890) concentrated on resolving the " German question " in Europe and on securing German interests on the continent. However, by 1891 the Germans were mostly united under Prussian rule. They also sought a more clear-cut "German" state, and saw colonies as a good way to achieve that. In the states of
15308-542: The ancestors of the Twa , aboriginal pygmy hunter-gatherers who remain in Rwanda today. Then by 3,000BC, Central Sudanic and Kuliak farmers and herders began settling into Rwanda, followed by South Cushitic speaking herders in 2,000BC. The forest-dwelling Twa lost much of their habitat and moved to the mountain slopes. Between 800 BC and 1500 AD, a number of Bantu groups migrated into Rwanda, clearing forest land for agriculture. Historians have several theories regarding
15480-685: The banker Adolph von Hansemann to produce a report on German colonial goals in the Pacific and the possibility of enforcing them. Hansemann submitted his Memorandum on Colonial Aspirations in the South Seas to Bismarck in September of the same year. The proposed territorial acquisitions were almost all taken or claimed as colonies four years later. Those Pacific territories that were claimed in 1884 but not taken were finally brought under German colonial administration in 1899. Significantly, Hausemann
15652-771: The beginning of the First World War in 1914, but some German forces held out in German East Africa until the end of the war. After the German defeat in World War I , Germany's colonial empire was officially confiscated as part of the Treaty of Versailles between the Allies and German Weimar Republic . Each colony became a League of Nations mandate under the administration, although not sovereignty, of one of
15824-613: The boundaries of their spheres of interest in East Africa. After Bismarck had ended the policy of colonial acquisition in March 1890, he concluded the Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty with Britain on 1 July 1890, in which Germany renounced all remaining claims north of German East Africa. In this way, he established a balance with Great Britain. Renouncing the German claims to the Somali coast between Burgabo and Alula also improved relations with Italy, one of Germany's partners in
15996-520: The busiest routes being those to Nairobi and Entebbe ; there is one domestic route, between Kigali and Kamembe Airport near Cyangugu . In 2017, construction began on the Bugesera International Airport , to the south of Kigali, which will become the country's largest when it opens, complementing the existing Kigali airport. The national carrier is RwandAir , and the country is served by seven foreign airlines. As of 2015
16168-413: The cables run along major roads, linking towns around the country. Mobile provider MTN also runs a wireless internet service accessible in most areas of Kigali via pre-paid subscription. In October 2019, Mara Corporation launched the first African-made smartphone in Rwanda. The Rwandan government prioritised funding of water supply development during the 2000s, significantly increasing its share of
16340-409: The colonial burden of what already existed, but opposed new ventures. Others who followed, especially Bernhard von Bülow , as foreign minister and chancellor, sanctioned the acquisition of further Pacific Ocean colonies and provided substantial treasury assistance to existing protectorates to employ administrators, commercial agents, surveyors, local "peacekeepers" and tax collectors. This accorded with
16512-678: The commander of the ship decided to return to Germany due to the exhaustion of the men after the year-long expedition and the need for repairs to the ship. After the Second Schleswig War in 1864, colonialist societies in Prussia aspired to take possession of the Nicobar islands which had previously been in Danish possession. For its part, Denmark unsuccessfully proposed to exchange the Danish West Indies for some of
16684-826: The commerce and administration of individual "German protectorates" to private companies. The administration of these areas was assigned to the German East Africa Company (1885–1890), the German Witu Company (1887–1890), the German New Guinea Company (1885–1899), and the Jaluit Company in the Marshall Islands (1888–1906). Bismarck would have liked the German colonies in west Africa and southwest Africa to be administered in this way as well, but neither
16856-606: The country became a one-party state under Parmehutu. This article about an African political party is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Rwanda -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Rwanda in Africa (light blue) Rwanda , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa , where
17028-481: The country had no railways, but there is a project underway, in conjunction with Burundi and Tanzania, to extend the Tanzanian Central Line into Rwanda; the three countries have invited expressions of interest from private firms to form a public private partnership for the scheme. There is no public water transport between the port cities on Lake Kivu, although a limited private service exists and
17200-400: The country is 72.6%, up from 41.6% in 2011. MTN Rwanda is the leading provider, with 3,957,986 subscribers, followed by Tigo with 2,887,328, and Bharti Airtel with 1,336,679. Rwandatel has also previously operated a mobile phone network, but the industry regulator revoked its licence in April 2011, following the company's failure to meet agreed investment commitments. Internet penetration
