Muhanga (former Gitarama, renamed in 2006) is a city in

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

, in the

Muhanga District Muhanga is a district (''akarere'') in Rwanda. Its administrative centre is located in the city of Muhanga (former Gitarama). Geography Muhanga Districtis one of the eight districts comprising the Southern Province. It is subdivided into tw ...

, in Southern Province. The city is above sea level. Though officially part of the Southern Province, Muhanga is geographically in central Rwanda, approximately by road southwest of

Kigali Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwa ...

, Rwanda's

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

and largest city. This location lies approximately , north of

Kibeho Kibeho is a small town in south Rwanda, which became known outside of that country because of reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ occurring between 1981 and 1989. It is also known for the Kibeho Massacre, in April ...

, in Nyaruguru District, the southernmost district in Southern Province. The provincial headquarters at Nyanza in

Nyanza District Nyanza is a district (''akarere'') in Southern Province, Republic of Rwanda. Its capital is Nyanza town, which is also the provincial capital. ''Nyanza'' is a Bantu word meaning ''lake'', which probably refers to the small body of water created ...

lie about , by road, directly south of Muhanga.

Overview

Muhanga is the second-largest city in Rwanda. Muhanga is the capital and largest metropolitan area in the

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

Muhanga Muhanga (former Gitarama, renamed in 2006) is a city in Rwanda, in the Muhanga District, in Southern Province. The city is above sea level. Though officially part of the Southern Province, Muhanga is geographically in central Rwanda, approxi ...

. Due to its geographical location, the city serves as the gateway to the west and south of the country. During the 1994

Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...

, Muhanga was the seat of the provisional government.

Amenities

The city has many amenities, including the ones listed below: ; Administration & Public safety * The offices of Muhanga District Administration * The offices of Muhanga District Council * The offices of Gitarama City Council * Gitarama Police Station * Gitarama City Jail * Muhanga District Prison * Muhanga High Court Building ; Educational institutions * St. Leon Minor Seminary, Kabgayi * Kabgayi Major Seminary * St. Joseph Primary School * St. Joseph Secondary School * St. Elizabeth Nurses & Midwives College * Kabgayi Technical College * Kabgayi Catholic Institute * Catholic University of Rwanda * Gitarama Adventist Secondary School * St. Marie-Reine Secondary School * Groupe Scolaire de Nyabikenke * College de Karambi * College Adventiste de Gitwe ; Public Service * Kabgayi Hospital * Gitarama Regional Stadium * Gitarama Bus Station * Muhanga Cultural Center ; Economy * Muhanga Farmers' Market * A branch of Inkingi Microfinance Limited * Three branches of

Bank of Kigali Bank of Kigali (BK) is a commercial bank in Rwanda. It is licensed by the National Bank of Rwanda. Location The headquarters and main branch of the bank are located at 6112 KN4 Avenue, in Nyarugenge District, in the city of Kigali, the capital a ...

* A branch of

Ecobank Rwanda Ecobank Rwanda, whose full name is Ecobank Rwanda Limited, formerly Bank of Commerce, Development and Industry (BCDI), is a commercial bank in Rwanda, licensed and supervised by the National Bank of Rwanda, the central bank and national banking ...

* A branch of Fina Bank Rwanda * A branch of

Banque Populaire du Rwanda SA BPR Bank Rwanda PLC (BPR PLC; rw, Banki y'Abaturage y'u Rwanda), formerly Banque Populaire du Rwanda SA, is a commercial bank in Rwanda. The bank is licensed by the National Bank of Rwanda, the central bank and national banking regulator. Overv ...

Zipline A zip-line, zip line, zip-wire, flying fox, or death slide is a pulley suspended on a cable, usually made of stainless steel, mounted on a slope. It is designed to enable cargo or a person propelled by gravity to travel from the top to the bott ...

delivers supplies from Muhanga to medical centres around the area using drones * ''Hotel Splendid'', a private hospitality establishment. ; Religion * Kabgayi Minor

Basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

* St. Andrew's Pastoral Center * Muhanga Zion Temple * St. Andrew's Church

Population

The 2002 national census put the city's population at 84,669. In 2004, the population of Muhanga was estimated at 87,613 people.Estimated City Population In 2004
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References

{{Authority control Populated places in Rwanda Muhanga District Southern Province, Rwanda

Overview

Amenities

Population

See also

References