Rwanda

American  

[roo-ahn-duh] / ruˈɑn də /

noun

1. a republic in central Africa, E of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: formerly comprising the N part of the Belgian trust territory of Ruanda-Urundi; became independent 1962. 10,169 sq. mi. (26,338 sq. km). Kigali.

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Rwanda British  

/ rʊˈændə /

noun

1. Former name (until 1962): Ruanda.  a republic in central Africa: part of German East Africa from 1899 until 1917, when Belgium took over the administration; became a republic in 1961 after a Hutu revolt against the Tutsi (1959); fighting between the ethnic groups broke out repeatedly after independence, culminating in the genocide of Tutsis by Hutus in 1994. Official languages: Kinyarwanda, English, French, and Swahili. Religion: Roman Catholic, African Protestant, Muslim, and animist. Currency: Rwanda franc. Capital: Kigali. Pop: 12 012 589 (2013 est). Area: 26 338 sq km (10 169 sq miles)

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Rwanda Cultural  

1. Republic in central Africa bordered by Uganda to the north, Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, Burundi on the south, and Tanzania on the east. Its capital is Kigali.

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It has long been marked by ethnic strife between majority Hutus and dominant Tutsis. When its president died in a suspicious plane cash in 1994, Hutu militia massacred at least 500,000 Tutsis in an act of genocide.

Rwanda gained its independence from Belgium in 1962.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Rwandan
  adjective

Example Sentences

Britain abandoned a scheme to deport undocumented migrants to Rwanda, while Italian-run facilities to process migrants in Albania have faced legal challenges and a slow uptake.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Uganda and Rwanda have closed their borders with the DRC and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed this week to keep Ebola out of the United States.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Along with Ituri, cases have been detected in DR Congo's North and South Kivu provinces, which border Rwanda.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Poland, France, Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Rwanda and Malaysia are all building, expanding or seriously considering domestic nuclear programs.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Farmer continues to consult with Haitian doctors in Zanmi Lasante, but most of his clinic work is in Rwanda, where he lives with Didi and two of their three children.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French