Kigali by that time. Kigali Kigali () is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre. The city has been Rwanda's economic, cultural, and transport hub since it became capital at independence in 1962. The city hosts the main residence and offices of the President of Rwanda and government ministries. The city is within the province of Kigali City, which was enlarged in January 2006, as part of local government reorganisation in the country. Kigali's city limits cover the whole province; it is consolidated. The city's urban area covers about 70% of the municipal boundaries.
Kigali act as a water store and flood protection for the city, although these are under threat from agriculture and development. The central business district (CBD) (known in Kinyarwanda as "mu mujyi") of Kigali lies on Nyarugenge Hill, and was the site of the original city founded by Richard Kandt in 1907. The house that Kandt lived in is now a museum. Geographically, the CBD lies towards the western edge of the built-up area, as the terrain to the east was more suitable for development of the expanding city than the high slopes of Mount Kigali to the west. Several of