About Kigali

Kigali, with a population of more than 1 million, is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation. Kigali was founded in 1907 by Dr. Richard Kandt under German colonial rule, but did not become the capital until Rwandan independence in 1962. The traditional capital was the seat of the mwami in Nyanza, while the colonial seat of power was in Butare, then known as Astrida. The city is built in hilly country, sprawling across about four ridges and the valleys in between. Considered a tropical savanna climate typically with a pronounced dry season. It is cooler throughout the year than in many other cities around the Equator due to its elevation, that somewhat tempers the extremes and results in warm rather than hot nights.