Kigali is both the largest city in Rwanda and its capital city, hosting both its presidential quarters and government offices. Kigali didn't really exist until 1907 when it was built by the Germans after Dr. Richard Kandt, the first European resident of Rwanda, set up an administrative residence there. It then became the colonial outpost of the country of which the Germans had taken control under the Berlin Conference agreement. Kigali became the capital of Rwanda in 1962 following independence from Belgium  after they had taken control of the country following Germany's defeat in the First World War. Today Kigali has a population of some one million and is very much a 'young city' with young people making up around 60% of its population, of whom just over half are female.

Kigali was the ground zero of the genocide of 1994 and in its memory the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center opened in April 2004. It contains a permanent exhibition of the Rwandan genocide and an exhibition of other genocides around the world. This short video takes you on a ride through Kigali and gives some insight into what it is like living there. After you've watched the video why not make a virtual landing at Kigali Airport here then explore Kigali in more detail using the interactive map below.

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