17372-425: The country is predominantly rolling hills, while the eastern border region consists of savanna , plains and swamps. Rwanda has a temperate tropical highland climate, with lower temperatures than are typical for equatorial countries because of its high elevation. Kigali, in the centre of the country, has a typical daily temperature range between 15 and 28 °C (59 and 82 °F), with little variation through
17544-521: The country's electricity. A combination of below average rainfall and human activity, including the draining of the Rugezi wetlands for cultivation and grazing, caused the two lakes' water levels to fall from 1990 onwards; by 2004 levels were reduced by 50%, leading to a sharp drop in output from the power stations. This, coupled with increased demand as the economy grew, precipitated a shortfall in 2004 and widespread loadshedding . As an emergency measure,
17716-420: The country's power generation by 40%. Only 18% of the population had access to electricity in 2012, though this had risen from 10.8% in 2009. The government's Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2013–18 aims to increase access to electricity to 70% of households by 2017. The government has increased investment in the transport infrastructure of Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, with aid from
17888-422: The country, little use is made of rainwater harvesting , and residents are forced to use water very sparingly, relative to usage in other African countries. Access to sanitation remains low; the United Nations estimates that in 2006, 34% of urban and 20% of rural dwellers had access to improved sanitation , with this statistic increasing to 92% for the total population (95% urban and 91% urban) in 2022. Kigali
18060-635: The country, including illegal and arbitrary detention, threats or other forms of intimidation, disappearances, politically motivated trials, and the massacre of peacefully protesting civilians. Rwanda is a member of the United Nations , African Union , Francophonie , East African Community , and the Commonwealth of Nations . For many years during the Habyarimana regime, the country maintained close ties with France, as well as Belgium,
18232-549: The country. The climate is temperate to subtropical, with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year. It is the most densely populated mainland African country; among countries larger than 10,000 km , it is the fifth-most densely populated country in the world. Its capital and largest city is Kigali . Hunter-gatherers settled the territory in the Stone and Iron Ages , followed later by Bantu peoples . The population coalesced first into clans , and then into kingdoms. In
18404-466: The danger. According to Karyabwite, the two refused to flee. On 23 December the UNAR leaders and moderates were detained and taken to Ruhengeri . Over the course of the night they were tortured and early the following morning they were brought to Nyamagumba hill and executed under the supervision of a Belgian officer, Major Turpin. After the purge, UNAR effectively ceased to exist. Elements of the armed wing continued to carry out attacks until 1967. In 1965
18576-552: The decision to colonize is seen as an extension of the concept of the European balance of power to a global context. Participating in the Scramble for Africa would also reinforce its position as one of the Great Powers . Improving relations with France through a "colonial entente" that would divert French attention from revanchism related to Alsace-Lorraine , which had been annexed by Germany in 1871, has also been seen as
18748-428: The delivery of public services as mandated by the districts. Districts and sectors have directly elected councils, and are run by an executive committee selected by that council. The cells and villages are the smallest political units, providing a link between the people and the sectors. All adult resident citizens are members of their local cell council, from which an executive committee is elected. The city of Kigali
18920-607: The district level. The Rwanda Decentralisation Strategic Framework developed by the Ministry of Local Government assigns to provinces the responsibility for "coordinating governance issues in the Province, as well as monitoring and evaluation". Each province is headed by a governor, appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. The districts are responsible for coordinating public service delivery and economic development. They are divided into sectors, which are responsible for
19092-520: The east of the country. Rwanda was ranked 104th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024. The largest radio and television stations are state-run, and the majority of newspapers are owned by the government. Most Rwandans have access to radio; during the 1994 genocide, the radio station Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines broadcast across the country, and helped to fuel the killings through anti-Tutsi propaganda. As of 2015 ,
19264-601: The eastern border with Tanzania. The Nyabarongo-Kagera eventually drains into Lake Victoria , and its source in Nyungwe Forest is a contender for the as-yet undetermined overall source of the Nile . Rwanda has many lakes, the largest being Lake Kivu . This lake occupies the floor of the Albertine Rift along most of the length of Rwanda's western border, and with a maximum depth of 480 metres (1,575 ft), it
