CAPITAL KIGALI - POPULATION 9.9 MILLION - AREA 26,338 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGES KINYARWANDA, FRENCH, ENGLISH
Emerald-green Rwanda still bears memories for many of the attempted massacre of the Tutsi tribe in 1994, which left hundreds of thousands dead and the country in ruins. Nevertheless, some tourists are finally being lured back with the promise of spotting those famous silverback mountain gorillas at the Parc National des Volcans for which Rwanda, before the horrors of a decade ago, was renowned. And deservedly so. These days, visitors can expect a warm welcome from a beautiful and relatively serene country, with only the sometimes-volatile border regions to steer well clear of. 2009 is expected to see an answer to Rwanda's application to join the Commonwealth of Nations, so if all goes well its athletes will be bringing Rwanda to the world's attention before too much longer.
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