Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church
1948 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
San Jose, CA 95126
Rwanda is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes Region of east-central Africa, with a population of approximately 8 million. It is bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Its fertile and hilly terrain, which gives it the title “Land of a Thousand Hills”, supports the densest population in continental Africa. It is best known to the outside world for the 1994 Rwandan genocide that resulted in the deaths of up to one million people (mostly Tutsi and Hutu moderates). The 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, tells the story of the war and genocide. Before this, it was known mostly as the habitat of mountain gorillas (the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist is about the study of mountain gorillas by ethologist Dian Fossey).
Today the country is once again peaceful and showing signs of rapid development, but some Rwandans continue to struggle with the legacy of genocide and war. In 2004 a ceremony was held in Kigali to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the genocide, attended by many foreign dignitaries, and the country observes a national day of mourning each year on April 7. Rwandan genocidal leaders are on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in the Rwandan National Court system, and, most recently, through the informal Gacaca village justice program. The current Rwandan government, led by Paul Kagame, has been praised by many for establishing security and promoting reconciliation and economic development, but is also criticized by some for being overly militant and opposed to dissent. The country now plays host to many international travelers and is regarded as a safe place for tourists.
Rwanda is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary exports are coffee and tea, with the addition in recent years of minerals (mainly Coltan, used in manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones) and flowers. Tourism also is a growing sector, notably around ecotourism (Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu)and the world famous and unique Moutain Gorillas in the Virunga park. It has a low gross national product (GNP), and it has been identified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). In 2005, its economic performance and governance achievements prompted International Funding Institutions to cancel nearly all its debts.
The religious beliefs of Rwanda are primarily Roman Catholic (56.5%), followed by Protestant (26%), Adventist (11.1%), Muslim (4.6%), indigenous beliefs (0.1%) and none (1.7%). The official languages are Kinyarwanda universal Bantu vernacular, French, and English, with Kiswahili (Swahiuli) used in commercial centers. The average life expectancy is 47.3 years, with females living just slightly longer than males. 70% of the population is literate (definition: age 15 and over can read and write).