19436-524: The end of 1859, was tasked with concluding trade treaties in Asia for Prussia and the other states of the Zollverein and with occupying Formosa. However, this task was not carried out, due to the limited strength of the expedition forces and because they did not wish to preclude a trade treaty with Qing China . In a cabinet order of 6 January 1862, the expedition's ambassador, Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg
19608-587: The establishment of a coal station on the Tongan island of Vavaʻu , guaranteeing all usage rights of the specified area to the German Empire, but leaving the King of Tonga's sovereignty untouched. No actual colonization occurred. On 16 July 1878, the commander of the screw corvette SMS Ariadne , Bartholomäus von Werner [ de ] occupied Falealili and Saluafata on the Samoan island of Upolu "in
19780-711: The establishment of a naval station at Walvis Bay . William was very interested in this suggestion, but the matter was forgotten following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War . A French proposal after the Franco-Prussian War to hand over the French colony of Cochinchina instead of Alsace–Lorraine , was rejected by Bismarck and a majority of the delegates in the North German Reichstag in 1870. After German Unification in 1871, Bismarck maintained his earlier position. During
19952-603: The expansionistic policy and a forced upgrade of the Imperial German Navy . Colonial acquisition became a serious factor in German domestic politics. The German colonial society was joined in 1891 by the extremely nationalistic Pan-German League . In addition to the arguments previously made in support of colonialism, it was now argued that Germany had a duty to end the slave trade in the colonies and free indigenous people from their Muslim enslavers. These abolitionist demands, with their clear anti-Muslim bias turned
20124-552: The fifth-cleanest out of 47 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and 55th-cleanest out of 175 in the world. The constitution provides for an ombudsman , whose duties include prevention and fighting of corruption. Public officials (including the president) are required by the constitution to declare their wealth to the ombudsman and to the public; those who do not comply are suspended from office. Despite this, Human Rights Watch notes extensive political repression throughout
20296-404: The foreign sphere and helped to reinforce Bismarck's authority. The so-called "Crown-prince thesis" holds that Bismarck was attempting to deliberately worsen the German relationship with the United Kingdom before the anticipated succession of the " anglophile " Frederick III to the German throne in order to prevent him from instituting liberal English-style policies. In terms of foreign policy,
20468-407: The formation of an alliance with the king, beginning the colonial era. The Germans did not significantly alter the social structure of the country, but exerted influence by supporting the king and the existing hierarchy, and delegating power to local chiefs. Belgian forces invaded Rwanda and Burundi in 1916, during World War I , and later, in 1922, they started to rule both Rwanda and Burundi as
20640-492: The former colonial power. Under the RPF government, however, Rwanda has sought closer ties with neighbouring countries in the East African Community and with the English-speaking world. Diplomatic relations with France were suspended in 2006 following the indictment of Rwandan officials by a French judge, and despite their restoration in 2010, as of 2015 relations between the countries remain strained. Relations with
20812-484: The globe. Their trading houses conducted themselves as successful Privatkolonisatoren [independent colonizers], concluding treaties and land purchases in Africa and the Pacific with chiefs and/or other tribal leaders. These early agreements with local entities later formed the basis for annexation treaties, diplomatic support and military protection by the German government . However, until their 1871 unification ,
20984-482: The government are widely available in Kigali. Restrictions were increased in the run-up to the Rwandan presidential election of 2010, with two independent newspapers, Umuseso and Umuvugizi , being suspended for six months by the High Media Council . The country's oldest telecommunications group, Rwandatel , went into liquidation in 2011, having been 80% owned by Libyan company LAP Green . The company
21156-529: The government has initiated a programme to develop a full service. The Ministry of Infrastructure is also investigating the feasibility of linking Rwanda to Lake Victoria via shipping on the Akagera River . As of 2015 , the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda estimated Rwanda's population to be 11,262,564, while the projection for 2022 was 13,246,394. The 2012 census recorded
21328-463: The government installed diesel generators north of Kigali; by 2006 these were providing 56% of the country's electricity, but were very costly. The government enacted a number of measures to alleviate this problem, including rehabilitating the Rugezi wetlands, which supply water to Burera and Ruhondo and investing in a scheme to extract methane gas from Lake Kivu, expected in its first phase to increase
