Rwanda is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 14.6 million people (2025) and an area of 26,338 square kilometres. Its capital is Kigali, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of RwandaRwanda in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Rwanda's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
The land of a thousand hills
Rwanda occupies 26,338 square kilometers of the East African highlands, terrain so corrugated by hills and valleys that almost no flat ground exists outside a few lake shores and river floodplains. The western border follows the Congo-Nile Divide, the ridge separating Africa's two largest river basins, before dropping steeply to Lake Kivu. In the northwest the Virunga volcanic chain rises to 4,507 meters at Mount Karisimbi, the country's high point, and shelters the world's last mountain gorillas in bamboo and cloud forest.
More on Virunga volcanic chain
A string of eight major volcanoes straddling Rwanda, the DRC, and Uganda. Two remain active. The chain's montane forests support around 1,000 mountain gorillas, roughly half the global population, making gorilla tourism Rwanda's top foreign-exchange earner.
4 more lenses on Rwanda in the app
STORY A hundred days in 1994, and everything built since
NOW A development model built on order and branding
THREAD How does Rwanda project influence beyond its borders?
NOW Hillside farms, and a lake full of gas
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Rwanda?
The capital of Rwanda is Kigali. Kigali lies at about 2.0 degrees south and 30.1 degrees east. Rwanda is in Africa, in the region often called East Africa. It is home to about 14.6 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Rwanda?
About 14.6 million people live in Rwanda, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 76th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 26,338 square kilometres, that is about 553 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Rwanda?
Rwanda shares land borders with 4 countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. The map on this page outlines each of them around Rwanda. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake.
How big is Rwanda?
Rwanda covers 26,338 square kilometres, or about 10,169 square miles. That makes it the 144th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 14.6 million gives a density of 553 people per square kilometre.
Rwanda is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 14.6 million people (2025) and an area of 26,338 square kilometres. Its capital is Kigali, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
Capital
Kigali
Continent
Africa
Region
East Africa
Population
14,569,341 2025, World Bank. 76th of 195.
Area
26,338 km² (10,169 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 144th largest of 195.
Population density
553 people per km²
Land neighbours
4: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda
Official name
Republic of Rwanda
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
The land of a thousand hills
Rwanda occupies 26,338 square kilometers of the East African highlands, terrain so corrugated by hills and valleys that almost no flat ground exists outside a few lake shores and river floodplains. The western border follows the Congo-Nile Divide, the ridge separating Africa's two largest river basins, before dropping steeply to Lake Kivu. In the northwest the Virunga volcanic chain rises to 4,507 meters at Mount Karisimbi, the country's high point, and shelters the world's last mountain gorillas in bamboo and cloud forest.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/rwanda/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Rwanda
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Colour Rwanda on the map, then fill in what you find.
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Three things I learned
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One question I still have
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/rwanda/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
