Fun Facts About Rwanda

A particularly cool perk about spending time in Rwanda with Kids Play International (KPI) is the authentic experience of the culture. With the Let's Play program being held in a small village called Gatagara, we venture off the beaten track and literally onto the not-so-frequented roads. That's right, get ready for some 4-wheeling! 

Now that we have our 2013 Volunteer Trips scheduled and your brain must be overflowing with questions about Rwanda, we'd like to share some fun facts about this beautiful country. 

Warning: These fun facts will not provide the full-on authentic experience that you will get when going on a trip. If we could bring over a silverback gorilla to show you, we would. 

RWANDA

"the land of a thousand hills"

Where am I? Rwanda is surrounded by four countries, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Africa, the country is located smack in the middle and a tad to the right (that sounds more official than Central/Eastern Africa, right?). It's also 75 miles south of the equator.

Who's there? The population is approximately 12 million people. Though Rwanda is densely populated, the lush landscape leaves your eyes gazing over the horizon and its endless rolling hills.

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! With the unique landscape there is a variety of animal life to match it.  There is a national park in the east called the Akagera National Park, which has large animals including hippo, giraffe, zebra, elephant, and other animals you might see in the savannah.
There are two national parks that have a forest vegetation, the National Volcanoes Park (primates including the renowned silverback gorilla) and the Nyungwe Forest National Park (chimpanzees and monkeys).
*KPI volunteer trips visit the National Volcanoes Park!

Rain or shine? Rwanda has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. Rwanda is at a higher altitude, which helps explain the rich, fertile soil. Don't worry, we do our best to visit Rwanda when the weather is at its best.

Hi, bonjour, & muraho! The official language of Rwanda is Kinyarwanda, French, and English.

Would you like something to drink? With all this lush landscape, all sorts of things are growing! The major the exports here are coffee and tea. Yum!


Such a tease, there's so many more! Stay tuned to see what else this vibrant country is all about!