21500-405: The industry. The industrial sector is small, contributing 14.8% of GDP in 2014. Products manufactured include cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles and cigarettes. Rwanda's mining industry is an important contributor, generating US$ 93 million in 2008. Minerals mined include cassiterite , wolframite , gold, and coltan , which
21672-526: The key aspect is the public pressure which led to the development of a "Colonial fever" ( Kolonialfieber ) among the German populace. Although the colonial movement was not very strong institutionally, it succeeded in bringing its position into the public debate. A memorandum authored by Adolph Woermann and sent to Bismarck by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce on 6 July 1883 is considered to have been particularly important in this respect. The approach of
21844-494: The kingdom west and north, and initiated administrative reforms; these included ubuhake , in which Tutsi patrons ceded cattle, and therefore privileged status, to Hutu or Tutsi clients in exchange for economic and personal service, and uburetwa , a corvée system in which Hutu were forced to work for Tutsi chiefs. Rwabugiri's changes caused a rift to grow between the Hutu and Tutsi populations. The Twa were better off than in pre-Kingdom days, with some becoming dancers in
22016-509: The last quarter of Bismarck's tenure of office. First, Adolf Lüderitz's trading post in the Bay of Angara Pequena (' Lüderitz Bay ') and the surrounding hinterland (' Lüderitzland [ de ] ') was placed under the protection of the German Empire in April 1884 as German South West Africa . In July, Togoland and Adolph Woermann 's possessions in Cameroon followed, then the northeastern section of New Guinea (' Kaiser-Wilhelmsland ') and
22188-690: The lost territory in Schleswig in 1865. In 1866 and then again in 1876, Jamal ul-Azam, Sultan of the Sulu Islands , located between Borneo and the Philippines, offered to place his islands under Prussian and then Imperial German control, but both times he was rebuffed. Ahmad ibn Fumo Bakari, the Sultan of Wituland asked the Prussian traveler Richard Brenner [ de ] to establish
22360-619: The lowest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties and quality of life. The population is young and predominantly rural; Rwanda has one of the youngest populations in the world. Rwandans are drawn from just one cultural and linguistic group, the Banyarwanda . However, within this group there are three subgroups: the Hutu , Tutsi and Twa . The Twa are a forest-dwelling pygmy people and are often considered descendants of Rwanda's earliest inhabitants. Christianity
22532-677: The main city, became a German colony in 1899. In April 1880, Bismarck actively intervened in domestic politics in favor of colonial matters, when he presented the Samoa Bill to the Reichstag . It had been endorsed by the Federal Council , but was rejected by the Reichstag. The bill would have provided German financial support to a private German colonial trade company that had fallen into difficulties. In May 1880, Bismarck asked
22704-690: The major Congo and Nile drainage basins runs from north to south through Rwanda, with around 80% of the country's area draining into the Nile and 20% into the Congo via the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyika . The country's longest river is the Nyabarongo , which rises in the south-west, flows north, east, and southeast before merging with the Ruvubu to form the Kagera ; the Kagera then flows due north along
22876-459: The major cities. There are a smaller number of large buses, which operate a scheduled service around the country. The principal private hire vehicle is the motorcycle taxi ; in 2013 there were 9,609 registered motorcycle taxis in Rwanda, compared with just 579 taxicabs . Coach services are available to various destinations in neighbouring countries. The country has an international airport at Kigali that serves several international destinations,
23048-439: The mid-1980s, farm sizes and food production have been decreasing, due in part to the resettlement of displaced people. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, and food imports are required. However, in recent years with the growth of agriculture, the situation has improved. Subsistence crops grown in the country include matoke (green bananas), which occupy more than
23220-426: The most recent survey in 2019/20, 48.8% of the population continues to be affected by multidimensional poverty and an additional 22.7% vulnerable to it. Major export markets include China, Germany, and the United States. The economy is managed by the central National Bank of Rwanda and the currency is the Rwandan franc ; in December 2023, the exchange rate was 1250 francs to one United States dollar. Rwanda joined
23392-420: The most recent survey in 2019/20, 48.8% of the population is affected by multidimensional poverty and an additional 22.7% vulnerable to it. The country is a member of the African Union , the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations (one of few member states that does not have any historical links with the British Empire ), COMESA , OIF and the East African Community . Modern human settlement of what
23564-414: The name of the Empire". The German occupation of these places was revoked in January 1879 with the conclusion of a treaty of friendship between the local rulers and Germany. On 19 November 1878, von Werner established a treaty with the leaders of Jaluit Atoll and the Ralik islands of Lebon and Letahalin, granting privileges like the exclusive right to establish a coal station. An official German colony in
