Rwanda Nziza Rwanda Nziza became the official anthem of Rwanda on 1 January 2002. The lyrics are as follows: Rwanda Nziza "" (, "Beautiful Rwanda") has been the national anthem of Rwanda since January 1, 2002. It replaced "", which had been the national anthem since 1962. Rwanda's original national anthem, written when the country achieved independence from Belgium in 1962, was called Rwanda Rwacu ("Our Rwanda"). Independence was achieved at a time of high tension, following the Rwandan Revolution: centuries of rule by the minority Tutsi group had been overturned in just three years, the majority Hutu taking power in a
Geography of Rwanda all, and a shorter and less severe one from December to February. Rainfall varies geographically, with the west and northwest of the country receiving more precipitation annually than the east and southeast. Rwanda borders Burundi for 290 km, the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 217 km, Tanzania for 217 km, and Uganda for 169 km. Rwanda has an area of 26 thousands square kilometers, of which 3 percent is water. Although Rwanda is located only two degrees south of the equator, Rwanda's high elevation makes the climate temperate. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of