The African country where plastic is outlawed and there are gorillas galore

Sixty years ago today, Belgian flags were lowered in Kigali and a new flag – blue, yellow and green with a postage stamp sun – was hoisted, signalling the independence of the Republic of Rwanda. It has been a period of great conflict and change for Rwanda, and also a period of profound tragedy. In 1994, the country experienced one of humanity’s darkest periods: the genocide of more than one million Tutsi people, who were systematically murdered by the Hutu Government over a three-month period.

Rwanda has been in the news more recently following the UK's plans to send illegal asylum seekers to the East African country – a controversial measure which saw the maiden flight on June 14 cancelled after a series of last-minute legal challenges. But through its historic tragedies and recent tribulations, the East African nation is today a major tourist destination and considered to be one of the safest countries in the continent for visitors. There have, however, been reports that members of the LGBT community could face discrimination.

Six decades after declaring independence, here are ten things you may not have known about East Africa’s landlocked, mountainous country.

There are ten gorilla families, each with its own name

The great apes are visible only in a handful of African countries, and Rwanda is possibly the best place on Earth to trek into the mountains and walk amongst our ancestral cousins. Today there are 10 habituated gorilla families in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (part of the Virunga Massif), each one presided over by a silverback male. These families have names, too: Sabyinyo, Susa, Karisimbi, Umubano, Amahoro, Kwitonda, Hirwa, Bwenge, Agashya and Ugyenda. The best time to go is July through to September, although permits are limited. Find out more about the unforgettable experience here.

… but you can also see the Big Five

Along with gorillas, you can also see the so-called ‘Big Five’ in Rwanda: the lion, black rhino, buffalo, leopard and elephant. Akagera National Park is the only place where you can do so after it reintroduced lions in 2015 and the black rhino in 2017. Here you can also see the Maasai giraffe, Burchell’s zebra, warthog, vervet monkey, various species of antelope, among other species.

Rwanda and Burundi were once the same country

Rwanda and Burundi long existed as separate kingdoms, but during the ‘Scramble for East Africa’ in the late 1800s Germany annexed the two countries as part of German East Africa. During World War I, Belgium invaded the region, and after the war German East Africa was distributed among the allied nations. What was known as Ruanda-Urundi came under Belgian control, which it remained under until July 1, 1962, when the two kingdoms split once again into Rwanda and Burundi.

It became one of the first countries to ban plastic bags

In 2008, Rwanda banned plastic bags, and you can’t even bring them in; if you travel to the country with a plastic bag in your luggage it will be confiscated. Bangladesh (2002), India (2002), Eritrea (2005) and Uganda (2007) were the only countries to introduce this measure earlier than Rwanda. In 2021, the country went one step further by banning single-use plastics. Items including plastic cutlery, plates, balloon holders and polystyrene food containers can no longer be sold in the country (with the exception of a handful of products, such as plastics to issue vaccines and sanitary products).

The last Saturday of the month is a national ‘clean up day’

On the last Saturday of every month, all Rwanda’s take part in “​​Umuganda” (meaning "coming together in common purpose"), a mandatory national service where people aged 18 to 65 come together to help to clean up their local area, trim hedges, fill potholes and assist vulnerable residents. The word comes with negative connotations, as weekly umuganda meetings were used by the Hutu elites in 1994 to mobilise civilians for the genocide, but President Paul Kagame reimagined the concept to help clean up the country after its darkest period.

It has the highest percentage of women of any parliament on Earth

Rwanda was the first country on Earth to have a female majority in its national parliament. Currently 61.4 per cent of members of the chamber of deputies are women. This is partly due to the fact that, after the genocide, the population of Rwanda was between 60 and 70 per cent women. Cuba has the second highest percentage of women in its parliament, at 53.4 per cent, followed by Nicaragua at 50.6 per cent. Mexico and the UAE have 50–50 men and women, due to a gender parity laws.

The president is a big Arsenal fan

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is a big Gooner, and an outspoken one too. After Arsenal lost 2-0 in the opening game of the 2021/22 season to Brentford, he Tweeted: “We just must not excuse or accept mediocrity [...] I am sure we all know on whose shoulders the heaviest burden rests.” Some have spoken out to criticise Rwanda’s kit sponsorship deal with Arsenal, thought to be worth more than £30m ($42m) which involves the Visit Rwanda logo on the shirt sleeves, saying it is an example of an authoritarian leader of a poor country subsidising a wealthy English football club. Rwandan tourism authorities insist they are reaping the rewards via brand exposure and bookings.

It is mainland Africa’s most densely populated country

Rwanda is one of Africa’s smallest countries (Djibouti, eSwatini, the Gambia, and São Tomé and Príncipe are the only mainland countries that are smaller), and it also has the highest population density on the continent. There are 440 people per square kilometre. On the other end of the spectrum, Namibia has just three people per square kilometre. The UK, for comparison, is 281 people per square kilometre.

It is known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’

Landlocked Rwanda is known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills” thanks to its dramatic, undulating landscape. The average elevation of the country is around 900 metres (3,000 feet) above sea level and the highest peak is Karisimbi at 4,507 metres (14,787 feet), a dormant stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Republic of Congo. You may not want to lurk in those hills, however: the FCDO says: "There have been incidents of violent clashes on the DRC-Rwanda border in recent years, and armed incursions into the southwest of Rwanda.”

Rwanda is home to the most expensive building in Africa

The Kigali Convention Center cost US$300m, more than any other country on the continent. It is an architectural set-piece, hosting major events such as African Union meetings and World Economic Forums. It also hosts a five-star hotel, the Radisson Blu Kigali.

How to see it

Wild Frontiers sells an 8-day tour of Rwanda and Uganda taking in Volcanoes National Park and a hike to Dian Fossey’s grave. Prices are US$5,565 (£4,577) per person, with additional supplements for gorilla permits. For something a bit longer, Intrepid Travel sells an 18-night tour taking in Uganda, Rwanda, Tazania and Kenya starting from £8,211.