23736-604: The national budget. This funding, along with donor support, caused a rapid increase in access to safe water; in 2015, 74% of the population had access to safe water, up from about 55% in 2005; the government has committed to increasing this to 100% by 2017. The country's water infrastructure consists of urban and rural systems that deliver water to the public, mainly through standpipes in rural areas and private connections in urban areas. In areas not served by these systems, hand pumps and managed springs are used. Despite rainfall exceeding 750 millimetres (30 in) annually in most of
23908-402: The nature of the Bantu migrations; one theory is that the first settlers were Hutu , while the Tutsi migrated later to form a distinct racial group, possibly of Nilo-hamitic origin. An alternative theory is that the migration was slow and steady, with incoming groups integrating into rather than conquering the existing society. Under this theory, the Hutu and Tutsi distinction arose later and
24080-742: The neighboring British colonies were feared, and in general the demands of efficient administration overwhelmed the colonial companies) compelled Bismarck and his successors to implement direct and formal rule in all the colonies. Although temperate zone cultivation flourished, the demise and often failure of tropical low-land enterprises contributed to changing Bismarck's view. He reluctantly acquiesced to pleas for help to deal with revolts and armed hostilities by often powerful rulers whose lucrative slaving activities seemed at risk. German native military forces initially engaged in dozens of punitive expeditions to apprehend and punish freedom fighters, at times with British assistance. The author Charles Miller offers
24252-428: The neighboring islands ('the Bismarck Archipelago '). In January 1885, the German flag was raised at Kapitaï and Koba on the west African coast. In February, imperialist and "man-of-action" Carl Peters accumulated vast tracts of land for his Society for German Colonization , "emerging from the bush with X-marks [affixed by unlettered tribal chiefs] on documents ... for some 160,000 km (60,000 sq mi) of
24424-431: The northern part) as a UN trust territory after the Second World War , with a mandate to oversee eventual independence . Tensions escalated between the Tutsi, who favoured early independence, and the Hutu emancipation movement, culminating in the 1959 Rwandan Revolution : Hutu activists began killing Tutsi and destroying their houses, forcing more than 100,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. In 1961,
24596-435: The numbers of each. Production systems are mostly traditional, although there are a few intensive dairy farms around Kigali. Shortages of land and water, insufficient and poor-quality feed, and regular disease epidemics with insufficient veterinary services are major constraints that restrict output. Fishing takes place on the country's lakes, but stocks are very depleted, and live fish are being imported in an attempt to revive
24768-400: The occupation of territories or the construction of states. Bismarck and many deputies in the Reichstag had no interest in making colonial conquests merely to acquire square miles of territory. As a result, the first colonial enterprises abroad were extremely hesitant: a Treaty of Friendship between the German Empire and Tonga [ de ] was signed in 1876, which provided for
24940-471: The old system and the genocide. The previous structure of twelve provinces associated with the largest cities was replaced with five provinces based primarily on geography. These are Northern Province , Southern Province , Eastern Province , Western Province , and the Municipality of Kigali in the centre. The five provinces act as intermediaries between the national government and their constituent districts to ensure that national policies are implemented at
25112-539: The orders of the interim government. Many Twa were also killed, despite not being directly targeted. The Tutsi RPF restarted their offensive, and took control of the country methodically, gaining control of the whole country by mid-July. The international response to the genocide was limited, with major powers reluctant to strengthen the already overstretched UN peacekeeping force . When the RPF took over, approximately two million Hutu fled to neighbouring countries , in particular Zaïre , fearing reprisals; additionally,
25284-407: The other hand, is not sufficiently developed to be able to undertake the task of firmly protecting distant states. He also repeatedly stated "... I am no man for colonies" The policy of the North German Confederation at this time focussed on the acquisition of individual naval bases , not colonies. With these it would be able to use gunboat diplomacy to protect the global trade interests of
25456-404: The population in 2009, the Tutsi 15% and Twa 1%. The Twa are a pygmy people who descend from Rwanda's earliest inhabitants, but scholars do not agree on the origins of and differences between the Hutu and Tutsi. Anthropologist Jean Hiernaux contends that the Tutsi are a separate race, with a tendency towards "long and narrow heads, faces and noses"; others, such as Villia Jefremovas, believe there
