Rwanda (official name – Republic of Rwanda, previously until 1991 – Republic of Rwanda) is a small state in Southeast Africa. It borders on the south with, on the east with Democratic Republic Congo (formerly Zaire), to the north with and to the east with . It has no access to the sea. The name of the state comes from the Bantu language, where the word "Rwanda" means "land of hills."
The territory of Rwanda is a hilly plain on which several lakes are located (Kivu, Rweru, South Siokhola, Ihema and others), as well as several rivers, including the Nile. The area of Rwanda is just over 26 thousand square kilometers.
The population of Rwanda, according to estimates by special UN bodies, is about 12 million people. IN ethnically in Rwanda, the Hutu (Bantu) tribes predominate, making up about 84% of total number population, the Tutsi (Hamites) people make up no more than 15% and the Pygmies (Twa) - about 1%. State languages in the country are French and Kinyarwanda (refers to language group Bantu of the Niger-Congo family), however, the Swahili language is quite widely used in everyday life.
Currently, the capital of Rwanda is the city of Kigali, inhabited by approximately 1 million inhabitants and located in the central part of the country. Among other large settlements The country should include the cities of Ruhengeri, Byumba, Gitarama, Butare, Kibuye, Cyangugu and others.
The indigenous population of Rwanda are considered to be the Pygmies (Twa), who settled on these lands in the period BC. Since the 9th century, the territory modern Rwanda Hutu tribes, classified as Bantu peoples, began to penetrate from the south, and Tutsis, classified as Nilotic peoples, began to penetrate from the north. They began to engage in cattle breeding and agriculture, gradually pushing the pygmies into the forests and turning them into slaves and servants. In 1890, by decision of the Brussels Convention, the lands of Rwanda came under the control of Germany, which granted the Tutsi king limited autonomy. During World War I, Belgian troops invaded Rwanda from the Belgian Congo and captured it by the end of 1916. Under the mandate of the League of Nations in post-war period Rwanda came under Belgian rule. On June 1, 1962, Belgium granted Rwanda independence. The subsequent period of Rwandan history was marked by several government coups and the genocide against the Tutsi in 1996.
Currently, the Republic of Rwanda is a rather backward state in its region, with an economy weakened by civil strife and frequent changes authorities, which classified the country as one of the poorest in Africa.
Monetary unit of the Republic of Rwanda in given time is Rwandan franc(RWF code 646). The name of the Rwandan currency comes from the currency of the former metropolis.
During the period of German protectorate over Rwanda, it was introduced into circulation on its territory. After the capture of Rwanda by the Belgians in 1916 money turnover The Belgian Congo franc was immediately introduced. In 1960, the Belgian Congo franc was withdrawn from circulation in Rwanda and replaced by the franc, which in turn was replaced by the Rwandan franc in 1964.
During the period in which the Rwandan franc was in circulation, it depreciated quite significantly and currently its exchange rate is such that when exchanged for 1 US dollar you can get more than 680 Rwandan francs, for 1 euro - about 942, for 1 - about 85, for 1 Russian ruble - just under 21 Rwandan francs.
1 Rwandan franc is nominally divided into 100 centimes. The name of the fractional currency was also borrowed from the Belgians.
Currently, the National Bank of Rwanda, which is in charge of the country's emission policy, has issued banknotes in denominations of 500 (five hundred), 1000 (one thousand), 2000 (two thousand) and 5000 (five thousand) Rwandan francs. In addition, coins in denominations of 1 (one), 5 (five), 10 (ten), 20 (twenty), 50 (fifty) and 100 (one hundred) francs are also in circulation.
The design of Rwandan franc banknotes is quite similar to the design of other currencies of countries that were once colonized by France and Belgium. The obverse of banknotes of all denominations depicts architectural structures, infrastructure facilities and animals living in the country. So, for example, on the obverse of a banknote with a nominal denomination of 500 francs there is a picture of the facade of a building National Bank Rwanda, 1000 francs – building facade National Museum country, 2000 francs - a satellite dish against the backdrop of the landscape of Rwanda, 5000 francs - a gorilla in the capital's zoo. The denomination of the banknote in digital format is depicted in its lower left and upper right corners, and the name of the issuing bank on two national languages in the central part above and below. The reverse of Rwandan banknotes depicts scenes from the life of the people of Rwanda and the nature of the country. Thus, on the reverse of a banknote of 500 francs there is a scene of tea picking on a plantation, on the 1000 francs there is a monkey, on the 2000 francs there are coffee beans, on the 5000 francs there are baskets, which are the subject of national creativity. The digital denomination for banknotes up to and including 2,000 francs is depicted in the upper left and lower right corners, and for the 5,000 franc banknote in all four corners. The capital version of the denomination is shown in the lower central part, and the name of the issuing bank is on French- at the top.
