Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Rwanda: Kigali — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Rwanda is Kigali. Rwanda sits in Africa, has a population of 13,776,698, and uses the RWF. Official languages include Kinyarwanda, French, English.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Kigali
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~13,776,698
  • Area: 26,338 km²
  • Population density: 523 people per km²
  • Official languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English
  • Currency: RWF
  • ISO code: RW

How big is Rwanda?

By population, Rwanda ranks 76th in the world, holding roughly 0.17% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 145th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Rwanda has 523 people per square kilometre, which is about 8.8 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Rwanda is the 28th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Rwanda in population are Guinea (13,859,341) and Benin (13,352,864).

By land area, its closest counterparts are North Macedonia (25,713 km²) and Haiti (27,750 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Kinyarwanda is listed as an official language of Rwanda alone, which is unusual — most official languages are shared across borders.

Rwanda uses the RWF, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Rwanda

Kigali is near the geographical centre of the country, spread over rolling hills and ridges. Rwanda is called the 'Land of a Thousand Hills', and its capital is a city of hills too.

The flag of Rwanda: sky blue, yellow and green, with a gold sun

🇷🇼 The flag is three horizontal stripes of sky blue (twice as wide), yellow and green, with a gold sun with 24 rays in the top right corner. Blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development and mineral wealth, and green for hope for prosperity. The sun stands for unity and enlightenment. The flag was adopted on 31 December 2001.

Region and neighbours

Rwanda is a small landlocked country in East Africa, in the Great Rift Valley, a few degrees south of the equator. It shares land borders with 4 countries: Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.

Three facts about Rwanda

  1. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to about a third of all the mountain gorillas in the world.
  2. Lake Kivu, Rwanda's largest lake, runs along most of its western border and is up to 480 m deep.
  3. A stream in Rwanda's Nyungwe Forest is one of the places suggested as the farthest source of the River Nile.

Sources: Wikipedia: Rwanda, Wikipedia: Flag of Rwanda, Wikipedia: Kigali, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Rwanda

Rwanda capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Rwanda 🇷🇼?

    • Asmara
    • Kigali
    • Abuja
    • Bissau
    Show answer

    Kigali

  2. What is the capital of Guinea 🇬🇳?

    • Addis Ababa
    • Port Louis
    • Conakry
    • Bamako
    Show answer

    Conakry

  3. What is the capital of Benin 🇧🇯?

    • Porto-Novo
    • Gaborone
    • Juba
    • Lilongwe
    Show answer

    Porto-Novo

  4. What is the capital of Burundi 🇧🇮?

    • Mbabane
    • Bamako
    • Porto-Novo
    • Gitega
    Show answer

    Gitega

  5. What is the capital of Tunisia 🇹🇳?

    • Asmara
    • Djibouti
    • Tunis
    • Nairobi
    Show answer

    Tunis

Rwanda in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Rwanda belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Rwanda.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Rwanda?

The capital of Rwanda is Kigali.

What is the population of Rwanda?

About 13,776,698, making it the 76th most populous country in the world.

How big is Rwanda?

26,338 square kilometres, ranking 145th by land area, at a density of 523 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Rwanda use?

The RWF, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Rwanda flag?

The flag of Rwanda is three horizontal stripes of sky blue (twice as wide), yellow and green, with a gold sun with 24 rays in the top right corner. Blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development and mineral wealth, and green for hope for prosperity. The sun stands for unity and enlightenment. The flag was adopted on 31 December 2001.

Which countries border Rwanda?

Rwanda shares land borders with Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

How can I remember the capital of Rwanda?

Kigali is near the geographical centre of the country, spread over rolling hills and ridges. Rwanda is called the 'Land of a Thousand Hills', and its capital is a city of hills too.

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