The city of Kigali is the capital, largest city, and economic center of the Central African country of Rwanda. Located in central Rwanda on the Ruganwa River, the city is just south of the equator and spreads over four hills. Northeast of Kigali is a squatters' settlement, and southeast is an industrial area. The city lies at an altitude of more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) and has a mild climate throughout the year.
The economy of the city is based mainly on trade. The products produced in and around Kigali include tin ores, shoes, coffee, rice, and sugarcane. Textile, chemicals, food, beverages, and tin-processing industries also exist. Kigali is connected by roads to all the four borders of the country. It also has an international airport.
Kigali was part of German East Africa from 1899 to 1919 and then came under Belgian control. When the independent nations of Rwanda and Burundi were created in 1962, Kigali became the capital of Rwanda. In 1994 the president of Rwanda and the president of Burundi were killed in an air crash near Kigali under suspicious circumstances. This event triggered violence in Kigali involving the two main ethnic groups, the Hutu and the Tutsi. Population (1997 estimate), 330,000.
