Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, located in highlands in the center of the country, just south of the equator. It is situated at an altitude of 1540 m (5053 ft) and has a mild climate all year. The economy is based mainly on trade in locally produced coffee, cattle, and cassiterite (tin ore). In addition, textile, chemical, and tin-processing industries are in and around Kigali. A major highway connects Kigali with Burundi to the south and Uganda to the north. An international airport and a technical college are here.
Kigali was part of German East Africa from 1899 to 1916. In 1923 it passed to Belgian control as part of the Ruanda-Urundi territory administered by Belgium for the League of Nations from 1923 to 1946 and the United Nations (UN) from 1946 to 1962. When the trust territory was divided in 1962 to form the independent nations of Rwanda and Burundi, Kigali became the capital of Rwanda.