25628-413: The population is drawn from just one cultural and linguistic group, the Banyarwanda ; this contrasts with most modern African states, whose borders were drawn by colonial powers and did not correspond to ethnic boundaries or pre-colonial kingdoms. Within the Banyarwanda people, there are three separate groups, the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa. The CIA World Factbook gives estimates that the Hutu made up 84% of
25800-433: The poverty rate reduced from 57% to 45%, while life expectancy rose from 46.6 years in 2000 to 65.4 years in 2021. In 2009, Rwanda joined the Commonwealth of Nations , although the country was never part of the British Empire . Rwanda is a de facto one-party state ruled by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and its leader Paul Kagame continuously since the end of the civil war in 1994. Although Rwanda
25972-532: The remaining animals were poisoned by cattle herders. In June 2015, two South African parks donated seven lions to Akagera National Park , reestablishing a lion population in Rwanda. The lions were held initially in a fenced-off area of the park, and then collared and released into the wild a month later. Eighteen endangered black rhinos were brought to Rwanda in 2017 from South Africa. After positive results, five more black rhinos were delivered to Akagera National Park from zoos all over Europe in 2019. Similarly,
26144-418: The royal court, but their numbers continued to decline. The Berlin Conference of 1884 assigned the territory to the German Empire , who declared it to be part of German East Africa . In 1894, explorer Gustav Adolf von Götzen was the first European to cross the entire territory of Rwanda; he crossed from the south-east to Lake Kivu and met the king. In 1897, Germany established a presence in Rwanda with
26316-521: The state-run Radio Rwanda was the largest station and the main source of news throughout the country. Television access is limited, with most homes not having their own set. The government rolled out digital television in 2014, and a year later there were seven national stations operating, up from just one in the pre-2014 analogue era. The press is tightly restricted, and newspapers routinely self-censor to avoid government reprisals. Nonetheless, publications in Kinyarwanda, English, and French critical of
26488-453: The suddenly pro-Hutu Belgians held a referendum in which the country voted to abolish the monarchy. Rwanda was separated from Burundi and gained independence on 1 July 1962, which is commemorated as Independence Day, a national holiday. Cycles of violence followed, with exiled Tutsi attacking from neighbouring countries and the Hutu retaliating with large-scale slaughter and repression of the Tutsi. In 1973, Juvénal Habyarimana took power in
26660-517: The theory that the Germans had the handicap of trying to colonize African areas inhabited by aggressive tribes, whereas their colonial neighbors had more docile peoples to contend with. At that time, the German penchant for giving muscle priority over patience contributed to continued unrest. Several of the African colonies remained powder kegs throughout this phase (and beyond). After 1885, Bismarck opposed further colonial acquisitions and maintained his policy focus on maintaining good relationships with
26832-417: The third-largest colonial empire, after the British and French empires . Following the British model, Bismarck placed many possessions of German merchants under the protection of the German empire. He took advantage of a period of foreign peace to begin the "colonial experiment", which he remained skeptical of. The transition to official acceptance of colonialism and to colonial government thus occurred during
27004-562: The three groups. German colonial empire Swahili , Rwanda-Rundi (Burundi, Rwanda, Buha kingdom in Tanzania), Papuan , Samoan (in New Guinea and Samoa ) The German colonial empire ( German : Deutsches Kolonialreich ) constituted the overseas colonies, dependencies, and territories of the German Empire . Unified in 1871, the chancellor of this time period was Otto von Bismarck . Short-lived attempts at colonization by individual German states had occurred in preceding centuries, but Bismarck resisted pressure to construct
27176-430: The treaties often remained unclear to them due to the language barrier. They engaged with these deals, however, because the long negotiations with the colonizers and the ritual act of signing a treaty enormously enhanced their authority. These treaties were approved by the German government, which granted complete authority without oversight to the colonial companies, while retaining for itself only ultimate sovereignty and
27348-468: The wake of New Imperialism , promoted Tutsi supremacy, considering the Hutu and Tutsi different races . In 1935, Belgium introduced an identity card system, which labelled each individual as either Tutsi, Hutu, Twa or Naturalised. While it had been previously possible for particularly wealthy Hutu to become honorary Tutsi, the identity cards prevented any further movement between the classes. Belgium continued to rule Ruanda-Urundi (of which Rwanda formed
27520-513: The west and northwest of the country receiving more precipitation annually than the east and southeast. Global warming has caused a change in the pattern of the rainy seasons. According to a report by the Strategic Foresight Group, change in climate has reduced the number of rainy days experienced during a year, but has also caused an increase in frequency of torrential rains. Both changes have caused difficulty for farmers, decreasing their productivity. Strategic Foresight also characterise Rwanda as