Rwandan franc banknotes were printed at the Belgian Mint in Brussels.
The design of Rwandan coins, which all have a regular round radial shape, is quite interesting for numismatists. On the obverse of the coins, in addition to the name of the issuing bank and the year of issue of the series of coins, images of agricultural crops cultivated in the country are minted. Thus, on the obverse of a 1 franc coin there is a picture of a cereal plant, a 5 franc coin shows a coffee tree, a 10 franc coin shows a bunch of bananas on a banana palm, a 20 franc coin shows a tea bush, and a 50 franc coin shows an ear of corn. An exception is the 100 franc coin, on the obverse of which the digital denomination of the coin is minted. On the reverse of Rwandan coins, in the central part is minted National emblem countries, digital denomination at the bottom and the name of the state in Kinyarwanda. The 1 franc coins are made of aluminum, the 5 and 10 franc coins are made of carbon steel coated with brass, and the 20 and 50 franc coins are made of carbon steel coated with a copper-nickel alloy. The 100 franc coin is made using a bimetallic method, with a core made of brass and a rim made of copper-nickel alloy.
Rwandan coins are minted at the Belgian National Mint in Brussels.
The few tourists who visit Rwanda can exchange their currency for national currency only in the capital at two branches of the National Bank of Rwanda. There are no other legal exchange places in the country. It is not recommended to use the services of illegal money changers due to quite high probability fraud or robbery.
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(official name - Republic of Burundi, French version – Republic of Burundi) is a small state located in East Africa.
(official name - Republic of Rwanda, French version - Republique Rwandaise, until 1991 – Republic of Rwanda) is also a small state in the same region.
On July 1, 1962, both and declared their independence from the former metropolis - Belgium. It is worth noting that during the time of dependence on Belgium, both states were one whole province, which was called Ruanda-Urundi. Therefore, it is entirely natural that after gaining independence, both states entered into an agreement at the end of the summer of 1962 and entered into a single customs and monetary union. This agreement actually legitimized the previously created single currency emission center for the two countries - the Bank of Emission of Rwanda and Burundi (Banque d'Emission du Rwanda et du Burundi).
The monetary unit of Rwanda and Burundi for the period from 1962 to 1964 was Rwanda and Burundi franc(RBF code 569). The name of the common currency for the two countries during this period was borrowed from the former metropolis of Belgium.
After the occupation of the German colony of Ruanda-Urundi by Belgian troops in mid-1916, the Congolese franc of the Belgian Congo was introduced into circulation as a replacement, which at the rate was equal to the Belgian franc. On August 21, 1960, the Bank of Emission of Rwanda and Burundi (Banque d’Emission du Rwanda et du Burundi) was created, and already on September 2, 1960, this issuing center of the two, even then, colonies ordered the issue of banknotes of the new franc of Rwanda and Burundi in Belgium. After the declaration of independence of Rwanda and Burundi, on August 1, 1962, a new common currency for the two countries was put into circulation and by January 1, 1963 it completely replaced the Congolese franc in a 1:1 ratio. Due to political and ethnic contradictions, on September 30, 1964, the monetary and customs union of Rwanda and Burundi was dissolved, and the countries created their own national emission centers and began issuing national currencies, respectively. In each of the two countries, the old monetary unit was exchanged for national currencies in a 1:1 ratio.
1 franc of Rwanda and Burundi consisted of 100 centimes. The name of the fractional currency of both countries was also borrowed from Belgium, it comes from Latin word centum, which translates as “one hundred.”
The Bank of Issue of Rwanda and Burundi issued banknotes in denominations of 5 (five), 10 (ten), 50 (fifty), 100 (one hundred), 500 (five hundred) and 1000 (one thousand) francs of Rwanda and Burundi. Coins in denominations of 1 (one) franc were also issued for circulation.
The design of the Rwandan and Burundian franc notes closely resembled the design of the Belgian francs then in circulation. The obverse of these banknotes depicted drawings of animals living in the territory of the two countries. On the reverse of the Rwandan and Burundi franc banknotes, the digital denomination of the banknote was depicted, in an ornamental frame.
Banknotes of Rwandan and Burundian francs were printed in the factories of the Belgian Mint.
The design of the one franc coin of Rwanda and Burundi was more than primitive. On the obverse, its digital denomination was minted with the inscriptions of the names of the two countries at the top and bottom; on the reverse, a lion and the abbreviation of the common emission center were minted. The coin was minted from brass and had a regular round shape.
Rwandan and Burundian franc coins were also minted in Mint Belgium.