Kigali
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Kigali, population 330,000 (1997), is the capital city of Rwanda and its largest city, lying in the centre of the nation. It has a population of around 350,000. Centred on a ridge between two valleys, it is known for its vegetation. It is built in hilly country, with the lower parts at roughly 4700 feet (1433 m), and the higher hills over 5400 feet (1645 m) in elevation.
Founded in 1907 under German colonial rule, Kigali was made the capital when Rwanda gained independence in 1962. Starting on April 7, 1994, it was the scene of the Rwandan Genocide — the slaughter of approximately one million Tutsis by Hutu militias and the Rwandan army — and of fierce fighting between the army (mostly Hutu) and Tutsi-dominated Rwandese Patriotic Front. Although damaged, the city's structure has recovered.
Tin ore (cassiterite) is mined nearby, and the city built a smelting plant in the 1980s. The city is home to an international airport.
Kigali's location is 1° 57.245' S, 30° 3.570' E. (-1.954167, 30.059444)
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