27692-412: The white rhino population is growing in Rwanda. In 2021, Rwanda received 30 white rhinos from South Africa with the goal of Akagera being a safe breeding ground for the near-threatened species. There are 670 bird species in Rwanda , with variation between the east and the west. Nyungwe Forest, in the west, has 280 recorded species, of which 26 are endemic to the Albertine Rift; endemic species include
27864-492: The year. There are some temperature variations across the country; the mountainous west and north are generally cooler than the lower-lying east. There are two rainy seasons in the year; the first runs from February to June and the second from September to December. These are separated by two dry seasons : the major one from June to September, during which there is often no rain at all, and a shorter and less severe one from December to February. Rainfall varies geographically, with
28036-427: Was mountain gorilla tracking, in the Volcanoes National Park; Rwanda is one of only three countries in which mountain gorillas can be visited safely; the gorillas attract thousands of visitors per year, who are prepared to pay high prices for permits. Other attractions include Nyungwe Forest, home to chimpanzees, Ruwenzori colobus and other primates, the resorts of Lake Kivu, and Akagera, a small savanna reserve in
28208-476: Was "released from carrying out the part of his task concerned with identification of overseas settlements suitable for Prussian settlement." Despite this, one ship from the expedition, the Thetis was sent to Patagonia in South America to investigate its prospects as a colony, since the Prussian naval command in particular were interested in the establishment of a naval strong point on the South American coast. The Thetis had already reached Buenos Aires which
28380-424: Was a class distinction rather than a racial one. The earliest form of social organisation in the area was the clan ( ubwoko ). The clans were not limited to genealogical lineages or geographical area, and most included Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. From the 15th century, the clans began to merge into kingdoms. One kingdom, under King Gihanga, managed to incorporate several of its close neighbor territories establishing
28552-399: Was a founding member of the New Guinea Consortium for the acquisition of colonies in New Guinea and the Pacific in 1882. In November 1882, the Bremen -based tobacco merchant Adolf Lüderitz contacted the Foreign Office and requested protection for a trade station south of Walvis Bay on the southwest African coast. In February and November 1883, he asked the British government whether
28724-477: Was accompanied by a growth of scholarly interest in Africa. In 1845, the orientalist Heinrich Leberecht Fleischer of Leipzig University and others founded the Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft . The linguist Hans Stumme , also of Leipzig, researched African languages. Leipzig established a professorship of Anthropology, Ethnography, and Pre-history in 1901 ( Karl Weule , who established an ethnological and biological determinist school of African research) and
28896-477: Was acquired in 2013 by Liquid Telecom , a company providing telecommunications and fibre optic networks across eastern and southern Africa. As of 2015 , Liquid Telecom provides landline service to 30,968 subscribers, with mobile operator MTN Rwanda serving an additional 15,497 fixed line subscribers. Landlines are mostly used by government institutions, banks, NGOs and embassies, with private subscription levels low. As of 2015 , mobile phone penetration in
29068-400: Was also active in the Pacific, annexing a series of islands that would be called German New Guinea (part of present-day Papua New Guinea and several nearby island groups). The northeastern region of the island of New Guinea was called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland; the Bismarck Archipelago to the islands' east also contained two larger islands named New Mecklenburg and New Pomerania. They also acquired
29240-449: Was concluded in the name of Lüderitz with the Zulu king Dinuzulu , which would have given Germany a claim to St Lucia Bay in Zululand. However, the claim was dropped as part of a concession to Britain in May 1885, along with a claim to Pondoland . Also in 1885, Germany waived its claim to the west African territories of Kapitaï and Koba and Mahinland , in favor of France and Britain respectively. In 1886, Germany and Britain agreed on
29412-441: Was founded, which included the "acquisition of agricultural and commercial colonies for the German Empire" in its founding statute. In 1882, the first Society for German Colonization [ de ] was established, which was a lobby group for colonialist propaganda. In 1887, the competing Society for German Colonization was established with the goal of actually undertaking colonization. The two societies merged in 1887 into
29584-402: Was the fear of tariffs that Hamburg traders might have to pay if the whole of West Africa were to come under British or French control. Finally, a secret request from the Chamber of Commerce to Bismarck for the establishment of a colony in West Africa was submitted on 6 July 1883, stating that "through such acquisitions, German trade in Trans-Atlantic lands could only be given a firmer position and
#45954