Kigali

Kigali is the capital of Rwanda, a city spread over hills and valleys in the center of the country. Its name comes from Mount Kigali, the hill on its northern side. On the last Saturday of each month, Umuganda, a morning of community work, closes the shops while people clean streets and plant trees.

Richard Kandt, the German colonial resident, founded Kigali in 1907 as an administrative post of German East Africa. Under Belgian rule the colony was governed from Butare in the south, and Kigali stayed a small trading town. It became the capital when Rwanda gained independence in 1962, chosen for its place in the middle of the country. In the 2000s the city followed a master plan for roads, parks and new districts, and plastic bags were banned across Rwanda, which made its streets known for their cleanliness.

Inyange Industries, based in Kigali, makes milk, juices and bottled water. Volkswagen assembles cars at its plant in the city. Coffee and tea grown on the hills of Rwanda are graded and exported through traders in the city.

The Kandt House Museum, in the home of the founder, shows the natural history of Rwanda. The Kigali Convention Centre has a dome shaped like the roof of the old royal palace of Rwanda, lit in colors at night. Kimironko Market sells fruit, vegetables and the bright wax-print cloth that tailors sew into clothes on the spot. The Inema Arts Center shows paintings and sculpture by Rwandan artists. The Kigali Arena hosts concerts and the games of the Basketball Africa League.