Country Profile: Rwanda

Rwanda is a relatively small land-locked African country in the Great Rift Valley bordering Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the most densely populated mainland African country with a young, mainly rural population numbering 12.6 million.

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which saw the death of an estimated 800,000 people, severely damaged the society and its developing economy. Since 2000 the President has been Paul Kagame and the country has placed great importance on overcoming the past and building a stable future based on education and sound development. Its economy, tourist numbers and Human Development Index have grown rapidly since then, and it is one of only three countries in the world to have more women members of parliament than men (Bolivia and Cuba are the other two).