General Information about Rwanda

Rwanda is a small landlocked country in tropical central Africa. Half the size of Scotland, it is also known as the 'Land of a Thousand Hills', testament to its craggy mountains, volcanic ranges and rolling uplands.

On 6 April 1994, a plane carrying Rwandan President Habyarimana and Burundi's President Ntaryamira, was shot down near Kigali. Both men died and the Rwandan genocide began.

During the genocide, almost a million people were violently murdered in the space of only three months. The army began a campaign of death and destruction, targeting not only Tutsis but also moderate Hutus.

On 8 April 1994 - two days after the killings began - the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) launched a large offensive to capture Kigali and end the genocide.

The RPF captured Kigali on 4 July 1994 and the genocide finally came to an end.

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